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Dr. Amy Gilbert
US Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, 4101 Laporte Avenue, Fort Collins, Colorado 80521, USA.

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Research Keywords & Expertise

0 Wildlife Diseases
0 zoonoses
0 Disease ecology
0 Virus spillover
0 Wildlife rabies control

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Wildlife Diseases
zoonoses
Disease ecology
Virus spillover
Wildlife rabies control

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Communication
Published: 23 April 2021 in Viruses
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The Ontario Rabies Vaccine (ONRAB) is a human adenovirus rabies glycoprotein recombinant oral vaccine immunogenic for small Indian mongooses when delivered by direct instillation into the oral cavity. We offered Ultralite baits containing ~1.8 mL 109.5 TCID50 ONRAB oral rabies vaccine to 18 mongooses, while 6 mongooses were offered identical baits in placebo form. We collected sera from individual mongooses at days 0, 14 and 30 post vaccination (pv) and quantified rabies virus neutralizing antibodies (RVNA) using the rapid fluorescent focus inhibition test, with titers greater than or equal to 0.1 IU/mL considered positive. All study subjects were RVNA negative prior to bait offering. Bait consumption was variable: all 6 sham and 13 of 18 (72%) treatment animals consumed/punctured the baits offered. By day 30 pv, RVNA were detected among 11 of 13 (84.6%) of treatment mongooses that consumed/punctured baits, whereas sham-vaccinated mongooses remained RVNA negative throughout the study. We conclude ONRAB is immunogenic for mongooses by Ultralite bait delivery, although the bait design may need further optimization.

ACS Style

Are Berentsen; Israel Leinbach; Mel Rivera-Rodriguez; Amy Gilbert. Oral Rabies Vaccination of Small Indian Mongooses (Urva auropunctata) with ONRAB via Ultralite Baits. Viruses 2021, 13, 734 .

AMA Style

Are Berentsen, Israel Leinbach, Mel Rivera-Rodriguez, Amy Gilbert. Oral Rabies Vaccination of Small Indian Mongooses (Urva auropunctata) with ONRAB via Ultralite Baits. Viruses. 2021; 13 (5):734.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Are Berentsen; Israel Leinbach; Mel Rivera-Rodriguez; Amy Gilbert. 2021. "Oral Rabies Vaccination of Small Indian Mongooses (Urva auropunctata) with ONRAB via Ultralite Baits." Viruses 13, no. 5: 734.

Journal article
Published: 20 February 2021 in Viruses
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We applied the model-guided fieldwork framework to the Caribbean mongoose rabies system by parametrizing a spatially-explicit, individual-based model, and by performing an uncertainty analysis designed to identify parameters for which additional empirical data are most needed. Our analysis revealed important variation in output variables characterizing rabies dynamics, namely rabies persistence, exposure level, spatiotemporal distribution, and prevalence. Among epidemiological parameters, rabies transmission rate was the most influential, followed by rabies mortality and location, and size of the initial infection. The most influential landscape parameters included habitat-specific carrying capacities, landscape heterogeneity, and the level of resistance to dispersal associated with topography. Movement variables, including juvenile dispersal, adult fine-scale movement distances, and home range size, as well as life history traits such as age of independence, birth seasonality, and age- and sex-specific mortality were other important drivers of rabies dynamics. We discuss results in the context of mongoose ecology and its influence on disease transmission dynamics. Finally, we suggest empirical approaches and study design specificities that would provide optimal contributing data addressing the knowledge gaps identified by our approach, and would increase our potential to use epidemiological models to guide mongoose rabies control and management in the Caribbean.

ACS Style

Caroline Sauvé; Erin Rees; Amy Gilbert; Are Berentsen; Agathe Allibert; Patrick Leighton. Modeling Mongoose Rabies in the Caribbean: A Model-Guided Fieldwork Approach to Identify Research Priorities. Viruses 2021, 13, 323 .

AMA Style

Caroline Sauvé, Erin Rees, Amy Gilbert, Are Berentsen, Agathe Allibert, Patrick Leighton. Modeling Mongoose Rabies in the Caribbean: A Model-Guided Fieldwork Approach to Identify Research Priorities. Viruses. 2021; 13 (2):323.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Caroline Sauvé; Erin Rees; Amy Gilbert; Are Berentsen; Agathe Allibert; Patrick Leighton. 2021. "Modeling Mongoose Rabies in the Caribbean: A Model-Guided Fieldwork Approach to Identify Research Priorities." Viruses 13, no. 2: 323.

Journal article
Published: 22 January 2021 in Viruses
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Since the 1990s, oral rabies vaccination (ORV) has been used successfully to halt the westward spread of the raccoon rabies virus (RV) variant from the eastern continental USA. Elimination of raccoon RV from the eastern USA has proven challenging across targeted raccoon (Procyon lotor) and striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis) populations impacted by raccoon RV. Field trial evaluations of the Ontario Rabies Vaccine Bait (ONRAB) were initiated to expand ORV products available to meet the rabies management goal of raccoon RV elimination. This study describes the continuation of a 2011 trial in West Virginia. Our objective was to evaluate raccoon and skunk response to ORV occurring in West Virginia for an additional two years (2012–2013) at 75 baits/km2 followed by three years (2014–2016) of evaluation at 300 baits/km2. We measured the change in rabies virus-neutralizing antibody (RVNA) seroprevalence in targeted wildlife populations by comparing levels pre- and post-ORV during each year of study. The increase in bait density from 75/km2 to 300/km2 corresponded to an increase in average post-ORV seroprevalence for raccoon and skunk populations. Raccoon population RVNA levels increased from 53% (300/565, 95% CI: 50–57%) to 82.0% (596/727, 95% CI: 79–85%) during this study, and skunk population RVNA levels increased from 11% (8/72, 95% CI: 6–20%) to 39% (51/130, 95% CI: 31–48%). The RVNA seroprevalence pre-ORV demonstrated an increasing trend across study years for both bait densities and species, indicating that multiple years of ORV may be necessary to achieve and maintain RVNA seroprevalence in target wildlife populations for the control and elimination of raccoon RV in the eastern USA.

