The eastern spotted skunk (Spilogale putorius) was once common throughout the midwestern and southeastern United States, with consistent annual range-wide harvests of ≫100 000 animals. In the 1940s, however, populations seemingly crashed and the species is currently listed by various state agencies as endangered, threatened, or ‘of concern’ across much of its range. We examined long-term harvest records from 10 states to better understand the 20th century population dynamics of eastern spotted skunks, to discern whether the putative decline was biologically real or an artifact of altered harvest pressures and to identify the timing of the decline. Analyses reveal unequivocally that the species was indeed once common in the Great Plains. Beginning in about 1940, harvests dramatically declined, although the onset of declines differed between states. By the early 1950s total harvests in all states were <10% of pre-crash harvest. Thereafter, rates of decline slowed, but nevertheless continued, such that by the 1980s harvests were <1% of those during pre-decline years. Analyses show that these declines are real and not an artifact of harvest effort. Although the causes of the decline remain unclear, the analyses suggest a need for immediate attention to address the long-term persistence of this species.

Baylisascaris procyonis is a common parasitic nematode of the raccoon Procyon lotor. In intermediate or accidental hosts, including humans, B. procyonis can cause severe disease and mortality, and the parasite is increasingly viewed as an important wildlife conservation and public health concern. The prevalence of B. procyonis was assessed over a 4-year period in a population of raccoons in a forested region of lower New York. Prevalence ranged from 0% (undetected) to 21%, which was relatively low compared to values reported in other studies from the north-east. During year three of the study, a subset of the raccoon population was experimentally manipulated through altered resource distribution to enhance the contact of individuals. Within the manipulated subpopulation, prevalence of B. procyonis increased to 54% which was significantly greater than prevalence in the same subpopulation before perturbation or than prevalence among raccoons that were not subject to increased intraspecific contact. These observations suggest that altered resource distributions that directly influence raccoon behaviour may indirectly play a role in the ecology of B. procyonis.

Record-breaking and devastating rainfall events have occurred in the past decade. Rain and floods are considered the main risk factors for leptospirosis and several outbreaks have been reported following extreme weather events. In such situations, one possible intervention to prevent leptospirosis cases in high-risk groups is the use of chemoprophylaxis. However, not enough evidence of its effect is available. The objectives of this study were to review the literature on the current practices of chemoprophylaxis for leptospirosis and to explore, using a mathematical model, how various chemoprophylaxis scenarios may affect the progression of a leptospirosis outbreak. Twenty-six peer-reviewed publications were selected (10 quantitative studies, two systematic reviews and 14 articles of other types). Oral doxycycline was the most used antibiotic for chemoprophylaxis of leptospirosis. Post-exposure prophylaxis was assessed in four studies following a natural disaster. Although evidence of the effectiveness of post-exposure prophylaxis is inconsistent, the direction of association supported a protective effect for morbidity and mortality. The theoretical model showed how the assumed benefit of chemoprophylaxis was influenced by the time and rate of administration. Future models should consider the heterogeneity of affected communities, improved estimates of the effect of chemoprophylaxis on leptospirosis infection and disease, as well as potential detrimental impacts. Additional research is critical to provide clear evidence-based recommendations for leptospirosis control during an outbreak. The results of this study suggest that chemoprophylaxis may provide some protection in reducing the number of leptospirosis cases after a high-risk exposure; however, the effective benefit may depend on a variety of factors such as the timing and coverage of prophylaxis. The information summarized can be used to support decision-making during a high-risk event.