Announcements and Disease Updates


Announcements

  • Current Job Openings

  • Brucellosis Designated Surveillance Area (DSA) Map

  • Disease Updates

  • Antibiograms

  • WLSB Announces Changes to the Reimbursement Process for Brucellosis Regulatory Testing

    • Starting September 1, 2023, WLSB initiated a new reimbursement procedure. WLSB now tracks all Wyoming State
      Veterinary Lab (WSVL) brucellosis test records for the purposes of reimbursement. For test records that meet
      requirements for reimbursement, WLSB will create a monthly reimbursement invoice and electronically send the
      invoice, test records, and current W-9 to the veterinarian or facility for verification. Your invoice will be sent from
      one of the following email addresses: joel.douglas@wyo.gov or darrick.jurden@wyo.gov. The veterinarian/facility
      will review the documents, note any required changes, and acknowledge approval to WLSB for processing. WLSB
      will finalize the documents and submit the packet for payment. Payment is issued in the form of a mailed check or
      direct deposit, per payee preferences.

  • Incomplete Paperwork Fee

    • In July, we adopted a new fee schedule at WSVL.

      Hereby, we would like to remind you that per our fee schedule, there will be a fee for incomplete paperwork requiring phone calls to clients, as well as a handling fee for samples that are sent out to referral labs.

      Currently, we have not implemented these fees, however, we would like to inform you that starting October 1, 2023, we will add these charges to our invoices as applicable.


culture plate

What is an antibiogram?

The antibiogram is a summary of antimicrobial susceptibilities of bacterial isolates submitted to WSVL. We will provide annual antibiograms to assist our clients in determining antibiotic therapy prior to knowing the susceptibility information.

 

Disease Updates

Archive

Rabies Information

2022 PLAGUE & TULAREMIA MAP

2023 PLAGUE & TULAREMIA MAP

2023 Equine Strangles Map

2024 Equine Strangles Map

bacterial culture plate

Plague and Tularemia in Wyoming - September 2023

This week, the Wyoming State Veterinary Laboratory (WSVL) has diagnosed Yersinia pestis, the bacteria responsible for Plague, in an Albany County cat. The cat is an indoor/outdoor pet who hunts rodents. It is responding well to treatment and no human illness has been reported with the case. So far in 2023, two cats and a prairie dog have tested positive for Plague in the State of Wyoming. Plague is a serious infection that is deadly for people and pets if not immediately treated with antibiotics.  See the distribution map at the link in the title.

 

Tularemia is another bacterial infection that is a serious threat to humans and pets. In 2023, the WSVL has diagnosed four cases of Tularemia in pets and wildlife in Wyoming. Both Plague and Tularemia are transmitted to pets from ingesting infected animals or fleas bites coming from infected animals. Symptoms of infection include fever, lethargy, coughing, swollen lymph nodes, especially under the jaw, and decreased appetite. Vomiting and diarrhea are also possible. Recommendations for prevention are keeping fleas off of indoor and outdoor pets by applying flea control products. Animals that free roam outdoors are more likely to contact plague or tularemia infected animals. If pets appear sick, seek veterinary care as soon as possible.


three horses standing together

West Nile Virus Cases Update - September 2023

During the month of August and the end of July, the Wyoming State Veterinary Laboratory (WSVL) has detected serologic and PCR evidence of West Nile Virus (WNV) in 24 equine submissions from 10 Wyoming counties. In the past 5 years and in comparison to this year, the laboratory has detected lower numbers of cases serologically. 2018 also had increased detection numbers with acute phase antibody detection in 14 equine submissions. From 2019 to 2022, there were a total of 11 cases with detected WNV acute phase antibodies (2019- 3 cases, 2020- 0 cases, 2021- 5 cases and 2022- 3 cases). In the past 5 years, WNV has not been detected with PCR in any equine submissions.  See the distribution map at the title link.

