Wildlife Animal User Training

The University of MontanaInstitutional Animal Care & Use

Committee

Objectives Ensuring safety

– Of you & your co-workers

– Of animals Occupational

health program Review of

zoonotic diseases of wildlife

Protecting Yourself Situation awareness

– “Perception of environmental elements within a volume of time and space, the comprehension of their meaning, and the projection of their status in the near future” Endsley, M. R. (1995)

– “Knowing what is going on so you can figure out what to do” Adam, E. C. (1993)

Situation Awareness Necessary components

– Knowledge of environment, terrain & their special concerns

– Anticipation of changing conditions– Rapid collection & processing of new

information– Training in how to respond

appropriately– Always staying alert & engaged

Special Environments Desert/arid conditions

– Hyperthermia– Dehydration

Winter/mountainous conditions– Hypothermia– Frostbite– Avalanche– Snow blindness

Lack of or Inadequate Situation Awareness

One of the primary factors in accidents attributed to human error

Safety Training Single most important

component of being prepared & staying safe

Training provided by principal investigator (PI) may include– Survival– Injury prevention– First aid– Team communication

Common Field Injuries Knee & ankle from slips & falls

Stings & bites– Known allergy? carry

MD-prescribed epinephrine pen (“epi pen”)

Muscle strain from lifting or falling

Common Field Injuries Driving accidents can result in

serious injury or death– Highway– Off-road vehicles

ATVs, snow mobiles Proper training

required ALWAYS wear

a HELMET

Basic Personal Safety Use appropriate

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) As necessary,– Gloves– Sturdy boots– Eye protection– Coveralls– Mask or

respirator

Basic Safety Principles Sharps containers

small sizes available for field work

Good hygiene especially hands waterless hand sanitizer (2 & 4.5 oz bottles)

Protect human food and water

Communicate with your team

In Case of Accident . . . Seek medical attention as necessary Work related? tell medical provider Worker’s comp claim

– Supervisor will have forms or find at http://www.umt.edu/research/eh/wc.htm

Accident reporting packet in glove box of UM vehicles

Non-UM rented vehicle? Find forms at http://www.umt.edu/research/eh/accidents.htm

Injury from Animals Bites/scratches

– Clean & disinfect ASAP– Consider aspirin,

acetaminophen, or ibuprofen for pain/inflammation

– Antibiotics from MD may be needed

Kicks/blunt trauma– Large ruminants blows to the

head, chest or abdomen can cause internal injuries

– First aid, then medical attention

Early Reporting of Injury

Absolutely imperative to inform– Direct Supervisor– Principal Investigator– Co-workers when in remote field

areas Any unusual symptoms seek

medical help immediately Best defense is a good offense

Provide a complete history to assist physicians

Keeping Animals Safe

Situation Awareness

Knowledge Training Co-workers

Group training in blood collection before going to the

field

Danger to You? Danger to Them

Weather danger– Heat

Overheating, dehydration Heat stress (including fish) all magnified

by capture Trap/capture cool times of day & provide

shade Provide moist food to prevent dehydration Cool packs for drugged animals Reduce stress minimize shrill noises,

cover eyes, monitor for shock

Weather Danger– Cold

Hypothermia, slowed metabolism & anesthetic recovery

Warm packs for anesthetized animals

Provide nest material for warmth

Provide food for energy Monitor body temperature &

vital signs

Euthanasia IACUC requires each Animal Use Protocol

(AUP) to have a euthanasia contingency plan for serious injury

Serious injury – compound fractures, gaping wounds to chest/abdomen, severe unresponsive shock, head trauma – that precludes survival in the wild

2007 AVMA Guidelines on Euthanasia

http://www.umt.edu/iacuc/vetguidelines/euthanasia.aspx

Occupational Health Why?

– Mandatory for UM to maintain animal research program accreditation

Why us?– Everyone listed

on an AUP must and any one else interested may participate

Risk Assessment IACUC sponsored occupational

health monitoring program to protect you

Risk assessment performed by occupational health physician based on info you provide

All medical info stored confidentially at physician’s office

http://www.umt.edu/iacuc/ohs/riskassessment.aspx

Review: Zoonotic Diseases Zoonosis review is a requirement

for accreditation of UM animal research program

Zoonosis = disease that can be transferred from animals to humans

Many of the diseases reviewed may be transferred from tissues & body fluids of dead or live animals

Rabies

Rhabdovirus Fatal if no

treatment or vaccine protection

Infects all warm-blooded mammals

Sylvatic rabies wildlife in life cycle

Ole Yeller Photo credits - CDC

“Mad” Rabies

Rabies

“Dumb” rabies Wildlife

– Lose fear of humans

– Unusually “friendly”

– Uncharacteristic places

– Uncharacteristic times of day

– Neurological signs

– Photo credits - CDC

Rabid fox

Rabies

Wildlife reservoirs in US in 2001

– Raccoons (38%)

– Skunks (30%)– Bats (17%)– Foxes (6%)

– Photo credits - CDCSilver-haired bat

Rabies Incidence in U.S.

