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The LEO Network is a worldwide network of observers and experts that share their observations of environmental change.
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Serious outbreak of avian influenza in the north
An H5N1 avian influenza outbreak is affecting gulls across Northern Norway, with detections in multiple Troms and Nordland municipalities. Authorities warn mortality may be undercounted and urge reporting of sick or dead birds and strict biosecurity for poultry.
Troms and Nordland, Norway
NRK

Tick found on the Avalon tests positive for Lyme disease, but province says risk for residents remains low
A tick found on the Avalon Peninsula tested positive for Lyme disease, but provincial health authorities say the risk to residents remains low.
Avalon Peninsula, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
PNI Atlantic News

Francisella tularensis Subspecies in Stranded Beluga Whales, Cook Inlet, Alaska
Although Cook Inlet belugas are known to be susceptible to a variety of bacterial pathogens (10), F. tularensis has not been previously detected in this population, or in other cetaceans. The pattern of pathology represents the pulmonary form of tularemia, and the route of exposure was likely inhalation of contaminated water. F. tularensis is primarily a disease associated with freshwater, but the brackish nature of Cook Inlet and nearshore residence of belugas expose them to potentially contaminated freshwater runoff as well as to other reservoirs typically associated with freshwater (e.g., aquatic rodents, mosquito larvae) (1,2). The cause of the infections in a previously unreported host is unknown; however, host factors such as immunosuppression or environmental changes, such as increased runoff, could be considered.
Cook Inlet, Alaska
Emerging Infectious Diseases

Francisella tularensis Subspecies holarctica in Stranded Beluga Whales, Cook Inlet, Alaska, USA
Emerging Infectious Diseases journal

US egg shortage won't be solved by Finland
"The amount we could export would not solve their egg shortage," says the head of the Finnish Poultry Association.
United States
News

One hundred years ago, dogs came to the rescue of Nome
The article recounts the extraordinary 1925 dog sled relay that delivered diphtheria antitoxin to Nome, Alaska, amid a severe epidemic, highlighting the centennial of this historic event and the heroic efforts of mushers and their dogs who braved harsh conditions to save lives.
Nome, Alaska, United States
The Nome Nugget

New bird flu virus spreads to Alaskan wildlife, state vet says
The H5N1 bird flu virus has recently been detected in Alaskan wildlife, primarily affecting species like geese, ducks, and eagles. No human cases have been reported, but it poses a significant risk to domestic poultry flocks.
Fairbanks, Alaska, United States
KTUU

It's a virus you may not have heard of. Here's why scientists are worried about it
Case counts for Oropouche virus are still low but rising dramatically. What's going on? And then there's a study that raises the possibility that insect bites aren't the only way the virus can spread.
Tobago, Trinidad and Tobago
NPR

Survey monitors animal carcasses for harmful algal bloom toxins and bird flu
Charles Menadelook conducted carcass surveys in the Norton Sound Region to monitor harmful algal blooms and bird flu, aiming to protect subsistence hunters by identifying threats to regional food resources.
Nome, Alaska, United States
The Nome Nugget

Chukchi Sea polar bears are increasingly exposed to disease-causing pathogens
Chukchi Sea polar bears show increased exposure to pathogens like canine distemper virus and Toxoplasma gondii, potentially due to changes in their diet and extended time on land.
Chukchi Sea
Alaska Public Media

Veterinary Authority Warns Against Handling Sick or Dead Birds
Iceland's Food and Veterinary Authority has advised the public not to handle sick or dead birds due to an avian flu case (H5N5) in a seagull.
Reykjavík, Capital Region, Iceland
Iceland Review

Tularemia Associated with Harbor Seal Necropsy
In 2023, tularemia occurred in a wildlife volunteer after exposure to a deceased, infected harbor seal, the first known report of tularemia acquired through contact with a marine mammal, and the first detection of F. tularensis in a marine mammal.
Enetai, Washington, United States
CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report

Bird flu cases are going undetected, new study suggests. It’s a problem for all of us
As bird flu cases go underreported, health officials risk being slow to notice if the virus were to become more contagious. A large surge of infections outside of farmworker communities would trigger the government’s flu surveillance system, but by then it might be too late to contain.
Texas, United States

She died from a tick-spread illness most Canadians have never heard of. Why more people could be at risk
The article discusses the rise in tick-borne illnesses in Canada, highlighting a case of Powassan virus and the challenges in diagnosis and treatment due to limited awareness among healthcare providers.
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
CBC