ACS Style

Shylo Johnson; Dennis Slate; Kathleen Nelson; Amy Davis; Samual Mills; John Forbes; Kurt VerCauteren; Amy Gilbert; Richard Chipman. Serological Responses of Raccoons and Striped Skunks to Ontario Rabies Vaccine Bait in West Virginia during 2012–2016. Viruses 2021, 13, 157 .

AMA Style

Shylo Johnson, Dennis Slate, Kathleen Nelson, Amy Davis, Samual Mills, John Forbes, Kurt VerCauteren, Amy Gilbert, Richard Chipman. Serological Responses of Raccoons and Striped Skunks to Ontario Rabies Vaccine Bait in West Virginia during 2012–2016. Viruses. 2021; 13 (2):157.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Shylo Johnson; Dennis Slate; Kathleen Nelson; Amy Davis; Samual Mills; John Forbes; Kurt VerCauteren; Amy Gilbert; Richard Chipman. 2021. "Serological Responses of Raccoons and Striped Skunks to Ontario Rabies Vaccine Bait in West Virginia during 2012–2016." Viruses 13, no. 2: 157.

Article commentary
Published: 08 October 2020 in Science
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ACS Style

Daniel G. Streicker; Amy T. Gilbert. Contextualizing bats as viral reservoirs. Science 2020, 370, 172 -173.

AMA Style

Daniel G. Streicker, Amy T. Gilbert. Contextualizing bats as viral reservoirs. Science. 2020; 370 (6513):172-173.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Daniel G. Streicker; Amy T. Gilbert. 2020. "Contextualizing bats as viral reservoirs." Science 370, no. 6513: 172-173.

Review
Published: 03 September 2020 in PLOS Pathogens
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The COVID-19 pandemic highlights the substantial public health, economic, and societal consequences of virus spillover from a wildlife reservoir. Widespread human transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) also presents a new set of challenges when considering viral spillover from people to naïve wildlife and other animal populations. The establishment of new wildlife reservoirs for SARS-CoV-2 would further complicate public health control measures and could lead to wildlife health and conservation impacts. Given the likely bat origin of SARS-CoV-2 and related beta-coronaviruses (β-CoVs), free-ranging bats are a key group of concern for spillover from humans back to wildlife. Here, we review the diversity and natural host range of β-CoVs in bats and examine the risk of humans inadvertently infecting free-ranging bats with SARS-CoV-2. Our review of the global distribution and host range of β-CoV evolutionary lineages suggests that 40+ species of temperate-zone North American bats could be immunologically naïve and susceptible to infection by SARS-CoV-2. We highlight an urgent need to proactively connect the wellbeing of human and wildlife health during the current pandemic and to implement new tools to continue wildlife research while avoiding potentially severe health and conservation impacts of SARS-CoV-2 "spilling back" into free-ranging bat populations.

ACS Style

Kevin J. Olival; Paul M. Cryan; Brian R. Amman; Ralph S. Baric; David S. Blehert; Cara E. Brook; Charles H. Calisher; Kevin T. Castle; Jeremy T. H. Coleman; Peter Daszak; Jonathan H. Epstein; Hume Field; Winifred F. Frick; Amy T. Gilbert; David T. S. Hayman; Hon S. Ip; William B. Karesh; Christine K. Johnson; Rebekah C. Kading; Tigga Kingston; Jeffrey M. Lorch; Ian H. Mendenhall; Alison J. Peel; Kendra L. Phelps; Raina K. Plowright; DeeAnn M. Reeder; Jonathan D. Reichard; Jonathan M. Sleeman; Daniel G. Streicker; Jonathan S. Towner; Lin-Fa Wang. Possibility for reverse zoonotic transmission of SARS-CoV-2 to free-ranging wildlife: A case study of bats. PLOS Pathogens 2020, 16, e1008758 .

AMA Style

Kevin J. Olival, Paul M. Cryan, Brian R. Amman, Ralph S. Baric, David S. Blehert, Cara E. Brook, Charles H. Calisher, Kevin T. Castle, Jeremy T. H. Coleman, Peter Daszak, Jonathan H. Epstein, Hume Field, Winifred F. Frick, Amy T. Gilbert, David T. S. Hayman, Hon S. Ip, William B. Karesh, Christine K. Johnson, Rebekah C. Kading, Tigga Kingston, Jeffrey M. Lorch, Ian H. Mendenhall, Alison J. Peel, Kendra L. Phelps, Raina K. Plowright, DeeAnn M. Reeder, Jonathan D. Reichard, Jonathan M. Sleeman, Daniel G. Streicker, Jonathan S. Towner, Lin-Fa Wang. Possibility for reverse zoonotic transmission of SARS-CoV-2 to free-ranging wildlife: A case study of bats. PLOS Pathogens. 2020; 16 (9):e1008758.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Kevin J. Olival; Paul M. Cryan; Brian R. Amman; Ralph S. Baric; David S. Blehert; Cara E. Brook; Charles H. Calisher; Kevin T. Castle; Jeremy T. H. Coleman; Peter Daszak; Jonathan H. Epstein; Hume Field; Winifred F. Frick; Amy T. Gilbert; David T. S. Hayman; Hon S. Ip; William B. Karesh; Christine K. Johnson; Rebekah C. Kading; Tigga Kingston; Jeffrey M. Lorch; Ian H. Mendenhall; Alison J. Peel; Kendra L. Phelps; Raina K. Plowright; DeeAnn M. Reeder; Jonathan D. Reichard; Jonathan M. Sleeman; Daniel G. Streicker; Jonathan S. Towner; Lin-Fa Wang. 2020. "Possibility for reverse zoonotic transmission of SARS-CoV-2 to free-ranging wildlife: A case study of bats." PLOS Pathogens 16, no. 9: e1008758.

