OHI | School of Veterinary Medicine

Ebola Species Found in Bats Ahead of Any Potential Outbreak

For the first time, scientists discovered a new ebolavirus species in a host prior to detection in an infected human or sick animal. This discovery Illustrates PREDICT project’s goal to find viruses before they spill over into people.

Dr. Marcela Uhart Honored as Wildlife Hero

Environment/Wildlife

Congratulations to Dr. Marcela “Marcy” Uhart, director of the Karen C. Drayer Wildlife Health Center’s Latin America Program. She received the Wildlife Disease Association's 2018 Distinguished Service Award.

Scientists Discover New Ebolavirus in Bats in Sierra Leone

Human & Animal Health

Scientists have identified a novel ebolavirus in free-tailed bats in Sierra Leone, providing the strongest evidence to date that bats are the natural hosts of these viruses. The new virus, called Bombali virus, was found in insectivorous bats roosting inside people’s houses. There is currently no evidence of human infection or spillover of this virus.

A Never-Before-Seen Virus Has Been Detected in Myanmar’s Bats

Environment/Wildlife

To prevent the next pandemic, pinpoint it at the source. That’s the idea behind PREDICT, a global surveillance program that has spent almost 10 years hunting for new viruses that could spill over from vulnerable wildlife to humans.

'Kitty Litter' Parasite Is Wiping Out One Of Earth’s Rarest Seals

Environment/Wildlife

In May, two critically endangered Hawaiian monk seals were found dead on a beach on Oahu. Both were female, and one was pregnant. After performing a necropsy, veterinarians determined that both animals died of toxoplasmosis, a potentially fatal disease that originates in domestic cats.

Orcas of the Pacific Northwest Are Starving and Disappearing

Environment/Wildlife

For the last three years, not one calf has been born to the dwindling pods of black-and-white killer whales spouting geysers of mist off the coast in the Pacific Northwest. Their population decline is alarming and may be due to several factors.

One Health Education: Where Are We Today?

Education

Evaluation of health security systems in the United States in 2016 revealed a prevalent issue: inconsistent coordination across federal, state, and local health sectors. To address this concern, the World Health Organization has encouraged the United States to build a more formal One Health strategy that enables coordination among all stakeholders in human, animal, and environmental health.