Dogs entering US must be 6 months old and microchipped to prevent spread of rabies, new rules say
New U.S. regulations require all dogs entering from abroad to be at least 6 months old and microchipped to mitigate rabies risks.
United States
AP News

Alaskapox death brings attention to small animal virus
For nine years, Alaska health officials have been aware of an unusual virus causing rare, relatively mild illnesses in the Fairbanks area. But a recent case in another part of the state — this one resulting in a man's death — has brought new attention to the Alaskapox virus.
Alaska, United States
CBC

Alaska’s top veterinarian warns of respiratory illness that’s killed several Lower 48 dogs
More than a dozen states, including several in the Pacific Northwest, are reporting outbreaks of a new respiratory illness. There have also been increases in canine respiratory illness cases at a clinic in Southeast Alaska and another in Southcentral, but there’s no indication yet if those were due to the mystery illness.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media
Wesley Early, Alaska Public Media - Anchorage

Possible outbreak of botulism suspected in Sanikiluaq
Health officials in Sanikiluaq, Hudson Bay, warn against consuming fermented meat due to a suspected botulism outbreak and urge vigilance for related symptoms.
Sanikiluaq, Nunavut, Canada
Nunavut News

Feeding Birds in Fall and Winter in Alaska
Feeding birds can be as simple as scattering seeds on the ground, or a more sophisticated operation drawing a variety of species. But there are a few important details to keep in mind.
Juneau, Alaska, United States

Bans on Swedish meat imports following swine fever outbreak
Countries including South Korea, Japan, Australia, and the Phillipines have halted imports of Swedish pork following the recent discovery of African swine fever. 7 dead wild boars have now been confirmed infected.
Sweden

Harmful algal bloom monitoring gets underway
The R/V Sikuliaq is a familiar sight in the Port of Nome. The ice-breaking research vessel is owned by the National Science Foundation and operated by the University of Alaska Fairbanks. This year, while the vessel is out at sea it will be collecting water that could signal whether a bloom is occurring.
Nome, Alaska, United States
The Nome Nugget

Bag upon bag of dead bird in Vadsø: 1000 seagulls were retrieved on Monday
No one knows how many birds are infected with avian influenza along the coast of Finnmark. In Vadsø, seagulls sit next to dozens of dead birds.
Vadsø, Finnmark Fylke, Norway
NRK
Sarah Yoder, Bob Gerlach, Andrew Ramey, Lars Flora

Covid-19 spread between humans and deer, study shows, raising concerns about animal reservoirs
People spread Covid-19 to wild white-tailed deer more than 100 times in late 2021 and early 2022. The infection circulated widely in the deer population in the United States, and in at least three instances, researchers suspect the virus was passed between deer where it picked up unique genetic changes and then re-infected humans.
United States
CNN

83,000 Hawaii homes dispose of sewage in cesspools. Rising sea levels will make the mess worse.
This rural part of the island of Oahu is not connected to city sewers — and waste from toilets, sinks and showers is mostly collected in hundreds of pits called cesspools. Rising seas are also pushing groundwater closer to the surface, allowing cesspool effluent to mix with the water table and flow into the ocean.
Waialua, Hawaii, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Polish scientists probe possible food-chain link to H5N1 avian flu in cats
Scientists say they found the virus in one of five submitted chicken meat samples that the cats ate.
Poland

Avian influenza has returned to Alaska, and so have health advisories
The highly pathogenic disease circling the globe stands out for its effects on wild birds, and experts say Alaskans should be on the lookout for cases.
Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

Rabies in Alaska bats is very rare, but caution is warranted, state medical experts say
State officials say Alaskans who encounter bats should avoid any physical contact. The state's last rabid bat was found last June near Juneau.
Alaska, United States

Research shows a significant increase in rabid red foxes around Nome
Of the 61 red foxes counted in and around Nome between February and March 2023, nearly one quarter were positive.
KTOO

Pet owners advised to keep dogs and cats away from dead birds
With geese and other wild birds returning to the region every day, New Brunswick dog and cat owners should be aware of the risk of avian influenza, says the registrar of the New Brunswick Veterinary Medical Association.
New Brunswick, Canada
CBC

Antibiotic-resistant microbes lurk in poop of Anchorage moose, UAA research finds
The big animals that roam Alaska’s largest city are carrying bacteria that cannot be killed by commonly used medicines.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States
KTOO

Evolution of H3 avian influenza virus in China: Implications for pandemic preparedness
This paper analyzes the evolution of the H3 subtype of avian influenza virus in China from 2009 to 2022, including its spatial and temporal distribution and genetic changes. The findings have implications for pandemic preparedness.
China
News-Medical.net

