Introduced Canadian Eastern grey squirrels: squirrelpox virus surveillance and why nothing matters.

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Standard Standard

Introduced Canadian Eastern grey squirrels: squirrelpox virus surveillance and why nothing matters. / McInnes, C; Shuttleworth, Craig; Larsen, K.W. et al.
In: Hystrix-Italian Journal of Mammalogy, Vol. 31, 03.08.2020, p. 95-98.

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

HarvardHarvard

McInnes, C, Shuttleworth, C, Larsen, KW, Everest, DJ, Bruemmer, C, Carroll, B, Romeo, C, Sainsbury, AW, Crawshaw, G, Dubois, S, Gillis, L, Gilray, J & Percival, A 2020, 'Introduced Canadian Eastern grey squirrels: squirrelpox virus surveillance and why nothing matters.', Hystrix-Italian Journal of Mammalogy, vol. 31, pp. 95-98. <https://doi.org/10.4404/hystrix-00331-2020>

APA

McInnes, C., Shuttleworth, C., Larsen, K. W., Everest, D. J., Bruemmer, C., Carroll, B., Romeo, C., Sainsbury, A. W., Crawshaw, G., Dubois, S., Gillis, L., Gilray, J., & Percival, A. (2020). Introduced Canadian Eastern grey squirrels: squirrelpox virus surveillance and why nothing matters. Hystrix-Italian Journal of Mammalogy, 31, 95-98. https://doi.org/10.4404/hystrix-00331-2020

CBE

McInnes C, Shuttleworth C, Larsen KW, Everest DJ, Bruemmer C, Carroll B, Romeo C, Sainsbury AW, Crawshaw G, Dubois S, et al. 2020. Introduced Canadian Eastern grey squirrels: squirrelpox virus surveillance and why nothing matters. Hystrix-Italian Journal of Mammalogy. 31:95-98.

MLA

McInnes, C et al. "Introduced Canadian Eastern grey squirrels: squirrelpox virus surveillance and why nothing matters.". Hystrix-Italian Journal of Mammalogy. 2020, 31. 95-98.

VancouverVancouver

McInnes C, Shuttleworth C, Larsen KW, Everest DJ, Bruemmer C, Carroll B et al. Introduced Canadian Eastern grey squirrels: squirrelpox virus surveillance and why nothing matters. Hystrix-Italian Journal of Mammalogy. 2020 Aug 3;31:95-98.

Author

McInnes, C ; Shuttleworth, Craig ; Larsen, K.W. et al. / Introduced Canadian Eastern grey squirrels: squirrelpox virus surveillance and why nothing matters. In: Hystrix-Italian Journal of Mammalogy. 2020 ; Vol. 31. pp. 95-98.

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Introduced Canadian Eastern grey squirrels: squirrelpox virus surveillance and why nothing matters.

AU - McInnes, C

AU - Shuttleworth, Craig

AU - Larsen, K.W.

AU - Everest, D.J.

AU - Bruemmer, C

AU - Carroll, B

AU - Romeo, C

AU - Sainsbury, A.W.

AU - Crawshaw, G

AU - Dubois, S

AU - Gillis, L

AU - Gilray, J

AU - Percival, A

PY - 2020/8/3

Y1 - 2020/8/3

N2 - Squirrelpox virus (SQPV), an unapparent infection of the Eastern grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis), is considered to be mediating the ecological replacement of the Eurasian red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) in the United Kingdom (UK) and Ireland. Evidence suggests that the Eastern grey squirrel is the natural reservoir host of SQPV and therefore there is considerable concern amongst conservationists that when translocated out of its natural range in North America, the Eastern grey squirrel could pose a similar threat to encountered indigenous squirrel populations. Serum samples collected from Eastern grey squirrels from British Columbia (BC), Canada, an introduced population derived from squirrels translocated at the beginning of the 20th Century, were surveyed for evidence of antibodies against SQPV. None of the 130 samples tested had antibodies to the virus, contrasting with 15 out of 19 (79%) positive serum samples collected from Ontario, a population within the natural range of the Eastern grey squirrel. We conclude that BC is currently free of SQPV and that to maintain the virus-free status further translocations of grey squirrels from their native range should be prevented. A comprehensive study of the founding population and comparison with the other populations in BC, including broad epidemiological surveillance for the virus is recommended as an early warning for potential incursions of the virus and the threats that this may pose.

AB - Squirrelpox virus (SQPV), an unapparent infection of the Eastern grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis), is considered to be mediating the ecological replacement of the Eurasian red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) in the United Kingdom (UK) and Ireland. Evidence suggests that the Eastern grey squirrel is the natural reservoir host of SQPV and therefore there is considerable concern amongst conservationists that when translocated out of its natural range in North America, the Eastern grey squirrel could pose a similar threat to encountered indigenous squirrel populations. Serum samples collected from Eastern grey squirrels from British Columbia (BC), Canada, an introduced population derived from squirrels translocated at the beginning of the 20th Century, were surveyed for evidence of antibodies against SQPV. None of the 130 samples tested had antibodies to the virus, contrasting with 15 out of 19 (79%) positive serum samples collected from Ontario, a population within the natural range of the Eastern grey squirrel. We conclude that BC is currently free of SQPV and that to maintain the virus-free status further translocations of grey squirrels from their native range should be prevented. A comprehensive study of the founding population and comparison with the other populations in BC, including broad epidemiological surveillance for the virus is recommended as an early warning for potential incursions of the virus and the threats that this may pose.

M3 - Article

VL - 31

SP - 95

EP - 98

JO - Hystrix-Italian Journal of Mammalogy

JF - Hystrix-Italian Journal of Mammalogy

SN - 0394-1914

ER -