Journal article
Published: 01 July 2020 in Journal of Wildlife Diseases
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Attenuated strains of rabies virus (RABV) have been used for oral vaccination of wild carnivores in Europe and North America. However, some RABV vaccines caused clinical rabies in target animals. To improve the safety of attenuated RABV as an oral vaccine for field use, strategies using selection of escape mutants under monoclonal antibody neutralization pressure and reverse genetics–defined mutations have been used. We tested the safety, immunogenicity, and efficacy of one RABV construct, ERA-g333, developed with reverse genetics by intramuscular (IM) or oral (PO) routes in big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus). Twenty-five bats received 5×106 mouse intracerebral median lethal doses (MICLD50) of ERA-g333 by IM route, 10 received 5×106 MICLD50 of ERA-g333 by PO route, and 22 bats served as unvaccinated controls. Twenty-one days after vaccination, 44 bats were infected by IM route with 102.9 MICLD50 of E. fuscus RABV. We report both the immunogenicity and efficacy of ERA-g333 delivered by the IM route; no induction of humoral immunity was detected in bats vaccinated by the PO route. Two subsets of bats vaccinated IM (n=5) and PO (n=3) were not challenged, and none developed clinical rabies from ERA-g333. Scarce reports exist on the evaluation of oral rabies vaccines in insectivorous bats, although the strategy evaluated here may be feasible for future application to these important RABV reservoirs.

ACS Style

Amy T. Gilbert; Xianfu Wu; Felix R. Jackson; Richard Franka; Gary F. McCracken; Charles E. Rupprecht. SAFETY, IMMUNOGENICITY, AND EFFICACY OF INTRAMUSCULAR AND ORAL DELIVERY OF ERA-G333 RECOMBINANT RABIES VIRUS VACCINE TO BIG BROWN BATS (EPTESICUS FUSCUS). Journal of Wildlife Diseases 2020, 56, 620 .

AMA Style

Amy T. Gilbert, Xianfu Wu, Felix R. Jackson, Richard Franka, Gary F. McCracken, Charles E. Rupprecht. SAFETY, IMMUNOGENICITY, AND EFFICACY OF INTRAMUSCULAR AND ORAL DELIVERY OF ERA-G333 RECOMBINANT RABIES VIRUS VACCINE TO BIG BROWN BATS (EPTESICUS FUSCUS). Journal of Wildlife Diseases. 2020; 56 (3):620.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Amy T. Gilbert; Xianfu Wu; Felix R. Jackson; Richard Franka; Gary F. McCracken; Charles E. Rupprecht. 2020. "SAFETY, IMMUNOGENICITY, AND EFFICACY OF INTRAMUSCULAR AND ORAL DELIVERY OF ERA-G333 RECOMBINANT RABIES VIRUS VACCINE TO BIG BROWN BATS (EPTESICUS FUSCUS)." Journal of Wildlife Diseases 56, no. 3: 620.

Research article
Published: 19 January 2020 in Journal of Animal Ecology
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1. Animal movement influences the spatial spread of directly‐transmitted wildlife disease through host‐host contact structure. Wildlife disease hosts also vary in home range‐associated foraging and social behaviors, which may increase the spread and intensity of disease outbreaks. The consequences of variation in host home range movement and space use on wildlife disease dynamics are poorly understood, but could help to predict disease spread and determine more effective disease management strategies. 2. We developed a spatially‐explicit individual‐based model to examine the effect of spatiotemporal variation in host home range size on the spatial spread rate, persistence, and incidence of rabies virus (RABV) in raccoons (Procyon lotor). We tested the hypothesis that variation in home range size increases RABV spread and decreases vaccination effectiveness in host populations following pathogen invasion into a vaccination zone. 3. We simulated raccoon demography and RABV dynamics across a range of magnitudes and variances in weekly home range size for raccoons. We examined how variable home range size influenced the relative effectiveness of three components of oral rabies vaccination (ORV) programs targeting raccoons—timing and frequency of bait delivery, width of the ORV zone, and proportion of hosts immunized. 4. Variability in weekly home range size increased RABV spread rates by 1.2 ‐ 5.2‐fold compared to simulations that assumed a fixed home range size. More variable host home range sizes decreased relative vaccination effectiveness by 71% compared to less variable host home range sizes under conventional vaccination conditions. We found that vaccination timing was more influential for vaccination effectiveness than vaccination frequency or vaccination zone width. 5. Our results suggest that variation in wildlife home range movement behavior increases the spatial spread and incidence of RABV. Our vaccination results underscore the importance of prioritizing individual‐level space use and movement data collection to understand wildlife disease dynamics and plan their effective control and elimination.

ACS Style

Katherine M. McClure; Amy T. Gilbert; Richard B. Chipman; Erin E. Rees; Kim M. Pepin. Variation in host home range size decreases rabies vaccination effectiveness by increasing the spatial spread of rabies virus. Journal of Animal Ecology 2020, 89, 1375 -1386.

AMA Style

Katherine M. McClure, Amy T. Gilbert, Richard B. Chipman, Erin E. Rees, Kim M. Pepin. Variation in host home range size decreases rabies vaccination effectiveness by increasing the spatial spread of rabies virus. Journal of Animal Ecology. 2020; 89 (6):1375-1386.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Katherine M. McClure; Amy T. Gilbert; Richard B. Chipman; Erin E. Rees; Kim M. Pepin. 2020. "Variation in host home range size decreases rabies vaccination effectiveness by increasing the spatial spread of rabies virus." Journal of Animal Ecology 89, no. 6: 1375-1386.