Rabies Transmission

Animal bites (virus in saliva) Contamination of broken skin Aerosol in bat caves Corneal, liver, kidney

transplant from infected donor

1-2 human cases/year in U.S. most often bat-associated

Rabies Clinical Signs

75% humans ill < 90 days after bite wound

Nausea, vomiting, headache

Tingling and pain on side of body where bite located

Furious and paralytic forms

Cause of death usually respiratory failure during paralytic phase

CDC

Negri bodies – large pink inclusions in cytoplasm of

brain cells – diagnose Rabies

Rabies Prevention

Avoid close contact with wild animals exhibiting unusual behavior

Consider pre-exposure immunization if work is high-risk

Report animal bites immediately: post-exposure treatment should start within 24 hours

Hantavirus Hemorrhagic

fever with renal syndrome (HFRS)

1993 - Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS)

Sin Nombre virus Wildlife reservoir

- Peromyscus maniculatus

CDC

CDC

Sin Nombre Incidence in U.S.

Sin Nombre Transmission Aerosol of deer mouse urine

or feces Contaminated hands

mucous membranes Contaminated food Bite transmission rare 30-35% fatality rate

Incubation 9 to 33 days

High fever, malaise, muscle or joint aches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headaches, respiratory distress, cough

Sin Nombre Clinical Signs

Early stage of disease

Middle stage of disease

CDC

CDC

Sin Nombre Prevention

Personal protective equipment– Gloves, coveralls, boots

Work upwind of animals Work in the sun, if possible Wear a respirator

– Fit-test through Environmental Health & Risk Management

Plague

Yersinia pestis Nonmotile, Gram

– rod “Black Death” 3 forms

(mortality):– Bubonic – Septicemic (5-

50%)– Pneumonic (20%)

Gangrene of fingers – a complication of plague

CDC

Plague > 200 species

rodent reservoirs: prairie dogs, rats, marmots, hares, chipmunks, ground squirrels

Xenopsylla cheopis rat flea – regurgitates up to 20,000 plague bacteria from “blocked” gut

Prairie Dog

CDC

CDC

Plague in Animals Pin-point

hemorrhage petechiae

Swollen lymph nodes

Respiratory disease

Photo credits - CDC

Plague Transmission Bites of infected rodent fleas Entry into breaks in skin when

handling infected rodents or rabbits; wild carnivores that eat infected prey

Domestic cats highly susceptible – aerosol or handling

Dogs and cats can carry rat fleas

Plague Clinical Signs

Illness 2-6 days after infection

Swollen lymph gland, fever, chills, headache, extreme exhaustion

Photo credits - CDC

Plague Clinical Signs

Cough, bloody sputum, increased heart rate, shock, DIC

Gangrene of fingers and toes

1 month after finger amputation for gangrene

CDC

Plague Prevention

Prevent flea infestation Handle wild rodents with

appropriate PPE Do not handle wild rodents

with petechial hemorrhages Four Corners area of the US

high incidence

Tularemia Francisella

tularensis Aerobic, gram -

coccobacillus > 10 organisms 1.4% fatality

rate Arthropods in

life cycle Rhipicephalus sanguineus

“Brown dog tick”

CDC

Tularemia Transmission Bites by infected arthropods

– Ticks Handling infectious tissues Contaminated food, water,

soil Inhalation of infective

aerosols No human to human

transmission

Tularemia Clinical Signs Fever,

headache, chills, body aches (low back), nasal discharge, sore throat

Substernal pain, cough, anorexia, weight loss, weakness

CDC

CDC

Tularemia Prevention Personal

protective equipment when skinning hares or rodents

Check for ticks daily & remove

Use repellants if possible

Wild hare – common culprit for disease transmission to hunters from bare-handed field skinning

CDC

West Nile Virus Flavivirus 1999 - in US Horses &

humans encephalitis

Bird reservoirs: corvids

Spread by mosquitoes Ochlerotatus japonicus

CDC

CDC

WNV Clinical Signs Incubation 3-14 days 80% infected humans show no

symptoms 20% mild symptoms: fever,

headache, body aches, nausea, rash

1 in 150 infected severe disease (e.g., stupor, coma, convulsions, paralysis)

West Nile Virus in the U.S.

West Nile Virus Prevention Long-sleeved shirts and long

pants, when possible Bug Tamer™ apparel (Shannon

Outdoors, Inc) Mosquito repellant – DEET for skin Avoid dusk to dawn hours outside Avoid areas of standing water http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2005-1

55/

Q Fever Coxiella

burnetti Sheep, goats,

cattle 1 organism

can cause disease

Placental tissues

Spread by – Aerosol– Hands

CDC

CDC

Q Fever Clinical Signs 50% infected get ill in 2-3

weeks 30-50% infected get

pneumonia Headache, malaise, muscle

aches, confusion, GI signs, weight loss, hepatitis

1-2% fatality rate Chronic infection

endocarditis 65% chronic cases end in

death

LCM Lymphocytic

choriomeningitis virus

5% Mus musculus in US; wild mice; pet hamsters

Saliva, urine, feces of infected rodents

Mucous membranes, broken skin, bites

Hamster

Peromyscus sp.

LCM Clinical Signs Humans showing illness signs 8-

13 days post-infection Early: biphasic fever, malaise,

muscle aches, headache, nausea, vomiting

Later: headache, stiff neck, confusion, neurological signs

Early pregnancy: abortion or fetal birth defects

Fatality rate < 1%