Geographic Variability, Seasonality, and Increase in ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center Harmful Blue-Green Algae Calls—United States and Canada, 2010–2022

Objectives:     Harmful blue-green algae (HBGA) exposure can cause illness or death in humans and animals. We characterized 13 years of American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) Animal Poison Control Center (APPCC) HBGA call data; compared it to a measure of public awareness of harmful algal blooms; and considered its suitability as a public health information source. Methods: ASPCA APCC companion animal (dog and cat) calls categorized as HBGA exposure and made January 1, 2010-December 31, 2022 were included. We calculated annual HBGA call percentages and described calls by species, month, origin, and exposure route. We characterized public awareness by the number of Nexis Uni®-indexed news publications (2010-2022) containing the term “harmful algal bloom”. Results: Of 999 HBGA calls, 99.4% (N=993) were dog exposures. Total call percentage increased annually 0.005% (2010) to 0.070% (2022). Over 65% (N=655) of calls were made July-September, largely from the New England (N=154 (15.4%)) and Pacific (N=129 (12.9.%)) regions. Exposure routes were predominantly oral and dermal (N=956 (95.7%)). Harmful algal bloom news publications increased overall, peaking in 2019 (N=1834). Conclusions: Increases in ASPCA APCC companion animal HBGA calls were driven by higher HBGA call volumes in summer and in the New England and Pacific regions. Increasing public awareness of harmful algal blooms likely contributed to HBGA call increases. Dogs and humans have similar HBGA exposure routes. Dogs may accompany humans to HBGA sites. ASPCA APCC HBGA call data could serve as a source of public health information on harmful algal blooms.

Impact/Purpose

Harmful cyanobacteria blooms, sometimes called harmful blue green algae (HBGA) are widespread and challenging for state and local entities to monitor. Frequently dog illnesses and deaths occur at freshwater bodies also used for human recreation. There is no mandatory surveillance for these animal illnesses and the incidents may pass unnoticed. However, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Animal Poison Control Center receives reports of animal exposure and health effects associated with HBGA from the United States and Canada. In this work, we analyze the date and region where the calls originate and find that calls have been increasing during the last twelve years. We suggest that Animal Poison Control Center location and frequency data may be a useful source of information for state and local officials seeking to better identify locations where potential human health risks associated with HBGA occur.

Citation

Bloch, R., E. Hilborn, G. Faulkner, T. Wismer, N. Martin, AND S. Rhea. Geographic Variability, Seasonality, and Increase in ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center Harmful Blue-Green Algae Calls—United States and Canada, 2010–2022. MDPI, Basel, SWITZERLAND, 15(8):505, (2023). [DOI: 10.3390/toxins15080505]

DOI: Geographic Variability, Seasonality, and Increase in ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center Harmful Blue-Green Algae Calls—United States and Canada, 2010–2022