Implementation Of New Mexico's 'No Behavioral Health Cost Sharing' Law: A Qualitative Study.

Out-of-pocket spending is a long-standing challenge for privately insured people. New Mexico passed the first US law prohibiting private insurers from applying cost sharing to behavioral health treatment, effective January 1, 2022. We examined the perceptions of key informants, including clinicians, insurers, and state officials, about implementing the No Behavioral Health Cost Sharing law to explore how it might affect downstream outcomes such as spending and access. The law was viewed favorably and implemented without much difficulty. Clinicians noted widespread positive impacts, particularly for those needing intensive treatment. However, they worried about workforce capacity and the exclusion of people covered under self-insured employer plans, which are exempt from state regulation under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) of 1974. Insurers found the law to be in alignment with their organizational goals, but they expressed concern about the administrative burden caused by increased reviews of claims, and some were monitoring for unintended consequences (for example, waste and fraud) that could lead to increased premiums. Engagement strategies were needed to inform eligible members and facilitate enrollment in eligible plans. The law provides a potential model for states to improve access to behavioral health care, but impacts may be limited by factors such as workforce, awareness, and federal ERISA constraints.

Expanding Hepatitis C Virus Treatment in the New Mexico State Prison System: Using the ECHO Model for Provider and Prison Peer Education.

It is critical to address hepatitis C virus (HCV) in carceral settings to achieve worldwide elimination of the virus. We describe New Mexico's (NM) experience expanding HCV treatment in state prisons, supplemented with Project ECHO (ECHO; virtual mentorship through guided practice) and the NM Peer Education Program (NMPEP). We describe how using these programs may be a model for expanding treatment in prisons globally. ECHO, NM Corrections Department (NMCD) and Wexford Health Services (WHS) collaborate to treat HCV in state prisons and increase HCV knowledge among incarcerated persons using NMPEP. Each person arriving in prison is tested for HCV and those with active infection receive baseline labs, which are reviewed. Patients not meeting criteria for simplified treatment are presented to ECHO for expert guidance. Otherwise, patients are treated by WHS without consultation. NMPEP provides patient-to-patient education in prisons, addressing HCV myths and exploring treatment refusals. From December 2020 to June 2023, 3603 people had HCV viremia. In this study, 1685 people started treatment: 1280 were treated using the simplified algorithm and 405 were presented to ECHO. Of the 988 people who completed treatment and had sustained virologic response (SVR) labs drawn, 89.2% achieved SVR (i.e., cure). Most of the 107 people who did not achieve SVR had presumed reinfection. NMPEP trained 148 peer educators who educated 3832 peers about HCV prevention and treatment. HCV treatment in prisons can be expanded by implementing simplified treatment algorithms, use of the ECHO model for patients with advanced disease and peer education.

Biochar production in northern New Mexico: Identifying challenges and opportunities.

Thinning woody biomass to reduce wildfire risk has become a common forest management prescription throughout the Intermountain West. Converting the resulting slash into biochar, a carbon-rich soil amendment, could help mitigate some of the shortcomings of other fuel treatments, but land managers in the western United States have not widely adopted biochar, despite its potential benefits and new government incentives. Thus, we investigated the often under-studied sociocultural, economic, and biophysical barriers to biochar production and identified important factors to inform future outreach efforts that will help to expand biochar production from thinning slash in northern New Mexico. We distributed surveys and conducted interviews with land managers and personnel working in environment conservation organizations who work with land managers throughout northern New Mexico. We found that 65% of participants (n = 60) were familiar with biochar, and 13% already produced biochar. Participants identified improving soil and reducing forest fuel loads as the main benefits of biochar. The most prevalent barriers to adopting biochar were insufficient knowledge about biochar production and its application and concerns about production costs. Given land manager preferences, outreach efforts to encourage biochar adoption should focus on hands-on informational activities. Barriers and preferred outreach methods varied by participant race and familiarity with biochar. With appropriate training to empower land managers, biochar can provide environmental and community benefits by the sustainable conversion of forest residues into a soil enhancement product that would be beneficial to northern New Mexico's dry, high wildfire risk context.

Multidecadal vegetation transformations of a New Mexico ponderosa pine landscape after severe fires and aerial seeding.