China records first H3N8 bird flu death, WHO says
Three cases of H3N8 detected in China since 2022 as WHO says strain doesn’t appear to spread easily between humans. First case resulting in death occurred in China.
Dongguan, Guangdong, China
the Guardian

B.C. poultry farmers bring in quarantine measures as avian flu spreads
As cases of avian flu continue to spread across Canada, B.C. poultry farmers are implementing quarantine measures from the highly infectious virus that can cause mass death in chicken flocks.
Armstrong, British Columbia, Canada

N.W.T. health department and hunters prepare for avian flu
The territorial government issued a public service announcement earlier this week, warning people about a highly pathogenic strain of avian influenza. N.W.T. hunters say they are worried about harvesting birds that may have the virus.
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada

First case of new avian flu detected in Alaska
The advice to hunters, don’t shoot or harvest game that appears sick. If you found an animal injured or dead, just leave it there. When processing, wear rubber gloves and washing the area the game was cleaned on. You should also cook game to an internal temperature of at least 165°F.

First case of avian flu in Alaska identified in Mat-Su backyard flock
While the risk to human health is low, Gerlach has said that avian influenza could pose a threat to not only the state’s domestic birds but also wild birds, including geese, shore birds, vultures and eagles. There’s no treatment for birds that are infected, and the mortality rate for poultry and raptors like hawks, eagles or owls is especially high. Possible signs of infection includes the “sudden death of multiple birds in the flock, nasal discharge, sneezing, and coughing, or respiratory distress."
Palmer, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Goose hunting in times of avian influenza
"Our hunters have a vast knowledge on a healthy bird. They know what a healthy bird looks like. If a goose has the symptoms of avian flu … people shouldn't eat it," said George Diamond of Cree Public Health.
Chisasibi, Quebec, Canada

Zoos hiding birds as avian flu spreads in North America
Zoos across North America are moving their birds indoors and away from people and wildlife as they try to protect them from the highly contagious and potentially deadly avian influenza. Penguins may be the only birds visitors to many zoos can see right now, because they already are kept inside and usually protected behind glass in their exhibits, making it harder for the bird flu to reach them.
Omaha, Nebraska, United States
Associated Press

Water and sanitation deficiencies worsened the COVID pandemic in rural Alaska, a study finds
A lack of adequate water and sewer service and overcrowded housing combined to make the COVID-19 pandemic more severe in rural Alaska, a new study confirms.
ArcticToday

Are non-native mule deer a threat? Fish and Game wants to find out.
Reports of groups of up to 10 mule deer in Southeast Alaska near Skagway have been received by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, and there is evidence that fawns are being born here. Studies show that nearby populations harbor a variety of diseases that have biologists concerned.
Skagway, Alaska, United States

Western Alaska is experiencing an unprecedented rabies outbreak, officials say
For the first time in more than 20 years, rabies was confirmed in a river otter, officials said.
Anchorage Daily News

B.C. fish farms transmit virus to endangered wild Pacific salmon, new study confirms
One common salmon virus introduced to southern B.C. 30 years ago despite assertions from government, industry virus is 'endemic' to province. Further analysis of the PRV genomes in B.C. waters indicate that the number of PRV infections in the region has increased by two orders of magnitude over the last two decades, a pattern that aligns with the regional growth in farms, where nearly all of the fish become infected.
British Columbia, Canada
The Narwhal

Climate change threatens to spread antibiotic resistance in the Arctic
Three miles uphill from the Bering Sea beach, gulls darting in and out of the Nome landfill. Some of those birds are being exposed to antibiotics and, through that exposure, picking up bacteria with antibiotic resistance.
ArcticToday

Russian scientists probe prehistoric viruses dug from permafrost
Yakutsk, Sakha, Russia
CGTN.com

Coronavirus: Denmark shaken by cull of millions of mink
Why the "Cluster 5" coronavirus mutation in fur farms has led to a nationwide cull and a political outcry.
Denmark
BBC News

People started coronavirus back-and-forth on mink farms, Dutch study shows
People carried the coronavirus onto mink farms in the Netherlands, starting a viral back-and-forth that ended up with 68% of fur farm workers and their close associates infected, researchers reported Tuesday.
Denmark
CNN

Wildlife shows signs its thriving amid the COVID-19 pandemic
South Africa
CGTN

Swine flu strain with human pandemic potential increasingly found in pigs in China
New study spotlights influenza virus that could wreak havoc if it adapts to humans.
China
Science | AAAS

