E. Protozoal Diseases

* * GIARDIASIS

INFECTIOUS AGENT Giardia lamblia

HOST Beaver, muskrat, waterfowl.

TRANSMISSION Fecal contamination of water and hand-to-mouth transfer of cysts from feces of an infected animal. Both wild mammals and birds can harbor these organisms. They presumably have acquired the disease from infected waters. Waterfowl and aquatic species of mammals are most frequently infected.

SYMPTOMS A protozoal infection of the small bowel is often asymptomatic but may be associated with a variety of intestinal symptoms: chronic diarrhea, abdominal cramps, bloating, weight loss, and frequent loose, pale stools.

PREVENTION

1. Avoid and hand-to-mouth contact while handling any wildlife species.
2. Good personal hygiene and hand washing.

TOXOPLASMOSIS

INFECTIOUS AGENT Toxoplasma gondii

HOST Most commonly the house cat; wild animals

TRANSMISSION Ingestion of the oocyst (egg); eating undercooked infected meat; transplacental infection in primary infections of pregnant women. Although wild animals are often cited as infectious agents for toxoplasmosis, the domestic house cat is the only species that passes infective eggs in its feces. All other warm-blooded species may become infected but are not excreters of the infective eggs. Other nondefinitive hosts only become infective when they are eaten by another animal.

SYMPTOMS The disease is seldom severe and usually is self-limiting. Acute disease may result in high fever, lymph node enlargement, muscle pain, and even death. A pregnant woman is particularly susceptible and, when infected for the first time, often passes the parasite on to her baby. Up to 3,000 babies are born every year in the United States with ocular lesions produced from Toxoplasma gondii.

PREVENTION Confining cats will prevent their contact with wild species. Make certain to practice good personal hygiene and sanitation. To avoid children interacting with infected cat feces, keep backyard sandboxes covered.

F. Tick-Borne Diseases

* * LYME DISEASE

INFECTIOUS AGENT Borrelia burgdorferi (a spirochete)

HOST Deer ticks, often found on deer, mice, squirrels, weasels, bats.

TRANSMISSION Tick bites (Ixodes)

SYMPTOMS Little is known about the signs in wild animals and it is felt that probably there are not many pathogenic effects on these animals. In humans, early signs include an expanding ring-shaped skin lesion. Signs include malaise and fatigue, relapsing fever, myalgia, arthralgia (muscle and joint pain), headache, stiff neck, and lymph node enlargement. Days or months later, a chronic or recurring arthritis may develop which may lead to neurologic or cardiac problems. Other signs include chills, profuse sweating, vertigo, and varying jaundice.

INFECTIOUS AGENT Rickettsia rickettsi

TRANSMISSION Tick bite

SYMPTOMS Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever is characterized by sudden onset with moderate to high fever that persists for two to three weeks. Headache, chills, and rashes that progress to hemorrhages are common. The fatality rate is about 20 percent in the absence of specific therapy. With prompt treatment, death is uncommon. The disease is generally restricted to the summer months in areas where the dog tick (Dermacentor variabilis) and wild animal hosts are abundant.

PREVENTION

1. Avoid tick-infested areas.
2. Same as for Lyme Disease.

G. Physical Trauma

The last group of health-related problems involves physical trauma from a wild animal. Whenever a wild animal must be handled, the procedure must be accomplished as safely and quickly as possible. Proper techniques must be employed to minimize the risk of personal injury while, at the same time, avoiding injury to the animal. Gloves, catch sticks, caging, and other appropriate equipment may be necessary when handling a wild animal. Most of these animals will be extremely stressed, resisting every restraint attempt. In the unfortunate circumstance that a person is bitten or scratched, he or she should cleanse the wound thoroughly with soap and flush with water immediately, providing for a mechanical removal of potentially infective organisms. This should be followed by cleansing under medical supervision. The question of rabies should be addressed, depending upon the species of animal and vaccination history. After a bite wound, one of five courses should be decided upon:

1. Begin post-exposure rabies prophylaxis immediately.
2. Sacrifice the animal and examine the brain for rabies.
3. Place the animal under observation (NOT an option with wild animals!)
4. Determine when there is no risk of rabies and no action is necessary.
5. Receive a tetanus vaccination or anti-toxin. The advice of a physician should be sought to help make the best possible decisions regarding the management of the injury.