Wildfires and climate change increasingly are transforming vegetation composition and structure, and postfire management may have long-lasting effects on ecosystem reorganization. Postfire aerial seeding treatments are commonly used to reduce runoff and soil erosion, but little is known about how seeding treatments affect native vegetation recovery over long periods of time, particularly in type-converted forests that have been dramatically transformed by the effects of repeated, high-severity fire. In this study, we analyze and report on a rare long-term (23-year) dataset that documents vegetation dynamics following a 1996 post-fire aerial seeding treatment and a subsequent 2011 high-severity reburn in a dry conifer landscape of northern New Mexico, USA. Repeated surveys between 1997 and 2019 of 49 permanent transects were analyzed for differences in vegetation cover, richness, and diversity between seeded and unseeded areas, and to characterize the development of seeded and unseeded vegetation communities through time and across gradients of burn severity, elevation, and soil-available water capacity. Seeded plots showed no significant difference in bare ground cover during the initial years postfire relative to unseeded plots. Postfire seeding led to a clear and sustained divergence in herbaceous community composition. Seeded plots had a much higher cover of non-native graminoids, primarily Bromus inermis, a likely contaminant in the seed mix. High-severity reburning of all plots in 2011 reduced native graminoid cover by half at seeded plots compared with both prefire levels and with plots that were unseeded following the initial 1996 fire. In addition, higher fire severity was associated with increased non-native graminoid cover and reduced native graminoid cover. This study documents fire-driven ecosystem transformation from conifer forest into a shrub-and-grass-dominated system, reinforced by aerial seeding of grasses and high-severity reburning. This unique long-term dataset illustrates that post-fire seeding carries significant risks of unwanted non-native species invasions that persist through subsequent fires-thus alternative postfire management actions merit consideration to better support native ecosystem resilience given emergent climate change and increasing disturbance. This study also highlights the importance of long-term monitoring of postfire vegetation dynamics, as short-term assessments miss key elements of complex ecosystem responses to fire and postfire management actions.

An epidemiological analysis of TB trends in native and migrant populations, New Mexico, 1993-2021.

To analyze the epidemiological, demographic, clinical, laboratory, radiographic and treatment outcome trends in non-US-born individuals with TB in New Mexico.We retrospectively analyzed TB data from New Mexico TB surveillance system from (1993-2021), comparing variables between non-US-born and US-born individuals.Of the 1,512 TB cases, 876 (56.5%) were non-US-born and 653 (43.3%) were US-born. The incidence rate among non-US-born patients declined from 15.3/100,000 (1993) to 7.8/100,000 (2021) (54.6% reduction), while among US-born patients it declined from 3.3/100,000 (1993) to 0.5/100,000 (2021) (84.8% reduction). The majority of non-US-born individuals were from Mexico (n = 482, 73.5%). Non-US-born were typically younger adults (median age: 54 vs. 61), predominantly male (64.8% vs. 59.4%), less likely to consume excess alcohol and have extrapulmonary TB. However, they were more likely to exhibit resistance to standard TB drugs (P < 0.01). Non-US-born individuals were less likely to die (7.8% vs. 15.4%), but more likely to be lost to follow-up (P < 0.007). Treatment by providers outside the Department of Health was associated with noncompletion (OR 0.18, 95% CI 0.09-0.35; P < 0.001).These results highlight the need for a detailed understanding of the impact of migration on TB epidemiology and the development of tailored interventions to improve treatment outcomes..

