The threat posed by infectious diseases are a major concern for global public health and the role of migratory birds in pathogen transmission is increasingly under scrutiny. Enteric viral pathogen surveillance in migratory birds is a critical component of outbreak preparedness. The shedding of such pathogens through excrement into bodies of water located at migratory stop-over sites and breeding and wintering grounds creates conditions to potentially infect millions of birds annually. The mallard is the most abundant of all duck species and migratory across much of its range. Here we characterized enteric viral pathogens from the cecum of 16 captive raised mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) from Wisconsin, USA using metagenomics. Four families of viral pathogens from our study of Mallard cecum viromes - Picobirnaviridae (Genogroup I), Caliciviridae (Duck Nacovirus), Picornaviridae (Duck Aalivirus) and Sedoreoviridae (Duck Rotavirus G) - were recovered. To our knowledge, this is the first report of Aalivirus in the Americas, and the first report of Calicivirus in wild birds in the United States.

The threat posed by infectious diseases are a major concern for global public health and the role of migratory birds in pathogen transmission is increasingly under scrutiny. Enteric viral pathogen surveillance in migratory birds is a critical component of outbreak preparedness. The shedding of such pathogens through excrement into bodies of water located at migratory stop-over sites and breeding and wintering grounds creates conditions to potentially infect millions of birds annually. The mallard is the most abundant of all duck species and migratory across much of its range. Here we characterized enteric viral pathogens from the cecum of 16 captive raised mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) from Wisconsin, USA using metagenomics. Four families of viral pathogens from our study of Mallard cecum viromes - Picobirnaviridae (Genogroup I), Caliciviridae (Duck Nacovirus), Picornaviridae (Duck Aalivirus) and Sedoreoviridae (Duck Rotavirus G) - were recovered. To our knowledge, this is the first report of Aalivirus in the Americas, and the first report of Calicivirus in wild birds in the United States.

Rabbit hemorrhagic disease, a notifiable foreign animal disease in the USA, was reported for the first time in wild native North American rabbits and hares in April 2020 in the southwestern USA. Affected species included the Desert Cottontail (Sylvilagus audubonii), Mountain Cottontail (S. nutallii), Black-tailed Jackrabbit (Lepus californicus), and Antelope Jackrabbit (L. alleni). Desert Cottontails (n=7) and Black-tailed Jackrabbits (n=7) collected in April and May 2020 were necropsied at the U.S. Geological Survey National Wildlife Health Center (NWHC) and tested positive for Lagovirus europaeus GI.2, also known as rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus 2 (GI.2/RHDV2/b), by real-time PCR at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory. Gross and microscopic lesions were similar to those reported in European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and other hare (Lepus) species with GI.2/RHDV2/b infection and included epistaxis (12/13; 92%), massive hepatocellular dissociation (14/14; 100%) and necrosis/apoptosis (11/11; 100%), pulmonary congestion (12/12; 100%), edema (12/13; 92%), and hemorrhage (11/12; 92%), and acute renal tubular injury (3/8; 38%). As in previous reports and when compared to historical cases in the NWHC diagnostic database, massive hepatocellular dissociation and necrosis/apoptosis was the most diagnostically distinct finding in GI.2/RHDV2/b-positive rabbits and hares. Based on the apparent susceptibility of North American Sylvilagus and Lepus species to fatal GI.2/RHDV2/b infection, additional work is needed to understand the host range, pathogenicity, and potential population impacts of GI.2/RHDV2/b in North America.

Rabbit hemorrhagic disease, a notifiable foreign animal disease in the USA, was reported for the first time in wild native North American rabbits and hares in April 2020 in the southwestern USA. Affected species included the Desert Cottontail (Sylvilagus audubonii), Mountain Cottontail (S. nutallii), Black-tailed Jackrabbit (Lepus californicus), and Antelope Jackrabbit (L. alleni). Desert Cottontails (n=7) and Black-tailed Jackrabbits (n=7) collected in April and May 2020 were necropsied at the U.S. Geological Survey National Wildlife Health Center (NWHC) and tested positive for Lagovirus europaeus GI.2, also known as rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus 2 (GI.2/RHDV2/b), by real-time PCR at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory. Gross and microscopic lesions were similar to those reported in European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and other hare (Lepus) species with GI.2/RHDV2/b infection and included epistaxis (12/13; 92%), massive hepatocellular dissociation (14/14; 100%) and necrosis/apoptosis (11/11; 100%), pulmonary congestion (12/12; 100%), edema (12/13; 92%), and hemorrhage (11/12; 92%), and acute renal tubular injury (3/8; 38%). As in previous reports and when compared to historical cases in the NWHC diagnostic database, massive hepatocellular dissociation and necrosis/apoptosis was the most diagnostically distinct finding in GI.2/RHDV2/b-positive rabbits and hares. Based on the apparent susceptibility of North American Sylvilagus and Lepus species to fatal GI.2/RHDV2/b infection, additional work is needed to understand the host range, pathogenicity, and potential population impacts of GI.2/RHDV2/b in North America.

Data in this dataset were collected as a part of a surveillance project for reintroduction of a state endangered species in Indiana. This data was collected in the field by state biologists and sent to the USGS National Wildlife Health Center (NWHC) for testing of four amphibian pathogens, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bs), Ranavirus, and perkinsea. The dataset includes both the field records of the individual amphibians tested and the results for individuals for all four pathogens.

,Vesicular stomatitis (VS) is a reportable viral disease which affects horses, cattle, and pigs in the Americas. Outbreaks of vesicular stomatitis virus New Jersey serotype (VSV-NJ) in the United States typically occur on a 5–10-year cycle, usually affecting western and southwestern states.,,In 2019–2020, an outbreak of VSV Indiana serotype (VSV-IN) extended eastward into the states of Kansas and Missouri for the first time in several decades, leading to 101 confirmed premises in Kansas and 37 confirmed premises in Missouri. In order to investigate which vector species contributed to the outbreak in Kansas, we conducted insect surveillance at two farms that experienced confirmed VSV-positive cases, one each in Riley County and Franklin County. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention miniature light traps were used to collect biting flies on the premises. Two genera of known VSV vectors, Culicoides biting midges and Simulium black flies, were identified to species, pooled by species, sex, reproductive status, and collection site, and tested for the presence of VSVIN RNA by RT-qPCR.,,In total, eight positive pools were detected from Culicoides sonorensis (1), Culicoides stellifer (3), Culicoides variipennis (1), and Simulium meridionale (3). The C. sonorensis- and C. variipennis-positive pools were from nulliparous individuals, possibly indicating transovarial or venereal transmission as the source of virus. This is the first report of VSV-IN in field caught C. stellifer and the first report of either serotype in S. meridionale near outbreak premises. These results improve our understanding of the role midges and black flies play in VSV epidemiology in the United States and broadens the scope of vector species for targeted surveillance and control.,

This dataset contains the enterovirus genome copies measured per liter of sample and read counts obtained from amplicon sequencing of the VP1 and VP4 genes. This dataset is associated with the following publication: Brinkman , N., S. Fout , and S. Keely. Retrospective Surveillance of Wastewater To Examine Seasonal Dynamics of Enterovirus Infections. mSphere. American Society for Microbiology, Washington, DC, USA, 2(3): e00099-17, (2017).