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Management responses to invasive forest insects are facilitated by the use of detection traps ideally baited with species-specific semiochemicals. Emerald ash borer, Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire, is currently invading North American forests, and since its detection in 2002, development of monitoring tools has been a primary research objective. We compared six trapping schemes for A. planipennis over 2 yr at sites in four U.S. states and one Canadian province that represented a range of background A. planipennis densities, canopy coverage, and ash basal area. We also developed a region-wide phenology model. Across all sites and both years, the 10th, 50th, and 90th percentile of adult flight occurred at 428, 587, and 837 accumulated degree-days, respectively, using a base temperature threshold of 10°C and a start date of 1 January. Most trapping schemes captured comparable numbers of beetles with the exception of purple prism traps (USDA APHIS PPQ), which captured significantly fewer adults. Trapping schemes varied in their trap catch across the gradient of ash basal area, although when considering trap catch as a binary response variable, trapping schemes were more likely to detect A. planipennis in areas with a higher ash component. Results could assist managers in optimizing trap selection, placement, and timing of deployment given local weather conditions, forest composition, and A. planipennis density., (© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Intensive efforts are being made to eliminate the raccoon variant of rabies virus (RABV) from the eastern United States and Canada. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Wildlife Services National Rabies Management Program has implemented enhanced rabies surveillance (ERS) to improve case detection across the extent of the raccoon oral rabies vaccination (ORV) management area. We evaluated ERS and public health surveillance data from 2006 to 2017 in three northeastern USA states using a dynamic occupancy modeling approach. Our objectives were to examine potential risk corridors for RABV incursion from the U.S. into Canada, evaluate the effectiveness of ORV management strategies, and identify surveillance gaps. ORV management has resulted in a decrease in RABV cases over time within vaccination zones (from occupancy ( ψ ¯ ) of 0.60 standard error (SE) = 0.03 in the spring of 2006 to ψ ¯ of 0.33 SE = 0.10 in the spring 2017). RABV cases also reduced in the enzootic area (from ψ ¯ of 0.60 SE = 0.03 in the spring of 2006 to ψ ¯ of 0.45 SE = 0.05 in the spring 2017). Although RABV occurrence was related to habitat type, greater impacts were associated with ORV and trap-vaccinate-release (TVR) campaigns, in addition to seasonal and yearly trends. Reductions in RABV occupancy were more pronounced in areas treated with Ontario Rabies Vaccine Bait (ONRAB) compared to RABORAL V-RG ® . Our approach tracked changes in RABV occurrence across space and time, identified risk corridors for potential incursions into Canada, and highlighted surveillance gaps, while evaluating the impacts of management actions. Using this approach, we are able to provide guidance for future RABV management.

Veterinary diagnostic test kits are used in clinical practice and production medicine as a basis for prescribing vaccination and/or treatment regimens. These kits are also used by state and federal animal health officials to control or regulate the movement of animals. The regulation of such kits, which generally takes the form of establishing requirements for licensure, ensures that the kits conform to minimum standards for sensitivity, specificity and reproducibility. To qualify for licensing, diagnostic test kits should have consistent performance characteristics.

Between 1870 and 1929, nine separate outbreaks of foot and mouth disease (FMD) occurred in the United States of America (USA); additional outbreaks in North America include one in Mexico (1947) and two in Canada (1870 and 1952). In 1930, the United States Congress enacted a law prohibiting importation of live ruminants or swine or fresh meat from these species into the USA from countries affected with FMD or rinderpest. Although the effect of this prohibition may be debated, the USA has remained free of FMD since its enactment. A hidden benefit of this prohibition was probably the limitation on importing other disease agents from countries of the world where FMD was present. As many regions of the world make progress towards the control and eradication of FMD, North America must take greater cognizance of other disease agents with which it has not been concerned to date, as these existed only in regions of the world affected with FMD and/or rinderpest. One of the methods of dealing with these other diseases is by using risk assessment and risk management methodologies. For risk assessment to work, however, the available management technologies must be examined, and levels of risk assigned to match the available technology. The authors explore risk analysis options for the importation of animals and animal products in a manner which will continue to protect the livestock industry in the USA. They also examine the role of veterinary biologicals as a management tool to mitigate the attendant risks.