Thyroid Cancer Incidence and Tumor Size in New Mexico American Indians, Hispanics, and Non-Hispanic Whites, 1992 to 2019.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of thyroid cancer in the United States has risen dramatically since the 1970s, driven by an increase in the diagnosis of small tumors. There is a paucity of published New Mexico (NM) specific data regarding thyroid cancer. We hypothesized that due to New Mexico's unique geographic and cultural makeup, the incidence of thyroid cancer and tumor size at diagnosis in this state would differ from that demonstrated on a national level. METHODS: The New Mexico Tumor Registry (NMTR) was queried to include all NM residents diagnosed with thyroid cancer between 1992 and 2019. For 2010 to 2019, age-adjusted incidence rates were calculated via direct method using the 2000 United States population as the adjustment standard. Differences in incidence rate and tumor size by race/ethnicity and residence (metropolitan vs non-metropolitan) were assessed with rate ratios between groups. For 1992 to 2019, temporal trends in age-adjusted incidence rates for major race/ethnic groups in NM [Non-Hispanic White (NHW), Hispanic, and American Indian (AI)] were assessed by joinpoint regression using National Cancer Institute software. RESULTS: Our study included 3,161 patients for the time period 2010 to 2019, including NHW (1518), Hispanic (1425), and AI (218) cases. The overall incidence rates for NM AIs were lower than those for Hispanics and NHWs because of a decreased incidence of very small tumors (<1.1 cm). The incidence rates for large tumors (>5.1 cm) was equivalent among groups. In the early 2000s, Hispanics also had lower rates of small tumors when compared to NHWs but this trend disappeared over time. CONCLUSION: AIs in New Mexico have been left out of the nationwide increase in incidental diagnosis of small thyroid tumors. This same pattern was noted for Hispanics in the early 2000s but changed over time to mirror incidence rates for NHWs. These data are illustrative of the health care disparities that exist among New Mexico's population and how these disparities have changed over time.

Impact of the 2022 New Mexico, US wildfires on air quality and health.

The 2022 wildfires in New Mexico, United States, were unparalleled compared to past wildfires in the state in both their scale and intensity, resulting in poor air quality and a catastrophic loss of habitat and livelihood. Among all wildfires in New Mexico in 2022, six wildfires were selected for our study based on the size of the burn area and their proximity to populated areas. These fires accounted for approximately 90 % of the total burn area in New Mexico in 2022. We used a regional chemical transport model and data-fusion technique to quantify the contribution of these six wildfires (April 6 to August 22) on particulate matter (PM2.5: diameter ≤ 2.5 µm) and ozone (O3) concentrations, as well as the associated health impacts from short-term exposure. We estimated that these six wildfires emitted 152 thousand tons of PM2.5 and 287 thousand tons of volatile organic compounds to the atmosphere. We estimated that the average daily wildfire smoke PM2.5 across New Mexico was 0.3 µg/m3, though 1 h maximum exceeded 120 µg/m3 near Santa Fe. Average wildfire smoke maximum daily average 8-h O3 (MDA8-O3) contribution was 0.2 ppb during the study period over New Mexico. However, over the state 1 h maximum smoke O3 exceeded 60 ppb in some locations near Santa Fe. Estimated all-cause excess mortality attributable to short term exposure to wildfire PM2.5 and MDA8-O3 from these six wildfires were 18 (95 % Confidence Interval (CI), 15-21) and 4 (95 % CI: 3-6) deaths. Additionally, we estimate that wildfire PM2.5 was responsible for 171 (95 %: 124-217) excess cases of asthma emergency department visits. Our findings underscore the impact of wildfires on air quality and human health risks, which are anticipated to intensify with global warming, even as local anthropogenic emissions decline.

Voices of the unhoused from Santa Fe, New Mexico: A mixed methods study of health status, substance use, and community harm reduction program perspectives.

No published studies have examined the community service priorities and harm reduction perspectives of unhoused people in Santa Fe, New Mexico. We conducted a mixed methods pilot study of 56 unhoused people at community locations in Santa Fe to: (1) assess the current prevalence of chronic medical conditions and substance use; (2) highlight community service priorities; and (3) explore views of innovative community harm reduction programs. Our first hypothesis was there would be high prevalence of chronic medical conditions, for which we found high prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder, major depression, substance use disorders, chronic pain, and hypertension. Our second hypothesis was that we would find top community service priorities of housing, food, and health care. We found long- and short-term housing and food, but not healthcare, top priorities. Our third hypothesis was that we would find mixed support for community harm reduction initiatives like managed alcohol programs and overdose prevention centers. We found positive, not mixed, support for these community harm reduction programs among Santa Fe's unhoused. Unhoused study participants ranged in age 27-77 years, with lifetime years unhoused from less than one year to 63 years. Study limitations included small sample size, convenience sampling, and descriptive results. Policies and program initiatives supporting additional Housing First options, managed alcohol programs, and overdose prevention centers in the Santa Fe community are clearly indicated to increase engagement with this vulnerable population. Future research should focus on inclusion of the perspectives of the unhoused in the design, conduct, evaluation, and dissemination of community programs to meet the needs of the unhoused, with re-defined outcomes to include changes in quality of life, program engagement, demarginalization, and future goals and plans, beyond currently utilized health and social service program outcome measures.

