Welcome to the Pennsylvania Game Commission Wildlife Disease Reference Library. The Wildlife Health Section of the Bureau of Wildlife Management and the Bureau of Information and Education have developed this collection of disease accounts because of the increasing number and expanding distribution of diseases in the world that can affect wild and domestic animals and in some cases, humans. The accounts are able to be downloaded and are available for anyone with an interest in wildlife to use, but especially hunters, trappers, biologists, wildlife conservation officers and their deputies, and wildlife control operators who interact frequently with the 480 species of wildlife it is our responsibility to manage.

Below you will find a Table of Contents listing 48 wildlife diseases. We have chosen these particular diseases because of their importance to Pennsylvania and North America. When you chose each disease account you will find information on its cause, significance, species affected, distribution, means of transmission, clinical signs, methods of diagnosis, treatment options, and techniques for its prevention and management. For students or those interested in more information a list of suggested reading is provided for each disease. Maps are included where appropriate to illustrate the distribution of documented cases. This is a dynamic resource and will change over time as new information becomes available.

It is our hope that this Library will serve to inform and educate those who use it. Comments and suggestions that will lead to its improvement are welcome and can be submitted to GMwildlifedisease@pa.gov.