Exposure to raccoon polyomavirus (RacPyV) in free-ranging North American raccoons (Procyon lotor).

There is evidence that raccoon polyomavirus is causative for neuroglial brain tumors in the western United States. It is unknown if infection is limited to geographic locales where tumors have been reported or is widespread, like human polyomaviruses. We demonstrate raccoons in western, eastern and midwestern states have been exposed to RacPyV by detection of antibodies to capsid protein, VP1. While raccoons in eastern and midwestern states are seropositive, exposure is lower than in the western states. Additionally, across geographic areas seropositivity is higher in older as compared to younger raccoons, similar to polyomavirus exposure in humans. Serum titers are significantly higher in raccoons with tumors compared to raccoons without. Unlike polyomavirus-associated diseases in humans, we did not detect significant sequence variation between tumor and non-tumor tissue in raccoons with tumors compared to those without tumors. This warrants further investigation into co-morbid diseases or genetic susceptibility studies of the host.

Unusual Necrotizing Encephalitis in Raccoons and Skunks Concurrently Infected With Canine Distemper Virus and Sarcocystis sp.

Canine distemper virus commonly infects free-ranging, terrestrial mesopredators throughout the United States. Due to the immunosuppressive effects of the virus, concurrent opportunistic infections are also common. Among these, secondary systemic protozoal infections have been described in a number of species. We report an unusual presentation of necrotizing encephalitis associated withSarcocystissp in four raccoons and one skunk concurrently infected with canine distemper virus. Lesions were characterized by variably sized necrotizing cavitations composed of abundant mineral admixed with inflammatory cells and protozoa.Sarcocystissp was confirmed via immunohistochemistry using a monoclonal antibody toSarcocystis neurona The pathologic changes are similar to lesions in human AIDS patients infected withToxoplasma gondii.

Pleistocene to recent dietary shifts in California condors.

We used carbon and nitrogen isotopes to investigate changes in the diet of California condors from the Pleistocene to the recent. During the Pleistocene, condors from California fed on both terrestrial megafauna and marine mammals. Early accounts reported condors feeding on the carcasses of marine mammals, but by the late 1700s, condor diets had shifted predominantly to terrestrial animals, following the commercial harvesting of marine mammals and the development of cattle ranching on land. At present, dairy calves provided by humans significantly augment condor diet, constituting an artificial support of the current population. Reestablishing a marine mammal component in the condor diet may be an effective strategy for fostering viable condor populations independent of direct human subsidies.