Investigation of Presumptive HIV Transmission Associated with Receipt of Platelet-Rich Plasma Microneedling Facials at a Spa Among Former Spa Clients - New Mexico, 2018-2023.

HIV transmitted through cosmetic injection services via contaminated blood has not been previously documented. During summer 2018, the New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) was notified of a diagnosis of HIV infection in a woman with no known HIV risk factors who reported exposure to needles from cosmetic platelet-rich plasma microneedling facials (vampire facials) received at a spa in spring 2018. An investigation of the spa's services began in summer 2018, and NMDOH and CDC identified four former spa clients, and one sexual partner of a spa client, all of whom received HIV infection diagnoses during 2018-2023, despite low reported behavioral risks associated with HIV acquisition. Nucleotide sequence analysis revealed highly similar HIV strains among all cases. Although transmission of HIV via unsterile injection practices is a known risk, determining novel routes of HIV transmission among persons with no known HIV risk factors is important. This investigation identified an HIV cluster associated with receipt of cosmetic injection services at an unlicensed facility that did not follow recommended infection control procedures or maintain client records. Requiring adequate infection control practices and maintenance of client records at spa facilities offering cosmetic injection services can help prevent the transmission of HIV and other bloodborne pathogens and ensure adequate traceback and notification in the event of adverse clinical outcomes, respectively.

The effects of the industrial transition on lower limb bone structure: A comparison of the inhabitants of Pecos Pueblo and present-day Indigenous peoples of New Mexico.

OBJECTIVES: Comparisons between Indigenous peoples over time and within a particular geographic region can shed light on the impact of environmental transitions on the skeleton, including relative bone strength, sexual dimorphism, and age-related changes. Here we compare long bone structural properties of the inhabitants of the late prehistoric-early historic Pecos Pueblo with those of present-day Indigenous individuals from New Mexico. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Femora and tibiae of 126 adults from Pecos Pueblo and 226 present-day adults were included in the study. Cross-sectional diaphyseal properties-areas and second moments of area-were obtained from past studies of the Pecos Pueblo skeletal sample, and from computed tomography scans of recently deceased individuals in the present-day sample. RESULTS: Femora and tibiae from Pecos individuals are stronger relative to body size than those of present-day Indigenous individuals. Present-day individuals are taller but not wider, and this body shape difference affects cross-sectional shape, more strongly proximally. The tibia shows anteroposterior strengthening among Pecos individuals, especially among males. Sexual dimorphism in midshaft bone shape is stronger within the Pecos Pueblo sample. With aging, Pecos individuals show more medullary expansion but also more subperiosteal expansion than present-day individuals, maintaining bone strength despite cortical thinning. DISCUSSION: Higher activity levels, carried out over rough terrain and throughout adult life, likely explain the relatively stronger lower limb bones of the Pecos individuals, as well as their greater subperiosteal expansion with aging. Greater sexual dimorphism in bone structure among Pecos individuals potentially reflects greater gender-based differences in behavioral patterns.

Extraordinary levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in vertebrate animals at a New Mexico desert oasis: Multiple pathways for wildlife and human exposure.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the environment pose persistent and complex threats to human and wildlife health. Around the world, PFAS point sources such as military bases expose thousands of populations of wildlife and game species, with potentially far-reaching implications for population and ecosystem health. But few studies shed light on the extent to which PFAS permeate food webs, particularly ecologically and taxonomically diverse communities of primary and secondary consumers. Here we conducted >2000 assays to measure tissue-concentrations of 17 PFAS in 23 species of mammals and migratory birds at Holloman Air Force Base (AFB), New Mexico, USA, where wastewater catchment lakes form biodiverse oases. PFAS concentrations were among the highest reported in animal tissues, and high levels have persisted for at least three decades. Twenty of 23 species sampled at Holloman AFB were heavily contaminated, representing middle trophic levels and wetland to desert microhabitats, implicating pathways for PFAS uptake: ingestion of surface water, sediments, and soil; foraging on aquatic invertebrates and plants; and preying upon birds or mammals. The hazardous long carbon-chain form, perfluorooctanosulfonic acid (PFOS), was most abundant, with liver concentrations averaging >10,000 ng/g wet weight (ww) in birds and mammals, respectively, and reaching as high 97,000 ng/g ww in a 1994 specimen. Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS) averaged thousands of ng/g ww in the livers of aquatic birds and littoral-zone house mice, but one order of magnitude lower in the livers of upland desert rodent species. Piscivores and upland desert songbirds were relatively uncontaminated. At control sites, PFAS levels were strikingly lower on average and different in composition. In sum, legacy PFAS at this desert oasis have permeated local aquatic and terrestrial food webs across decades, severely contaminating populations of resident and migrant animals, and exposing people via game meat consumption and outdoor recreation.