Special report
Published: 02 January 2020 in Expert Review of Vaccines
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Introduction: The Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii) is the largest extant carnivorous marsupial. Since 1996, its population has declined by 77% primarily due to a clonal transmissible tumor, known as devil facial tumor (DFT1) disease. In 2014, a second transmissible devil facial tumor (DFT2) was discovered. DFT1 and DFT2 are nearly 100% fatal. Areas covered: We review DFT control approaches and propose a rabies-style oral bait vaccine (OBV) platform for DFTs. This approach has an extensive safety record and was a primary tool in large-scale rabies virus elimination from wild carnivores across diverse landscapes. Like rabies virus, DFTs are transmitted by oral contact, so immunizing the oral cavity and stimulating resident memory cells could be advantageous. Additionally, exposing infected devils that already have tumors to OBVs could serve as an oncolytic virus immunotherapy. The primary challenges may be identifying appropriate DFT-specific antigens and optimization of field delivery methods. Expert opinion: DFT2 is currently found on a peninsula in southern Tasmania, so an OBV that could eliminate DFT2 should be the priority for this vaccine approach. Translation of an OBV approach to control DFTs will be challenging, but the approach is feasible for combatting ongoing and future disease threats.

ACS Style

Andrew S. Flies; Emily J. Flies; Samantha Fox; Amy Gilbert; Shylo R. Johnson; Guei-Sheung Liu; A. Bruce Lyons; Amanda L. Patchett; David Pemberton; Ruth J. Pye. An oral bait vaccination approach for the Tasmanian devil facial tumor diseases. Expert Review of Vaccines 2020, 19, 1 -10.

AMA Style

Andrew S. Flies, Emily J. Flies, Samantha Fox, Amy Gilbert, Shylo R. Johnson, Guei-Sheung Liu, A. Bruce Lyons, Amanda L. Patchett, David Pemberton, Ruth J. Pye. An oral bait vaccination approach for the Tasmanian devil facial tumor diseases. Expert Review of Vaccines. 2020; 19 (1):1-10.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Andrew S. Flies; Emily J. Flies; Samantha Fox; Amy Gilbert; Shylo R. Johnson; Guei-Sheung Liu; A. Bruce Lyons; Amanda L. Patchett; David Pemberton; Ruth J. Pye. 2020. "An oral bait vaccination approach for the Tasmanian devil facial tumor diseases." Expert Review of Vaccines 19, no. 1: 1-10.

Research article
Published: 02 December 2019 in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases
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Rabies is a zoonotic disease caused by infection with rabies virus, which circulates naturally in several wild carnivore and bat reservoirs in the United States (US). The most important reservoir in the US from an animal and public health perspective is the raccoon (Procyon lotor). To prevent the westward expansion of a significant raccoon rabies epizootic along the eastern seaboard, an operational control program implementing oral rabies vaccination (ORV) has existed in the US since the 1990s. Recently, two vaccine efficacy studies conducted with raccoons and striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis) provided the opportunity to determine if volatile fecal metabolites might be used to non-invasively monitor ORV programs and/or predict virus protection for these species. The volatile metabolome is a rich source of information that may significantly contribute to our understanding of disease and infection. Fecal samples were collected at multiple time points from raccoons and striped skunks subjected to oral treatment with rabies vaccine (or sham). Intramuscular challenge with a lethal dose of rabies virus was used to determine protection status at six (raccoons) and 11 (skunks) months post-vaccination. In addition to fecal samples, blood was collected at various time points to permit quantitative assessment of rabies antibody responses arising from immunization. Feces were analyzed by headspace gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detection and the chromatographic responses were grouped according to cluster analysis. Cluster scores were subjected to multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVA) to determine if fecal volatiles may hold a signal of immunization status. Multiple regression was then used to build models of the measured immune responses based on the metabolomic data. MANOVA results identified one cluster associated with protective status of skunks and one cluster associated with protective status of raccoons. Regression models demonstrated considerably greater success in predicting rabies antibody responses in both species. This is the first study to link volatile compounds with measures of adaptive immunity and provides further evidence that the volatile metabolome holds great promise for contributing to our understanding of disease and infections. The volatile metabolome may be an important resource for monitoring rabies immunization in raccoons and striped skunks. Permanent damage to ecosystems and direct transmission to humans (zoonoses) are two serious consequences of infectious wildlife diseases. Rabies is one such zoonotic disease of concern. Recently, two rabies vaccine efficacy studies were conducted with raccoons (Procyon lotor) and skunks (Mephitis mephitis). These studies allowed us the opportunity to investigate the presence of volatile signals of rabies immunization coded in fecal odors. These signals, if sensitive and specific, could permit non-invasive monitoring of rabies vaccination in wildlife populations. Semi-quantitative analyses of fecal volatiles and quantitative assessment of rabies binding antibodies (rVBA; which represent humoral immune responses to the vaccine or virus) were made at multiple time points. Regression models predicting rVBA responses using volatile fecal metabolites demonstrated predictive qualities in both species. This is the first study to link volatile compounds with adaptive immunity and provides further evidence that the volatile metabolome holds great promise for contributing to our understanding of wildlife diseases.

ACS Style

Bruce A. Kimball; Steven F. Volker; Doreen L. Griffin; Shylo R. Johnson; Amy T. Gilbert. Volatile metabolomic signatures of rabies immunization in two mesocarnivore species. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases 2019, 13, e0007911 .

AMA Style

Bruce A. Kimball, Steven F. Volker, Doreen L. Griffin, Shylo R. Johnson, Amy T. Gilbert. Volatile metabolomic signatures of rabies immunization in two mesocarnivore species. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases. 2019; 13 (12):e0007911.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Bruce A. Kimball; Steven F. Volker; Doreen L. Griffin; Shylo R. Johnson; Amy T. Gilbert. 2019. "Volatile metabolomic signatures of rabies immunization in two mesocarnivore species." PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases 13, no. 12: e0007911.

