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Document Title:
Failure to Transmit Avian Vacuolar Myelinopathy to Mallard Ducks
AUTHOR(S):
Tom Augspurger N. J. Thomas Tonie E. Rocke R. Scott Larsen Felicia B. Nutter Michael K. Stoskopf
VOLUME:
3
PUBLICATION NUMBER:
39
PAGES:
707 - 711
PUBLICATION DATE:
2003
ABSTRACT:
Avian vacuolar myelinopathy (AVM)
is a neurologic disease that has been diagnosed
in free-ranging birds in the southeastern United
States. Bald eagles (Haliaeetus leuocephalus),
American coots (Fulica americana), and
mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) have been affected.
Previous investigations have not determined
the etiology of this disease. In November
and December 2002, we attempted to induce
AVM in game-farmed mallards through
four, 7-day exposure trials. Mallards were
housed in six groups of eight, with two of these
groups serving as controls. One group was
housed with AVM-affected coots; one group
was tube fed daily with water from the lake
where affected coots were captured; one group
was tube fed daily with aquatic vegetation (Hydrilla
verticillata) from the same lake; and another
group was tube fed daily with sediment
from the lake. No ducks exhibited clinical neurologic
abnormalities consistent with AVM and
no evidence of AVM was present at histopathologic
examination of brain tissue. Although
limitations in sample size, quantity of individual
doses, frequency of dose administration, duration
of exposure, and timing of these trials restrict
the interpretation of the findings, AVM
was not readily transmitted by direct contact,
water, hydrilla, or sediment in this investigation.
PUBLICATION:
Journal of Wildlife Diseases
PUBLISHED BY:
Wildlife Disease Association
DOCUMENT LINK:
http://www.fws.gov/contaminants/Library/Failure2TransmitJWD.pdf, 71 KB
ADDITIONAL LINKS:
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Raliegh, North Carolina, Ecological Services Field Office
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