Community composition of black flies during and after the 2020 vesicular stomatitis virus outbreak in Southern New Mexico, USA.

BACKGROUND: Vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), a vector-borne pathogen of livestock, emerges periodically in the western US. In New Mexico (NM), US, most cases occur close to the Rio Grande River, implicating black flies (Simulium spp.) as a possible vector. In 2020, VS cases were reported in NM from April to May, although total black fly abundance remained high until September. We investigated the hypothesis that transience of local VSV transmission results from transient abundance of key, competent black fly species. Additionally, we investigated whether irrigation canals in southern NM support a different community of black flies than the main river. Lastly, to gain insight into the source of local black flies, in 2023 we collected black fly larvae prior to the release of water into the Rio Grande River channel. METHODS: We randomly sub-sampled adult black flies collected along the Rio Grande during and after the 2020 VSV outbreak. We also collected black fly adults along the river in 2021 and 2022 and at southern NM farms and irrigation canals in 2022. Black fly larvae were collected from dams in the area in 2023. All collections were counted, and individual specimens were subjected to molecular barcoding for species identification. RESULTS: DNA barcoding of adult black flies detected four species in 2020: Simulium meridionale (N = 158), S. mediovittatum (N = 83), S. robynae (N = 26) and S. griseum/notatum (N = 1). Simulium robynae was only detected during the VSV outbreak period, S. meridionale showed higher relative abundance, but lower absolute abundance, during the outbreak than post-outbreak period, and S. mediovittatum was rare during the outbreak period but predominated later in the summer. In 2022, relative abundance of black fly species did not differ significantly between the Rio Grande sites and farm and irrigation canals. Intriguingly, 63 larval black flies comprised 56% Simulium vittatum, 43% S. argus and 1% S. encisoi species that were either extremely rare or not detected in previous adult collections. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that S. robynae and S. meridionale could be shaping patterns of VSV transmission in southern NM. Thus, field studies of the source of these species as well as vector competence studies are warranted.

Measuring Policy, Systems, and Environmental Changes at Elementary Schools Involved in SNAP-Ed New Mexico Programming, 2018-2022.

Introduction: In 2018, the New Mexico Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education (SNAP-Ed NM) incorporated policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) strategies into the state plan to increase healthy eating and physical activity. Studies of multiple PSE strategies in elementary schools are lacking. Methods: We conducted assessments of physical activity and nutrition environments at 11 elementary schools in New Mexico before and after schools were given school-specific PSE recommendations and technical assistance. Baseline data were collected in 2018 by using the School Physical Activity and Nutrition Environment Tool (SPAN-ET), which measures policy, situational, and physical environments in elementary schools. PSE scores were calculated as the proportion of criteria met within and across 27 areas of interest. Implementation of evidence-based PSE interventions began in 2019. COVID-19 school closures delayed follow-up assessments until 2022. We analyzed descriptive data to examine changes in PSE scores over time. Results: Overall mean PSE scores increased significantly from baseline (53.6%) to follow-up (62.7%). Nutrition PSE scores significantly increased by 17.6 percentage points; the policy environment showed the largest improvement (+26.0 percentage points), followed by the situational environment (+13.8 percentage points), and physical environment (+9.1 percentage points). We found a nonsignificant increase in the overall average physical activity score (+2.7 percentage points). Conclusion: Use of a standardized instrument for assessing implementation of PSE strategies across multiple schools showed significant overall improvement in nutrition scores and nonsignificant increases in physical activity scores. Providing school-specific recommendations combined with technical assistance may be an effective approach to implementing evidence-based nutrition and physical activity PSE strategies.

