Viral Disease Surveillance in Select Wildlife Populations in Mississippi

Raccoons and opossums are quickly becoming a common sight in urban areas, providing a higher risk of human exposure to zoonotic pathogens. Feral swine are also becoming more common and problematic for many. We conducted serological surveys for avian influenza (AI), West Nile virus (WNV), rabies virus (RV), and canine distemper virus (CDV) in raccoons (n=119), opossums (n=126), and feral swine (n=105) in two regions of Mississippi. Raccoons had antibodies to all four viruses, while feral swine had antibody responses to WNV and opossums exhibited responses to WNV and RV. Active wildlife disease surveillance is a vital aspect of wildlife damage management and allows for the opportunity to detect possible disease threats and act accordingly. If potential disease threats can be caught early, the threat of interspecies transmission can be reduced.