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M. ovi bacteria found in Alaska moose, caribou for first time


By Sam Friedman sfriedman@newsminer.com Jun 18, 2018 Updated 4 hrs ago

FAIRBANKS — A harmful bacteria previously thought to live only in sheep and goats as been found in additional animals, including Alaska caribou and moose, according to a new study announced last week by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

The study was also the first to link the Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae bacteria (often called simply M. ovi) to respiratory disease in Alaska wildlife. A caribou from the Fortymile Herd east of Fairbanks that carried the bacteria died from pneumonia last month.

The bacteria is so associated with sheep (and their goat cousins) that its name includes the Latin word for sheep, ovi.


In addition to being found in Alaska moose and caribou, M. ovi has infected a mule deer in New Mexico, a bison in Montana and multiple white-tailed deer in the upper Midwest, the study stated.

Fairbanks-based wildlife veterinarian Dr. Kimberlee Beckmen, with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, was a co-author of the study, which is in review for publication in a scientific journal, according a news release from the department.

M. ovi has increasingly been on the radar of Alaska’s wildlife biologists. The bacteria is blamed for contributing to bighorn sheep die-offs in the Lower 48. It had been known to exist in domestic sheep and goats in the 49th state. But it wasn’t confirmed in wild Alaska sheep and goats until March.

Hunting groups, including the national Wild Sheep Foundation, have called for mandatory testing of domestic animals out of concern about the health of wild herds.

Moose caribou vastly outnumber sheep in Alaska and live in habitat more accessible to hunters. So an infection that could sicken these animals stands to affect far more people.

M. ovi can infect animals without any noticeable effects but can also contribute to their deaths by impairing the ability of their lungs to clear out other harmful bacteria. M. ovi’s virulence varies depending on both the strain that infects the animal and the overall health of the animal. In addition to being infected with the bacteria, the Fortymile caribou that died last month was emaciated. The 18 wild sheep and goats previously found with the bacteria in Alaska were all in good health.

Biologists found the M. ovi in 5 of 230 moose tested and 6 of 243 caribou tested. It was also found in 13 of 136 Dall sheep tested and five of 39 mountain goats.

Alaska’s state government is working with the Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory and the United States Department of Agriculture Animal Disease Research Unit to continue studying M. ovi.

Outdoors Editor Sam Friedman at 459-7545. Follow him on Twitter:

@FDNMoutdoors

So, could this explain the huge reduction in the caribou herds in Canada?

quote:

Originally posted by surefire7:
So, could this explain the huge reduction in the caribou herds in Canada?

Maybe. Maybe not. There is some question as to the veracity of this claim. Only one lab (I could be wrong) has had access to the samples and found this. This lab has a policy and history of not sharing its procedures and samples for replication (normal scientific process). So at least as many questions as answers at this point. It would be good to have another lab replicate findings.

Brett

Then there's this:

Three men and a goat (not X-rated, no worries)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3me8qPVaE7A

You live in Alaska and then feel the need to keep livestock as a pet, as if it were a dog. Like the loonies who do yoga with goats. People have lost their minds.

I am a member of a MT FWP advisory board on Bighorn sheep and M ovi is one of the state biologists biggest concerns. It has killed a lot of wild sheep in Montana. Among other things, we have recently printed brochures for sheep/goat owners living in bighorn territory advising them of best practices.

Here is a similar doc from Wild Sheep Foundation on the topic.....

http://fwp.mt.gov/fwpDoc.html?id=62311