Twenty feral hogs (Sus scrofa) from a newly discovered population on Fort Riley Army Base (Kansas, USA) were shot and examined from November 1993 through February 1994 to assess the health of the population. The hogs were generally healthy, although serologic evidence indicated that some individuals had been exposed to parvovirus, enterovirus, and swine influenza. We found no indications of brucellosis, pseudorabies, or porcine respiratory and reproductive syndrome. Lung worms (Metastrongylus spp.), round worms (Ascaris suum), and whipworms (Trichuris suis) were found in nine, four and two of the hogs, respectively. Seven hogs had infestations of lice (Haematopinus suis). Fence-line contacts were documented between four wild boars and domestic sows, and in three cases wild boars entered pens containing domestic sows. We recommend that hogs be examined periodically from this and other wild populations to monitor health status since new animals may enter populations through deliberate translocation, escape from shooting preserves or domestic swine producers, or dispersal from other feral populations.

Three bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), a red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis), and two coyotes (Canis latrans) found in a field in north-central Kansas (USA) in December 1992 were poisoned by flowable carbofuran (Furadan 4F) placed on sheep (Ovis aries) carcasses to kill coyotes. The carbofuran was placed on the carcasses in October 1992, but the coyotes and raptors apparently were killed in late December. Thus, flowable Furadan can cause direct and secondary deaths of wildlife under some circumstances for at least 60 days following placement.

Thirty raccoons (Procyon lotor) from three counties in east-central and southeast Kansas (USA) were examined for schistosomiasis. Eleven (37%) of the raccoons had adult schistosomes identified as Heterobilharzia americana present in the mesenteric vessels, histopathological lesions compatible with schistosomiasis, or both. This represents the first report of H. americana in Kansas and in the central United States.

A serologic survey was conducted on an American bison (Bison bison) herd in Kansas for antibodies against Brucella spp., Leptospira interrogans serovar canicola, pomona, grippotyphosa, icterohaemorrhagiae, and hardjo, Anaplasma spp., bluetongue virus, infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus and bovine viral diarrhea virus. There was an increase in prevalence of bluetongue antibodies from 38% in 1987 to 100% in 1989 in animals greater than or equal to 24-mo-old. Prevalences of antibodies against the other livestock pathogens were either negative or at levels associated with previous vaccination.

Little is known about the prevalence or identity of Sarcocystis species infecting armadillos in North America. Sarcocysts were observed in the tongues of 23 (96%) of 24 armadillos collected between 1989 and 1994 from Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Arkansas. The identity of the species present was determined in histological sections of tongue from armadillos. Sarcocystis dasypi was present in 21 (88%) and Sarcocystis diminuta was present in 5 (21%). Mixed infections with S. dasypi and S. diminuta were present in 3 (13%) armadillos. A single sarcocyst with ultrastructural features distinct from S. dasypi and S. diminuta was observed with transmission electron microscopy.