Disease Basics
What is a wildlife disease?
An illness that affects how an animal’s body works
Which viral disease affects the nervous system and is almost always fatal once symptoms appear?
Rabies
Which bacterial disease causes reproductive problems in bison, elk, and deer?
Brucellosis
What type of organism causes fungal diseases?
Fungi
What is a parasite?
An organism that lives on or inside a host and takes nutrients
Why do wildlife diseases matter to ecosystems?
They reduce populations, disrupt ecosystems, and can spread to humans/livestock
Name two animals commonly affected by rabies.
Raccoons, skunks, bats, foxes (any two)
Which bacterial disease can cause rapid death, bloating, and bloody discharge?
Anthrax
Which fungal disease has killed millions of bats?
White-Nose Syndrome
What is the difference between internal and external parasites?
Internal live inside the body; external live on the body
Name two ways wildlife diseases can spread.
Direct contact, bodily fluids, contaminated soil/water, vectors
What viral disease affects coyotes, foxes, raccoons, and wolves and causes coughing and seizures?
Canine distemper
How do animals usually become infected with anthrax?
Ingesting or inhaling spores from contaminated soil, plants, or water
Where on a bat’s body does White-Nose Syndrome usually appear?
Nose and wings
Which external parasite feeds on blood and can spread Lyme disease?
Tick
What are the five main types of wildlife diseases?
Viral, bacterial, fungal, parasitic, prion
How are viral diseases commonly spread in wildlife?
Bites, saliva, bodily fluids, close contact
Why is brucellosis a concern for ranchers?
It spreads to livestock and causes reproductive losses
Why can fungal diseases wipe out large wildlife populations?
They spread easily and can cause mass die-offs
Which internal parasite lives in the heart and is spread by mosquitoes?
Heartworm
What does it mean when a disease is described as zoonotic?
A disease that can spread from animals to humans
Name two viral wildlife diseases discussed in this lesson besides rabies
Avian influenza, West Nile virus
Name two bacterial wildlife diseases that can spread to humans.
Brucellosis, anthrax, leptospirosis, tularemia
Name one fungal disease discussed that affects animals other than bats.
Ringworm or chytrid fungus
Name two problems parasites can cause in wildlife.
Blood loss, weakness, disease spread, death