Research | Northeast Wildlife<br>Disease Cooperative

NWDC staff and participating diagnostic labs collaborate with state and federal wildlife agencies to conserve wildlife populations through disease surveillance. The projects described below focus on the health of species of special concern, species that are iconic to the region, or diseases that threaten native wildlife and, in some cases, domestic species as well. Most of our projects are regional in scope, involving multiple states and partners.

Cyclic mass mortality events of Common Eiders at Cape Cod, Massachusetts

Since 1998, cyclic mortality events in common eiders (Somateria mollissima) have been documented along the coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, USA.

Canada Lynx in Maine: Disease Surveillance Study

Canada lynx live in moist boreal forest areas in the U.S. and Canada. Due to the patchiness of boreal forest in the U.S., there is a lower density of lynx compared to that of lynx populations in the forests of Canada.

Development of a live animal serological ELISA assay for detection and surveillance of brain worm in cervids

With funding from member states, Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire, NWDC administration and participating lab, Cornell University, are working with Dr.

Canine Distemper Virus in the Northeast

In 2016-2017, two fishers, two gray foxes, and a striped skunk, found in Vermont and New Hampshire, were submitted by VT F&G and NH F&G and diagnosed with canine distemper virus (CDV) by pathologists at the NHVDL.

Porcupine dermatophytosis

Of 44 wild or captive porcupine biopsy or necropsy submissions to the NHVDL from 2010-2017, 28 had significant dermatologic lesions; 12 of these were positive by culture or histopathology for dermatophytes (ring worm).