Journal article
Published: 31 October 2019 in Viruses
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Intensive efforts are being made to eliminate the raccoon variant of rabies virus (RABV) from the eastern United States and Canada. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Wildlife Services National Rabies Management Program has implemented enhanced rabies surveillance (ERS) to improve case detection across the extent of the raccoon oral rabies vaccination (ORV) management area. We evaluated ERS and public health surveillance data from 2006 to 2017 in three northeastern USA states using a dynamic occupancy modeling approach. Our objectives were to examine potential risk corridors for RABV incursion from the U.S. into Canada, evaluate the effectiveness of ORV management strategies, and identify surveillance gaps. ORV management has resulted in a decrease in RABV cases over time within vaccination zones (from occupancy ( ψ ¯ ) of 0.60 standard error (SE) = 0.03 in the spring of 2006 to ψ ¯ of 0.33 SE = 0.10 in the spring 2017). RABV cases also reduced in the enzootic area (from ψ ¯ of 0.60 SE = 0.03 in the spring of 2006 to ψ ¯ of 0.45 SE = 0.05 in the spring 2017). Although RABV occurrence was related to habitat type, greater impacts were associated with ORV and trap–vaccinate–release (TVR) campaigns, in addition to seasonal and yearly trends. Reductions in RABV occupancy were more pronounced in areas treated with Ontario Rabies Vaccine Bait (ONRAB) compared to RABORAL V-RG®. Our approach tracked changes in RABV occurrence across space and time, identified risk corridors for potential incursions into Canada, and highlighted surveillance gaps, while evaluating the impacts of management actions. Using this approach, we are able to provide guidance for future RABV management.

ACS Style

Amy J. Davis; Kathleen M. Nelson; Jordona D. Kirby; Ryan Wallace; Xiaoyue Ma; Kim M. Pepin; Richard B. Chipman; Amy T. Gilbert. Rabies Surveillance Identifies Potential Risk Corridors and Enables Management Evaluation. Viruses 2019, 11, 1006 .

AMA Style

Amy J. Davis, Kathleen M. Nelson, Jordona D. Kirby, Ryan Wallace, Xiaoyue Ma, Kim M. Pepin, Richard B. Chipman, Amy T. Gilbert. Rabies Surveillance Identifies Potential Risk Corridors and Enables Management Evaluation. Viruses. 2019; 11 (11):1006.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Amy J. Davis; Kathleen M. Nelson; Jordona D. Kirby; Ryan Wallace; Xiaoyue Ma; Kim M. Pepin; Richard B. Chipman; Amy T. Gilbert. 2019. "Rabies Surveillance Identifies Potential Risk Corridors and Enables Management Evaluation." Viruses 11, no. 11: 1006.

Preprint
Published: 22 October 2019
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Animal movement influences the spatial spread of wildlife infectious diseases through host-host contact structure and hence pathogen transmission. Wildlife disease hosts vary in characteristics related to pathogen transmission, which can increase the spread and intensity of disease outbreaks. The consequences of home range size variation on wildlife disease dynamics are poorly understood, but could help to predict disease spread and determine more effective disease management strategies.We developed a spatially-explicit individual-based model to examine the effect of variation in host home range size on the spatial spread rate, persistence, and incidence of rabies virus (RABV) in raccoons (Procyon lotor). We tested the hypothesis that host home range area variation decreases vaccination effectiveness in wildlife host populations following pathogen invasion into a vaccination zone.We simulated raccoon demography and RABV dynamics across a range of magnitudes and variances in weekly home range radius distributions for raccoons, and compared results to conditions that assumed a fixed host home range area. We examined how variable host home range radius distributions influenced the relative effectiveness of three components of orally-baited raccoon RABV vaccination (ORV) programs—timing and frequency of bait delivery, width of the zone where ORV baits were delivered, and proportion of hosts immunized.Variability in home range radius distributions increased RABV spread rates by 1.2 - 5.2-fold compared to simulations with fixed radii. More variable host home range radius distributions decreased relative vaccination effectiveness by 71% compared to less variable host home range radius distributions under conventional vaccination conditions. We found that vaccination timing was more influential for vaccination effectiveness than vaccination frequency or vaccination zone width.Our results suggest that variation in wildlife home range exploration increases the spatial spread and incidence of wildlife disease. Our vaccination results underscore the importance of prioritizing individual-level space use data collection to understand the dynamics of wildlife diseases and plan their effective control and elimination.

ACS Style

Katherine M. McClure; Amy T. Gilbert; Richard B. Chipman; Erin Rees; Kim M. Pepin. Variation in host home range decreases rabies vaccination effectiveness by increasing the spatial spread of rabies. 2019, 815100 .

AMA Style

Katherine M. McClure, Amy T. Gilbert, Richard B. Chipman, Erin Rees, Kim M. Pepin. Variation in host home range decreases rabies vaccination effectiveness by increasing the spatial spread of rabies. . 2019; ():815100.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Katherine M. McClure; Amy T. Gilbert; Richard B. Chipman; Erin Rees; Kim M. Pepin. 2019. "Variation in host home range decreases rabies vaccination effectiveness by increasing the spatial spread of rabies." , no. : 815100.