Distribution and prevalence of Sin Nombre hantavirus in rodent species in eastern New Mexico.

Orthohantaviruses are diverse zoonotic RNA viruses. Small mammals, such as mice and rats are common chronic, asymptomatic hosts that transmit the virus through their feces and urine. In North America, hantavirus infection primarily causes hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS), which has a mortality rate of nearly 36%. In the United States of America, New Mexico (NM) is leading the nation in the number of HCPS-reported cases (N = 129). However, no reported cases of HCPS have occurred within eastern NM. In this study, we assessed the prevalence of Sin Nombre virus (SNV) in rodent assemblages across eastern NM, using RT-qPCR. We screened for potential rodent hosts in the region, as well as identified areas that may pose significant infection risk to humans. We captured and collected blood and lung tissues from 738 rodents belonging to 23 species. 167 individuals from 16 different species were positive for SNV RNA by RT-qPCR, including 6 species unreported in the literature: Onychomys leucogaster (Northern grasshopper mouse), Dipodomys merriami (Merriam's kangaroo rat), Dipodomys ordii (Ord's kangaroo rat), Dipodomys spectabilis (Banner-tailed kangaroo rat), Perognathus flavus (Silky pocket mouse), and Chaetodipus hispidus (Hispid pocket mouse). The infection rates did not differ between sexes or rodent families (i.e., Cricetidae vs. Heteromyidae). Generalized linear model showed that disturbed habitat types positively influenced the prevalence of SNV at sites of survey. Overall, the results of this study indicate that many rodent species in east New Mexico have the potential to maintain SNV in the environment, but further research is needed to assess species specific infectivity mechanisms and potential risk to humans.

Science abhors a surveillance vacuum: Detection of ticks and tick-borne pathogens in southern New Mexico through passive surveillance.

Robust tick surveillance enhances diagnosis and prevention of tick-borne pathogens, yet surveillance efforts in the United States are highly uneven, resulting in large surveillance vacuums, one of which spans the state of New Mexico. As part of a larger effort to fill this vacuum, we conducted both active and passive tick sampling in New Mexico, focusing on the southern portion of the state. We conducted active tick sampling using dragging and CO2 trapping at 45 sites across Hidalgo, Doña Ana, Otero, and Eddy counties between June 2021 to May 2022. Sampling occurred intermittently, with at least one sampling event each month from June to October 2021, pausing in winter and resuming in March through May 2022. We also conducted opportunistic, passive tick sampling in 2021 and 2022 from animals harvested by hunters or captured or collected by researchers and animals housed in animal hospitals, shelters, and farms. All pools of ticks were screened for Rickettsia rickettsii, Rickettsia parkeri, Rickettsia amblyommatis, Ehrlichia ewingii, and Ehrlichia chaffeensis. Active sampling yielded no ticks. Passive sampling yielded 497 ticks comprising Carios kelleyi from pallid bats, Rhipicephalus sanguineus from dogs, mule deer, and Rocky Mountain elk, Otobius megnini from dogs, cats, horses, and Coues deer, Dermacentor parumapertus from dogs and black-tailed jackrabbits, Dermacentor albipictus from domesticated cats, mule deer and Rocky Mountain elk, and Dermacentor spp. from American black bear, Rocky Mountain elk, and mule deer. One pool of D. parumapterus from a black-tailed jackrabbit in Luna County tested positive for R. parkeri, an agent of spotted fever rickettsiosis. Additionally, a spotted fever group Rickettsia was detected in 6 of 7 C. kelleyi pools. Two ticks showed morphological abnormalities; however, these samples did not test positive for any of the target pathogens, and the cause of the abnormalities is unknown. Passive surveillance yielded five identified species of ticks from three domestic and six wild mammal species. Our findings update tick distributions and inform the public, medical, and veterinary communities of the potential tick-borne pathogens present in southern New Mexico.

Seroprevalence, Blood Chemistry, and Patterns of Canine Parvovirus, Distemper Virus, Plague, and Tularemia in Free-Ranging Coyotes (Canis latrans) in Northern New Mexico, USA.