Sea lice outbreak in juvenile salmon prompts First Nations leaders to call for fish farm closures
Wild salmon have higher rates of the parasites when ocean fish farms are near, research shows
Discovery Islands
Victoria News
Zoe Ducklow, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Mass vaccination is underway on Yamal tundra
The world’s biggest reindeer population is up for big vaccination as regional authorities in the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Okrug act to stave off outbreaks of anthrax.
Salekhard, Yamalo-Nenetskiy Avtonomnyy Okrug, Russia
The Independent Barents Observer

Pandemic strains management of Yukon River salmon
Biologists have to figure out how to monitor salmon populations in rural communities without the danger of bringing the coronavirus into those communities.
Emmonak, Alaska, United States

Salmon are getting sick too
Feather, fur or fin, all creatures contend with viruses.
Even those athletes of our rivers, Atlantic salmon, usually aren’t as healthy as they look.
A study of tissue samples taken from 150 Atlantic salmon found 14 separate infectious
Western North Atlantic Ocean
The Chronicle Herald

Anchorage isn’t a ghost town yet. But it’s not the same.
In big and small ways, a pandemic has altered what Anchorage feels like to live in, from coffee to court to riding the bus.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States

Roundup of COVID-19 responses around the Arctic
With the number of COVID-19 cases outside of China increasing 13-fold, the World Health Organization declared the outbreak a global pandemic on Thursday, urging governments “to take urgent and aggressive action” to stop its spread.
Eye on the Arctic • Special Reports

Previously Unknown Viruses Discovered in Melting Glacier | The Weather Channel
Scientists sampling ice cores from a glacier in China discovered 28 viruses that had been frozen in time for as long as 15,000 years, and were not previously known to mankind.
Tibet, China
The Weather Channel

Koalas ‘Functionally Extinct’ After Australia Bushfires Destroy 80% of Their Habitat
As Australia experiences record-breaking drought and bushfires, koala populations have dwindled along with their habitat, leaving them “functionally extinct.”
New South Wales and Queensland, Australia
Forbes

Study finds marine mammal viruses are traveling between oceans as sea ice recedes
As sea ice in the Arctic decreases due to climate change, it’s opening the way for more than cruise ship travel. Scientists have found evidence that links the decline of sea ice to the emergence of a virus in Arctic marine mammals that has killed thousands of seals in European waters.
KOTZ Radio 720 AM

A seal-killing virus probably spread from the North Atlantic to North Pacific because of sea-ice retreat
When scientists found that Alaska sea otters were exposed to a sometimes-deadly virus that plagues seals in the North Atlantic, they were puzzled. Phocine distemper virus had not been previously found in Alaska waters.
ArcticToday

Deadly virus spreads among marine mammals as Arctic ice melts
When sea otters in Alaska were diagnosed with phocine distemper virus (PDV) in 2004, scientists were confused. The pathogen in the Morbillivirus genus that contains viruses like measles had then only been found in Europe and on the eastern coast of North America.
National Geographic

Record-breaking marine heatwave powered by climate change cooks Tasmania's fisheries
Climate change has warmed the waters east of Tasmania at four times the speed of the global average. But the heatwave of the southern summer of 2015/2016 was something exceptional, damaging fisheries and bringing new species to the island. It's a sign of things to come, say the researchers examining these events.
east coast of Tasmania, Australia
ScienceDaily

Alaska to date remains anthrax free
Warming Arctic temperatures can create an environment friendly to bacterial infections like anthrax, an infection spread by contact with bacterial spores, which plant-eating animals may eat or breathe in while grazing.
The Cordova Times

Contagious cancers found in bivalves
Contagious cancers occur in clams and other bivalves, and some can even spread between different species of bivalves.
Esquimault, British Columbia, Canada
CBC News

Migrating Birds May Carry Viral Baggage
Right now, a lethal strain of bird flu is wreaking havoc in the Lower 48. It’s clear that migrating flocks have something to do with spreading the illness between farms and across continents -- but exactly what is still fuzzy. A remote spot in Southwest Alaska may hold some clues. Download Audio

Veterinary Division - Reportable Diseases Report
All persons practicing veterinary medicine in North Carolina shall report these listed diseases and conditions to the State Veterinarian's office by telephone within two hours after the disease is reasonably suspected to exist.
North Carolina, United States
North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services news release

Air-dried stockfish of Northeast Arctic cod do not carry viable anisakid nematodes
A total of 80 stockfish fillets of Northeast Arctic cod (Gadus morhua), traditionally open-air-dried in northern Norway, was examined for the presence and viability of larval parasitic nematodes of the family Anisakidae. Anisakids (particularly those belonging to genera Anisakis and Pseudoterranova) are of public health and economic concern globally, since they are responsible for an underestimated fish-borne zoonotic disease called anisakidosis.
Svolvær, Nordland, Norway