Research article
Published: 25 July 2019 in Journal of Applied Ecology
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A necessary component of elimination programmes for wildlife disease is effective surveillance. The ability to distinguish between disease freedom and non‐detection can mean the difference between a successful elimination campaign and new epizootics. Understanding the contribution of different surveillance methods helps to optimize and better allocate effort and develop more effective surveillance programmes. We evaluated the probability of rabies virus elimination (disease freedom) in an enzootic area with active management using dynamic occupancy modelling of 10 years of raccoon rabies virus (RABV) surveillance data (2006–2015) collected from three states in the eastern United States. We estimated detection probability of RABV cases for each surveillance method (e.g. strange acting reports, roadkill, surveillance‐trapped animals, nuisance animals and public health samples) used by the USDA National Rabies Management Program. Strange acting, found dead and public health animals were the most likely to detect RABV when it was present, and generally detectability was higher in fall–winter compared to spring–summer. Found dead animals in fall–winter had the highest detection at 0.33 (95% CI: 0.20, 0.48). Nuisance animals had the lowest detection probabilities (~0.02). Areas with oral rabies vaccination (ORV) management had reduced occurrence probability compared to enzootic areas without ORV management. RABV occurrence was positively associated with deciduous and mixed forests and medium to high developed areas, which are also areas with higher raccoon (Procyon lotor ) densities. By combining occupancy and detection estimates we can create a probability of elimination surface that can be updated seasonally to provide guidance on areas managed for wildlife disease. Synthesis and applications . Wildlife disease surveillance is often comprised of a combination of targeted and convenience‐based methods. Using a multi‐method analytical approach allows us to compare the relative strengths of these methods, providing guidance on resource allocation for surveillance actions. Applying this multi‐method approach in conjunction with dynamic occupancy analyses better informs management decisions by understanding ecological drivers of disease occurrence.

ACS Style

Amy J. Davis; Jordona D. Kirby; Richard B. Chipman; Kathleen M. Nelson; Tatiana Xifara; Colleen T. Webb; Ryan Wallace; Amy T. Gilbert; Kim M. Pepin. Not all surveillance data are created equal—A multi‐method dynamic occupancy approach to determine rabies elimination from wildlife. Journal of Applied Ecology 2019, 56, 2551 -2561.

AMA Style

Amy J. Davis, Jordona D. Kirby, Richard B. Chipman, Kathleen M. Nelson, Tatiana Xifara, Colleen T. Webb, Ryan Wallace, Amy T. Gilbert, Kim M. Pepin. Not all surveillance data are created equal—A multi‐method dynamic occupancy approach to determine rabies elimination from wildlife. Journal of Applied Ecology. 2019; 56 (11):2551-2561.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Amy J. Davis; Jordona D. Kirby; Richard B. Chipman; Kathleen M. Nelson; Tatiana Xifara; Colleen T. Webb; Ryan Wallace; Amy T. Gilbert; Kim M. Pepin. 2019. "Not all surveillance data are created equal—A multi‐method dynamic occupancy approach to determine rabies elimination from wildlife." Journal of Applied Ecology 56, no. 11: 2551-2561.

Journal article
Published: 01 July 2019 in Journal of Wildlife Diseases
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ACS Style

Kerri Pedersen; Amy T. Gilbert; Kathleen M. Nelson; Daniel P. Morgan; Amy J. Davis; Kurt C. Vercauteren; Dennis Slate; Richard B. Chipman. RACCOON (PROCYON LOTOR) RESPONSE TO ONTARIO RABIES VACCINE BAITS (ONRAB) IN ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY, NEW YORK, USA. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 2019, 55, 645 .

AMA Style

Kerri Pedersen, Amy T. Gilbert, Kathleen M. Nelson, Daniel P. Morgan, Amy J. Davis, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Dennis Slate, Richard B. Chipman. RACCOON (PROCYON LOTOR) RESPONSE TO ONTARIO RABIES VACCINE BAITS (ONRAB) IN ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY, NEW YORK, USA. Journal of Wildlife Diseases. 2019; 55 (3):645.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Kerri Pedersen; Amy T. Gilbert; Kathleen M. Nelson; Daniel P. Morgan; Amy J. Davis; Kurt C. Vercauteren; Dennis Slate; Richard B. Chipman. 2019. "RACCOON (PROCYON LOTOR) RESPONSE TO ONTARIO RABIES VACCINE BAITS (ONRAB) IN ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY, NEW YORK, USA." Journal of Wildlife Diseases 55, no. 3: 645.

Dataset
Published: 26 April 2019 in Forest Service Research Data Archive
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This archive contains research data collected and/or funded by Forest Service Research and Development (FS R&D), U.S. Department of Agriculture. It is a resource for accessing both short and long-term FS R&D research data, which includes Experimental Forest and Range data. It is a way to both preserve and share the quality science of our researchers.

ACS Style

Bruce A. Kimball; Steven F. Volker; Doreen L. Griffin; Shylo R. Johnson; Amy T. Gilbert. Analysis of fecal volatiles in skunks and raccoons subjected to rabies immunization and infection. Forest Service Research Data Archive 2019, 1 .

AMA Style

Bruce A. Kimball, Steven F. Volker, Doreen L. Griffin, Shylo R. Johnson, Amy T. Gilbert. Analysis of fecal volatiles in skunks and raccoons subjected to rabies immunization and infection. Forest Service Research Data Archive. 2019; ():1.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Bruce A. Kimball; Steven F. Volker; Doreen L. Griffin; Shylo R. Johnson; Amy T. Gilbert. 2019. "Analysis of fecal volatiles in skunks and raccoons subjected to rabies immunization and infection." Forest Service Research Data Archive , no. : 1.

Journal article
Published: 01 April 2019 in Journal of Wildlife Diseases
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ACS Style

Kerri Pedersen; Amy T. Gilbert; Eric S. Wilhelm; Kathleen M. Nelson; Amy J. Davis; Jordona D. Kirby; Kurt C. Vercauteren; Shylo R. Johnson; Richard B. Chipman. EFFECT OF HIGH-DENSITY ORAL RABIES VACCINE BAITING ON RABIES VIRUS NEUTRALIZING ANTIBODY RESPONSE IN RACCOONS (PROCYON LOTOR). Journal of Wildlife Diseases 2019, 55, 399 .

