ABSTRACT
Public health officials (PHOs) have long recognized the critical
importance of comprehensive reporting of infectious disease in
both animals and humans. It is estimated that more than 60% of
1,400 or so human infectious agents are, in fact, zoonotic in origin.
Recent events, such as the arrival of West Nile virus (WNV) into
North America and the subsequent spread of the virus to bird
and mosquito populations across the continental United States,
underscore the importance of early recognition of unusual signs
and symptoms in wildlife, domestic animals, fowl, and humans to
identify novel disease and its scope.
