Fox Lab

The Fox lab investigates diseases at the domestic animal/wildlife interface, developing diagnostic tools to detect diseases, understand disease mechanisms, and inform disease management. Current projects focus on respiratory disease in bighorn sheep and staggering disease in domestic and wild felids.

For more detailed information on staggering disease, or to submit a case for testing, please visit our staggering disease page.

research project

Investigation of staggering disease in the United States

Staggering disease, caused by rustrela virus, mainly affects domestic cats in Europe, causing incoordination and hind limb issues due to brain and spinal cord inflammation. In 2023, the first case outside Europe was found in a Colorado mountain lion. We are now monitoring its spread in Colorado and North America.

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Publications

Rustrela Virus in Wild Mountain Lion (Puma concolor) with Staggering Disease, Colorado, USA

Fox KA, Breithaupt A, Beer M, Rubbenstroth D, Pfaff F. Rustrela Virus in Wild Mountain Lion (Puma concolor) with Staggering Disease, Colorado, USA. Emerg Infect Dis. 2024;30(8):1664-1667.

Assessing shared respiratory pathogens between domestic (Ovis aries) and bighorn (Ovis canadensis) sheep; methods for multiplex PCR, amplicon sequencing, and bioinformatics to characterize respiratory flora

Fox KA, MacGlover CAW, Blecha KA, Stenglein MD. Assessing shared respiratory pathogens between domestic (Ovis aries) and bighorn (Ovis canadensis) sheep; methods for multiplex PCR, amplicon sequencing, and bioinformatics to characterize respiratory flora. PLoS One. 2023 Oct 19;18(10):e0293062. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0293062. PMID: 37856492; PMCID: PMC10586700.

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People

A woman smiles at the camera with brown hair and a red and white brick background
Karen Fox

Primary Investigator

Office: (970) 297-4319

[email protected]