AMA Style

Kerri Pedersen, Amy T. Gilbert, Eric S. Wilhelm, Kathleen M. Nelson, Amy J. Davis, Jordona D. Kirby, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Shylo R. Johnson, Richard B. Chipman. EFFECT OF HIGH-DENSITY ORAL RABIES VACCINE BAITING ON RABIES VIRUS NEUTRALIZING ANTIBODY RESPONSE IN RACCOONS (PROCYON LOTOR). Journal of Wildlife Diseases. 2019; 55 (2):399.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Kerri Pedersen; Amy T. Gilbert; Eric S. Wilhelm; Kathleen M. Nelson; Amy J. Davis; Jordona D. Kirby; Kurt C. Vercauteren; Shylo R. Johnson; Richard B. Chipman. 2019. "EFFECT OF HIGH-DENSITY ORAL RABIES VACCINE BAITING ON RABIES VIRUS NEUTRALIZING ANTIBODY RESPONSE IN RACCOONS (PROCYON LOTOR)." Journal of Wildlife Diseases 55, no. 2: 399.

Journal article
Published: 01 April 2019 in Journal of Wildlife Diseases
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Rabies is a fatal zoonotic disease of global importance. Rabies virus is shed in the saliva of infected hosts and is primarily transmitted through bite contact. Canine rabies has been eliminated from the US, but wildlife constitutes more than 90% of the reported cases of animal rabies in the US each year. In the US, several wild carnivore species are reservoirs of distinct variants of rabies virus (RV). After decades of apparent absence, the south-central skunk (SCSK) RV variant was detected in Colorado in 2007 and resulted in a large-scale epizootic in striped skunk ( Mephitis mephitis) populations in northern Colorado starting in 2012. We attempted isolation of RV from salivary gland tissues from confirmed rabid carnivores, comprising 51 striped skunks and seven other wild and domestic carnivores collected during 2013 through 2015 in northern Colorado. We isolated RV from 84.0% (158/188; 95% CI=78.1-88.6%) of striped skunk and 71% (17/24; 95% CI=51-85%) of other carnivore salivary glands. These data suggested that infected reservoir and vector species were equally likely to shed the SCSK RV variant and posed a secondary transmission risk to humans and other animals.

ACS Style

Isabel Jimenez; Terry Spraker; Jessica Anderson; Richard Bowen; Amy Gilbert. Isolation of Rabies Virus from the Salivary Glands of Wild and Domestic Carnivores during a Skunk Rabies Epizootic. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 2019, 55, 473 -476.

AMA Style

Isabel Jimenez, Terry Spraker, Jessica Anderson, Richard Bowen, Amy Gilbert. Isolation of Rabies Virus from the Salivary Glands of Wild and Domestic Carnivores during a Skunk Rabies Epizootic. Journal of Wildlife Diseases. 2019; 55 (2):473-476.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Isabel Jimenez; Terry Spraker; Jessica Anderson; Richard Bowen; Amy Gilbert. 2019. "Isolation of Rabies Virus from the Salivary Glands of Wild and Domestic Carnivores during a Skunk Rabies Epizootic." Journal of Wildlife Diseases 55, no. 2: 473-476.

Dataset
Published: 07 March 2019 in Forest Service Research Data Archive
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ACS Style

Bruce A. Kimball; Steven F. Volker; Doreen L. Griffin; Shylo R. Johnson; Amy T. Gilbert. Analysis of fecal volatiles in skunks and raccoons subjected to rabies immunization and infection. Forest Service Research Data Archive 2019, 1 .

AMA Style

Bruce A. Kimball, Steven F. Volker, Doreen L. Griffin, Shylo R. Johnson, Amy T. Gilbert. Analysis of fecal volatiles in skunks and raccoons subjected to rabies immunization and infection. Forest Service Research Data Archive. 2019; ():1.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Bruce A. Kimball; Steven F. Volker; Doreen L. Griffin; Shylo R. Johnson; Amy T. Gilbert. 2019. "Analysis of fecal volatiles in skunks and raccoons subjected to rabies immunization and infection." Forest Service Research Data Archive , no. : 1.

Journal article
Published: 02 March 2019 in Viruses
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While serological and virological evidence documents the exposure of bats to medically-important arboviruses, their role as reservoirs or amplifying hosts is less well-characterized. We describe a novel orbivirus (Reoviridae:Orbivirus) isolated from an Egyptian fruit bat (Rousettus aegyptiacus leachii) trapped in 2013 in Uganda and named Bukakata orbivirus. This is the fifth orbivirus isolated from a bat, however genetic information had previously only been available for one bat-associated orbivirus. We performed whole-genome sequencing on Bukakata orbivirus and three other bat-associated orbiviruses (Fomede, Ife, and Japanaut) to assess their phylogenetic relationship within the genus Orbivirus and develop hypotheses regarding potential arthropod vectors. Replication kinetics were assessed for Bukakata orbivirus in three different vertebrate cell lines. Lastly, qRT-PCR and nested PCR were used to determine the prevalence of Bukakata orbivirus RNA in archived samples from three populations of Egyptian fruit bats and one population of cave-associated soft ticks in Uganda. Complete coding sequences were obtained for all ten segments of Fomede, Ife, and Japanaut orbiviruses and for nine of the ten segments for Bukakata orbivirus. Phylogenetic analysis placed Bukakata and Fomede in the tick-borne orbivirus clade and Ife and Japanaut within the Culicoides/phlebotomine sandfly orbivirus clade. Further, Bukakata and Fomede appear to be serotypes of the Chobar Gorge virus species. Bukakata orbivirus replicated to high titers (106–107 PFU/mL) in Vero, BHK-21 [C-13], and R06E (Egyptian fruit bat) cells. Preliminary screening of archived bat and tick samples do not support Bukakata orbivirus presence in these collections, however additional testing is warranted given the phylogenetic associations observed. This study provided complete coding sequence for several bat-associated orbiviruses and in vitro characterization of a bat-associated orbivirus. Our results indicate that bats may play an important role in the epidemiology of viruses in the genus Orbivirus and further investigation is warranted into vector-host associations and ongoing surveillance efforts.