Wildlife diseases have implications for ecology, conservation, human health, and health of domestic animals. They may impact wildlife health and population dynamics. Exposure rates of coyotes (Canis latrans) to pathogens such as Yersinia pestis, the cause of plague, may reflect prevalence rates in both rodent prey and human populations. We captured coyotes in north-central New Mexico during 2005-2008 and collected blood samples for serologic surveys. We tested for antibodies against canine distemper virus (CDV, Canine morbillivirus), canine parvovirus (CPV, Carnivore protoparvovirus), plague, tularemia (Francisella tularensis), and for canine heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis) antigen. Serum biochemistry variables that fell outside reference ranges were probably related to capture stress. We detected antibodies to parvovirus in 32/32 samples (100%), and to Y. pestis in 26/31 (84%). More than half 19/32 (59%) had antibodies against CDV, and 5/31 (39%) had antibodies against F. tularensis. We did not detect any heartworm antigens (n = 9). Pathogen prevalence was similar between sexes and among the three coyote packs in the study area. Parvovirus exposure appeared to happen early in life, and prevalence of antibodies against CDV increased with increasing age class. Exposure to Y. pestis and F. tularensis occurred across all age classes. The high coyote seroprevalence rates observed for CPV, Y. pestis, and CDV may indicate high prevalence in sympatric vertebrate populations, with implications for regional wildlife conservation as well as risk to humans via zoonotic transmission.

Interactions of beet leafhopper (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), vector of beet curly top virus, and hemp in New Mexico.

The beet leafhopper, Circulifer tenellus (Baker 1896), is the sole vector of beet curly top virus (BCTV). Both the virus and the vector have very wide host ranges, including many crops and weeds. Industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) has been reported as a host for both the virus and leafhopper in the past few years with the legal cultivation of the crop in the United States. This research assessed the interactions of the beet leafhopper and hemp in New Mexico by determining the natural infection of hemp with BCTV in 3 field plots in 2021 and 2022 and monitoring the numbers of leafhoppers using yellow sticky traps. The relative preference of beet leafhopper for hemp types and varieties of hemp was assessed using cafeteria-style choice tests. Higher numbers of beet leafhoppers were trapped in and around hemp fields in 2022 than in 2021 in all 3 locations. BCTV was found to infect all 3 types of hemp (cannabidiol or CBD, fiber, and grain) in 2022 in 1 location and only a single CBD variety of hemp in the other 2 locations. Two BCTV strains were identified in CBD hemp, while an additional BCTV strain was found infecting chile pepper grown at the same location.

Morbidity and Mortality of Birds of Prey Admitted to Rehabilitation Centers for Barbed Wire Injuries, New Mexico, USA, 2016-2021.

Interest in the role of fences in wildlife movement and injuries is growing, especially in the western US, where many miles of barbed wire fences crisscross the landscape. However, literature is limited on the effect of barbed wire on avian populations. From 2016 to 2021, six New Mexico, USA, rehabilitation centers accepted 49 raptors injured by barbed wire. Eight species were represented; the majority were Great Horned Owls (Bubo virginianus). Other owls, buteos, and a single falcon were also affected. Most of the injured birds came from counties with low human population density. The injuries tended to be severe, and most birds died or were euthanized; 11 survived, and only eight birds were released. During the study period, barbed wire injuries accounted for over 12% of Great-horned Owl admissions to rehabilitation centers and 7% of all owl admissions. At one New Mexican wildlife rehabilitation center, raptors admitted for barbed wire-associated injuries were more likely to die or be euthanized compared with those admitted for other reasons. Given the welfare effects to these birds, more research is needed to determine whether wildlife-friendly fence modifications, such as a smooth top wire or rail, would mitigate injuries to birds of prey.

Effects of Rurality on Distance and Time Traveled to Receive Vaccination Against Mpox-New Mexico and Idaho 2022-2023.

ABSTRACT: We compared mpox vaccination access between urban and rural residents who received ≥1 JYNNEOS dose using immunization data in Idaho and New Mexico. Rural residents traveled 5 times farther and 3 times longer than urban residents to receive mpox vaccination. Increasing mpox vaccine availability to health care facilities might increase uptake.