Critters, Cooties and Congress: Managing Health at the Wildlife-Livestock Interface

Abstract

Wildlife disease processes can be described as the interaction between the three principles of the epidemiologic triad model:  host, agent and environment.  Increasing human populations decrease the size and quality of the environment, and increase the complexity of the wildlife - domestic animal disease interface.  Additional levels of complexity are added by regulatory, political and socioeconomic perspectives.  Diseases such as brucellosis, hemorrhagic disease, avian influenza, malignant catarrhal fever and Mycoplasma bovis disease are making big headlines during an era of small budgets.  The “One Health” concept challenges wildlife managers to think critically, think outside the boundaries and to actively integrate animal health into wildlife management at the landscape level.