ACS Style

Anna C. Fagre; Justin S. Lee; Robert M. Kityo; Nicholas A. Bergren; Eric C. Mossel; Teddy Nakayiki; Betty Nalikka; Luke Nyakarahuka; Amy T. Gilbert; Julian Kerbis Peterhans; Mary B. Crabtree; Jonathan S. Towner; Brian R. Amman; Tara K. Sealy; Amy J. Schuh; Stuart T. Nichol; Julius J. Lutwama; Barry R. Miller; Rebekah C. Kading. Discovery and Characterization of Bukakata orbivirus (Reoviridae:Orbivirus), a Novel Virus from a Ugandan Bat. Viruses 2019, 11, 209 .

AMA Style

Anna C. Fagre, Justin S. Lee, Robert M. Kityo, Nicholas A. Bergren, Eric C. Mossel, Teddy Nakayiki, Betty Nalikka, Luke Nyakarahuka, Amy T. Gilbert, Julian Kerbis Peterhans, Mary B. Crabtree, Jonathan S. Towner, Brian R. Amman, Tara K. Sealy, Amy J. Schuh, Stuart T. Nichol, Julius J. Lutwama, Barry R. Miller, Rebekah C. Kading. Discovery and Characterization of Bukakata orbivirus (Reoviridae:Orbivirus), a Novel Virus from a Ugandan Bat. Viruses. 2019; 11 (3):209.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Anna C. Fagre; Justin S. Lee; Robert M. Kityo; Nicholas A. Bergren; Eric C. Mossel; Teddy Nakayiki; Betty Nalikka; Luke Nyakarahuka; Amy T. Gilbert; Julian Kerbis Peterhans; Mary B. Crabtree; Jonathan S. Towner; Brian R. Amman; Tara K. Sealy; Amy J. Schuh; Stuart T. Nichol; Julius J. Lutwama; Barry R. Miller; Rebekah C. Kading. 2019. "Discovery and Characterization of Bukakata orbivirus (Reoviridae:Orbivirus), a Novel Virus from a Ugandan Bat." Viruses 11, no. 3: 209.

Original paper
Published: 25 February 2019 in Animal Cognition
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Innovative problem solving, repeated innovation, learning, and inhibitory control are cognitive abilities commonly regarded as important components of behaviorally flexible species. Animals exhibiting these cognitive abilities may be more likely to adapt to the unique demands of living in novel and rapidly changing environments, such as urbanized landscapes. Raccoons (Procyon lotor) are an abundant, generalist species frequently found in urban habitats, and are capable of innovative problem solving, which makes them an ideal species to assess their behavioral flexibility. We gave 20 captive raccoons a multi-access puzzle box to investigate which behavioral and cognitive mechanisms enable the generation of innovative and flexible behaviors in this species. Over two-thirds of raccoons tested were not only capable of innovative problem solving, but displayed repeated innovation by solving more than one solution on the multi-access puzzle box and demonstrated that they learned multiple solutions to a novel problem. Although we found no relationship between our measure of inhibitory control and a raccoon’s ability to exhibit repeated innovations, we did find a positive relationship between the diversity of behaviors that an individual exhibited when interacting with the problem and the number of solution types that they solved. We identified other predictors of problem-solving performance, including neophobia and persistence. Finally, we examine the implications of our results in the context of the cognitive-buffer hypothesis and consider whether the widespread success of an adaptive generalist carnivore could be due in part to having these cognitive and behavioral traits.

ACS Style

Sarah E. Daniels; Rachel E. Fanelli; Amy Gilbert; Sarah Benson-Amram. Behavioral flexibility of a generalist carnivore. Animal Cognition 2019, 22, 387 -396.

AMA Style

Sarah E. Daniels, Rachel E. Fanelli, Amy Gilbert, Sarah Benson-Amram. Behavioral flexibility of a generalist carnivore. Animal Cognition. 2019; 22 (3):387-396.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Sarah E. Daniels; Rachel E. Fanelli; Amy Gilbert; Sarah Benson-Amram. 2019. "Behavioral flexibility of a generalist carnivore." Animal Cognition 22, no. 3: 387-396.

Journal article
Published: 01 October 2018 in Journal of Wildlife Diseases
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ACS Style

Amy T. Gilbert; Shylo R. Johnson; Kathleen M. Nelson; Richard B. Chipman; Kurt C. Vercauteren; Timothy P. Algeo; Charles E. Rupprecht; Dennis Slate. FIELD TRIALS OF ONTARIO RABIES VACCINE BAIT IN THE NORTHEASTERN USA, 2012–14. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 2018, 54, 790 -801.

AMA Style

Amy T. Gilbert, Shylo R. Johnson, Kathleen M. Nelson, Richard B. Chipman, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Timothy P. Algeo, Charles E. Rupprecht, Dennis Slate. FIELD TRIALS OF ONTARIO RABIES VACCINE BAIT IN THE NORTHEASTERN USA, 2012–14. Journal of Wildlife Diseases. 2018; 54 (4):790-801.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Amy T. Gilbert; Shylo R. Johnson; Kathleen M. Nelson; Richard B. Chipman; Kurt C. Vercauteren; Timothy P. Algeo; Charles E. Rupprecht; Dennis Slate. 2018. "FIELD TRIALS OF ONTARIO RABIES VACCINE BAIT IN THE NORTHEASTERN USA, 2012–14." Journal of Wildlife Diseases 54, no. 4: 790-801.