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WEST NILE VIRUS PREVALENT IN WILDLIFE NEAR URBAN AREAS |
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NEW YORK, NEW YORK, Jun. 17 -/E-Wire/-- In a paper published by the leading scientific journal Emerging Infectious Diseases, scientists at Wildlife Trust (www.wildlifetrust.org) reported on results from a recent study of West Nile virus seroprevalence in wild mammals living in and around urbanized areas. The study was conducted in the mid-Atlantic region of the U.S. and is the first-of-its-kind research focusing on West Nile virus exposure in wild mammals in a spatially-explicit context.
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The research shows that several common peridomestic wild mammal species are frequently exposed to West Nile virus and identifies factors that influence exposure rates, including age and date of capture. It also shows that West Nile virus transmission intensity is higher in human-dominated areas. Evidence of exposure to West Nile virus has been found in a wide variety of domestic and wild mammals including rodents, ungulates, carnivores, bats and primates.
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Andres Gomez, a doctoral fellow with Wildlife Trust and leading author of the article said “this study provides several insights into the ecology of transmission of West Nile virus in mammals. We demonstrate that mammal exposure shows significant variation in space and time, which is a critical requirement for using wild mammals as sentinels of human infection risk.”
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“West Nile virus was introduced into the western hemisphere in New York in 1999. It has since spread across the USA, into Canada, Mexico and some South American countries causing many human fatalities. It is known that West Nile virus infects a range of bird species and a previous study showed that some avian species suffered severe declines,” said Dr. Alonso Aguirre (http://www.wildlifetrust.org/aboutus/experts/7.shtml), Vice President for Conservation Medicine and research advisor on the study.
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About Wildlife Trust
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Wildlife Trust empowers local conservation scientists worldwide to protect nature and safeguard ecosystem and human health. Wildlife Trust is a conservation science innovator and leverages research expertise through strategic global alliances. Wildlife Trust pioneered the field of Conservation Medicine, a new discipline that addresses the link between ecological disruption of habitats and the effects on wildlife, livestock and human health.
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Founded in 1971 by British naturalist and author Gerald Durrell, Wildlife Trust has built its reputation on 35 years of global research, education, training and experience. Work in the United States includes research, conservation, and training programs in the metropolitan New York area, Florida and along the coast of the Southeastern U.S.
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Internationally, Wildlife Trust trains and supports a network of scientists around the world to save endangered species and their habitats and to protect the health of vital ecosystems. Wildlife Trust created the first egalitarian international network of science-based conservation organizations, the Wildlife Trust Alliance, and is a founding partner organization of the Consortium for Conservation Medicine, a unique think-tank of prestigious academic institutions. To learn more please go to http://www.wildlifetrust.org.
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Contact Info: Anthony M. Ramos
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Tel: 212.380.4469
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Mobile: 914.787.9631
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ramos@wildlifetrust.org
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Website : Wildlife Trust
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