West Nile Virus is transmitted by mosquitos. WNV affects humans and other animals, especially birds and horses. Affected animals can present with a variety of clinical signs varying from no clinical disease to potential lethal encephalitis, inflammation in the brain. Horses can recover from infection but can be left with long term side effects. Many of the recent WY cases have had a variety of neurologic signs, including generalized or hind-end weakness, lethargy, incoordination and stumbling as well as muscle twitching, drooping head and abnormal sensitivity to outside stimuli. Some of the horses have had a fever and most of the horses have either no or a poor vaccine history. Annual vaccination is the best form of protection as well as implementation of mosquito control and decreased exposure to mosquitos.  


three horses standing together

Strangles Cases Update - August 2023

The Wyoming State Veterinary Laboratory (WSVL) has isolated Streptococcus equi ssp. equi in three separate cases from Southeastern Wyoming during the month of August. The related bacterial disease is also known as Strangles. Strangles is a reportable highly contagious upper respiratory disease in horses that can present with nasal discharge and abscessed lymph nodes. Transmission of the bacteria happens generally from nose-to-nose contact with infected horses but can also occur with shared tack and feed containers. 

Since 2020, 38 cases of strangles have been detected at our lab, out of 11 different Wyoming counties (please see case map at the link in the title). While there is no clear seasonality, we already detected 9 cases in 2023.


herd of cattle

Brucellosis Confirmed in Sweetwater County - June 2023

The Wyoming State Veterinarian received confirmation from the National Veterinary Services Laboratory, Ames, IA, that seven cattle originating in a herd from Sweetwater County, WY, were positive for brucellosis. The brucellosis positive cattle, also known as reactors, were initially identified at the Wyoming State Veterinary Laboratory (WSVL) in Laramie. The herd was identified on a routine slaughter sample submitted as part of Wyoming’s voluntary custom slaughter brucellosis surveillance program. The sample indicated a possible brucellosis reactor, prompting testing of the herd.

cat on a fence

Highly Pathogenic Avian Infuenza in a Domestic Cat

WSVL diagnosed highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus in a barn cat near Thermopolis, WY. We know that wild birds, particularly water fowl, have been affected in large numbers by HPAI, but in recent months we have detected the virus in wild carnivorous mammals including mountain lions and a red fox. This is the first report of HPAI in a domestic cat in Wyoming, and it likely became infected from ingesting meat from wild waterfowl. Clinical signs for mammals include those that are associated with neurological signs including change in behavior, decrease in awareness of surroundings and loss of energy. These signs may be indistinguishable from an animal affected with rabies. For testing of domestic species, we recommend your veterinarian submitting the whole carcass. Please contact the Wyoming Game and Fish Dept (WGFD) for disposal recommendations for any dead waterfowl your pets can access, or to report dead or sick wild carnivores. As the HPAI outbreak continues, please make sure that you are using gloves and masks when handling sick or dead mammals and birds. Report any sick wildlife to the WGFD through the online reporting tool at the link in the title.

Male pronghorn in a field

Mycoplasma bovis Outbreak in Pronghorn

The WSVL received three pronghorn carcasses from the Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) in early March, following reports of multiple pronghorn mortalities in the Pinedale area. All three pronghorn had severe pneumonia caused by Mycoplasma bovis.  This bacterium has been associated with other high mortality outbreaks in pronghorn near Gillette in 2019 and 2020.  The estimated number of pronghorn mortalities at this time is 300, and the WGFD is working to remove carcasses so that other healthy animals are not exposed.  While Mycoplasma bovis causes fatal pneumonia in pronghorn and bison, it typically does not cause severe disease in cattle.   The WGFD has an online reporting tool for the public to utilize, if they see any additional sick pronghorn in other areas of the state. Click the link in the title. 

Contact Us

Wyoming State Veterinary Laboratory

1174 Snowy Range Rd

Laramie, WY 82070

Phone: 307-766-9925

Toll Free: 1-800-442-8331

Fax: 307-721-2051

Email: vetrec@uwyo.edu

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