Wildlife Animal User Training

1. Wildlife Animal User Training The University of Montana Institutional Animal Care & Use Committee

2. Objectives Ensuring safety Of you & your co-workers Of animals Occupational health program Review of zoonotic diseases of wildlife

3. 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)

4. 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

5. Special Environments Desert/arid conditions Hyperthermia Dehydration Winter/mountainous conditions Hypothermia Frostbite Avalanche Snow blindness

6. Lack of or Inadequate Situation Awareness

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. Basic Personal Safety Use appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) As necessary, Gloves Sturdy boots Eye protection Coveralls Mask or respirator

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. Keeping Animals Safe Situation Awareness Knowledge Training Co-workers

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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

20. 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

21. 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

22. 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

23. Rabies “Dumb” rabies Wildlife Lose fear of humans Unusually “friendly” Uncharacteristic places Uncharacteristic times of day Neurological signs Photo credits - CDC

24. Rabies Wildlife reservoirs in US in 2001 Raccoons (38%) Skunks (30%) Bats (17%) Foxes (6%) Photo credits - CDC

25. Rabies Incidence in U.S.

26. 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

27. 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

28. 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

29. Hantavirus Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) 1993 - Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) Sin Nombre virus Wildlife reservoir - Peromyscus maniculatus

30. Sin Nombre Incidence in U.S.

31. Sin Nombre Transmission Aerosol of deer mouse urine or feces Contaminated hands ? mucous membranes Contaminated food Bite transmission rare 30-35% fatality rate

32. Incubation 9 to 33 days High fever, malaise, muscle or joint aches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headaches, respiratory distress, cough Sin Nombre Clinical Signs

33. 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

34. Plague Yersinia pestis Nonmotile, Gram – rod “Black Death” 3 forms (mortality): Bubonic Septicemic (5-50%) Pneumonic (20%)

35. 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

36. Plague in Animals Pin-point hemorrhage ? petechiae Swollen lymph nodes Respiratory disease Photo credits - CDC

37. 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

38. Plague Clinical Signs Illness 2-6 days after infection Swollen lymph gland, fever, chills, headache, extreme exhaustion Photo credits - CDC

39. Plague Clinical Signs Cough, bloody sputum, increased heart rate, shock, DIC Gangrene of fingers and toes

40. 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

41. Tularemia Francisella tularensis Aerobic, gram - coccobacillus > 10 organisms 1.4% fatality rate Arthropods in life cycle

42. Tularemia Transmission Bites by infected arthropods Ticks Handling infectious tissues Contaminated food, water, soil Inhalation of infective aerosols No human to human transmission

43. Tularemia Clinical Signs Fever, headache, chills, body aches (low back), nasal discharge, sore throat Substernal pain, cough, anorexia, weight loss, weakness

44. Tularemia Prevention Personal protective equipment when skinning hares or rodents Check for ticks daily & remove Use repellants if possible

45. West Nile Virus Flavivirus 1999 - in US Horses & humans ? encephalitis Bird reservoirs: corvids Spread by mosquitoes

46. 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)

47. West Nile Virus in the U.S.

48. 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/2005-155/

49. Q Fever Coxiella burnetti Sheep, goats, cattle 1 organism can cause disease Placental tissues Spread by Aerosol Hands

50. 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

51. LCM Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus 5% Mus musculus in US; wild mice; pet hamsters Saliva, urine, feces of infected rodents Mucous membranes, broken skin, bites

52. 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%