Signs of hope 10 years after Ontario's great bat die-off began
"White-nose syndrome" was found in Ontario and Quebec caves, mines and attics in the winter of 2009-2010. A decade after a devastating fungus first appeared in Ontario, wiping out up to 95 per cent of the province’s bats, scientists are beginning to see encouraging signs that bats may be on the rebound.
Renfrew, Ontario, Canada
ottawacitizen

CWD expert: Wolves and hunters can help minimize spread of deadly protein
Idaho’s most controversial predator could play a role in managing the spread of a deadly deer and elk disease, according to a leading research scientist.
Lewiston, Idaho, United States
Spokesman.com

Rabies Outbreak in Western Alaska
Alaska Wildlife News is an online magazine published by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game
Alaska Fish and Wildlife News

Rabies Outbreak in Western Alaska
Arctic fox rabies is enzootic in populations of arctic and red fox populations along Alaska’s northern and western coasts. This means rabies is always present in these populations at some low level but periodically there can be outbreaks called epizootics (an outbreak in animal disease rather than an epidemic as is it is called when occurring in a human population). However, the winter of 2020-2021 ushered in a widespread outbreak with persistent and large focus in and around Nome.
Alaska Fish and Wildlife News

Wolverines, lynx and moose: Fish and Game screens wildlife for COVID
Biologists are collecting samples from moose and mustelids — that’s wolverines, minks and martens. There are plans to test caribou and Sitka black tail deer, as well as seals and belugas.
KTOO

Health officials to study mosquitoes in the Sea to Sky region after cluster of illness
Late last year, four people in the Sea to Sky corridor developed encephalitis after being infected with California Serogroup viruses (Snowshoe Hare and Jamestown Canyon viruses). Vancouver Coastal Health is launching a mosquito surveillance pilot in the Sea to Sky corridor after four locally acquired encephalitis cases linked to California Serogroup viruses.
Sea to Sky corridor, British Columbia, Canada
Vancouver Sun

Chronic wasting disease ravaging deer population near South Saskatchewan River
CWD was first recorded in Saskatchewan in 1996 on a game farm, but has since moved into the wild deer, elk and moose populations, with wildfire-like infection rates in some areas. Up to 70 per cent of male deer are infected with the fatal disease, says a wildlife health specialist.
South Saskatchewan River

Alaska wildlife officials on the lookout for new, deadlier bird flu
This strain does not seem to pose a serious risk to people but there's concern for backyard flocks and the wild birds that are a food source for many Alaskans.

Prevalence of serum antibodies to Coxiella burnetii in Alaska Native Persons from the Pribilof Islands
Q fever is a febrile illness caused by infection with the bacterium Coxiella burnetii. It is most often transmitted by inhalation of the bacteria after it is shed by infected livestock. The antibody prevalence in NFS samples from 2009 and 2011 (69%) was significantly higher than in 1994 (49%). The antibody prevalence of SSL samples from 2007 to 2011 was 59%. All NFS vaginal swabs were negative for C. burnetii, despite an 80% antibody prevalence in the matched sera. The significant increase in antibody prevalence in NFS from 1994 to 2011 suggests that the pathogen may be increasingly common or that there is marked temporal variation within the vulnerable NFS population.
Saint Paul, Alaska, United States
PubMed Central (PMC)

The tropical disease that everywhere - Dengue Fever
Dengue is erupting in South America — and has even found its way to the US.
São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

Alaskapox no more: Newly discovered disease and virus renamed ‘borealpox’
The disease and virus likely exist well beyond the state’s borders, making the new name more scientifically accurate, officials say.

As Russia’s Permafrost Thaws, Ancient Pathogens Risk Re-Awakening
Ancient pathogens that have been preserved in northern Russia’s permafrost for millennia could reawaken as global temperatures rise, scientists warn, potentially putting humanity at risk of never-before-seen diseases.
Khatanga, Krasnoyarskiy, Russia
The Moscow Times

One Health Zoonotic Disease Prioritization for Multisectoral Engagement in Alaska

Fagersta resident on swine fever outbreak: ”Hold on and hope for the best”
The small Swedish town of Fagersta, Västmanland County, has been at the epicentre of the recent outbreak of African swine fever.All activities in an area of forest around 1000 square kilometers in the counties of Västmanland and Dalarna have been off limits since Friday following the discovery of dead wild boar.
Fagersta, Västmanland, Sweden

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