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Opportunistic viral surveillance confirms the ongoing disease threat grey squirrels pose to sympatric red squirrel populations in the UK

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Opportunistic viral surveillance confirms the ongoing disease threat grey squirrels pose to sympatric red squirrel populations in the UK. / Everest, DJ; Green, C; Dastjerdi, A et al.
In: Veterinary Record, Vol. 192, No. 10, e2834, 20.05.2023.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

HarvardHarvard

Everest, DJ, Green, C, Dastjerdi, A, Davies, H, Cripps, R, McKinney, C, Podgornik, G, Stinson, M, O'Hare, S, Bonnie, S, Mill, A, Van der wall, Z, Robinson, N, Trotter, S & Shuttleworth, C 2023, 'Opportunistic viral surveillance confirms the ongoing disease threat grey squirrels pose to sympatric red squirrel populations in the UK', Veterinary Record, vol. 192, no. 10, e2834. <http:///10.1002/vetr.2834>

APA

Everest, DJ., Green, C., Dastjerdi, A., Davies, H., Cripps, R., McKinney, C., Podgornik, G., Stinson, M., O'Hare, S., Bonnie, S., Mill, A., Van der wall, Z., Robinson, N., Trotter, S., & Shuttleworth, C. (2023). Opportunistic viral surveillance confirms the ongoing disease threat grey squirrels pose to sympatric red squirrel populations in the UK. Veterinary Record, 192(10), Article e2834. http:///10.1002/vetr.2834

CBE

Everest DJ, Green C, Dastjerdi, A, Davies H, Cripps R, McKinney C, Podgornik G, Stinson M, O'Hare S, Bonnie S, et al. 2023. Opportunistic viral surveillance confirms the ongoing disease threat grey squirrels pose to sympatric red squirrel populations in the UK. Veterinary Record. 192(10):Article e2834.

MLA

Everest, DJ et al. "Opportunistic viral surveillance confirms the ongoing disease threat grey squirrels pose to sympatric red squirrel populations in the UK". Veterinary Record. 2023. 192(10).

VancouverVancouver

Everest DJ, Green C, Dastjerdi, A, Davies H, Cripps R, McKinney C et al. Opportunistic viral surveillance confirms the ongoing disease threat grey squirrels pose to sympatric red squirrel populations in the UK. Veterinary Record. 2023 May 20;192(10):e2834. Epub 2023 Apr 6.

Author

Everest, DJ ; Green, C ; Dastjerdi, A et al. / Opportunistic viral surveillance confirms the ongoing disease threat grey squirrels pose to sympatric red squirrel populations in the UK. In: Veterinary Record. 2023 ; Vol. 192, No. 10.

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Opportunistic viral surveillance confirms the ongoing disease threat grey squirrels pose to sympatric red squirrel populations in the UK

AU - Everest, DJ

AU - Green, C

AU - Dastjerdi,, A

AU - Davies, H

AU - Cripps, R

AU - McKinney, C

AU - Podgornik, G

AU - Stinson, M

AU - O'Hare, S

AU - Bonnie, S

AU - Mill, A

AU - Van der wall, Z

AU - Robinson, N

AU - Trotter, S

AU - Shuttleworth, Craig

PY - 2023/5/20

Y1 - 2023/5/20

N2 - BackgroundRed Squirrels United was a UK landscape-scale grey squirrel management programme undertaken between 2016 and 2020.MethodsA total of 11034 grey squirrels were removed by culling, with 1506 necropsied and 1405 suitable for adenovirus (AdV) or squirrelpox virus (SQPV) quantitative PCR (qPCR) analysis. Spleen, lip or hair were extracted, and DNA was isolated, with samples tested in duplicate by qPCR.ResultsOf 1378 tissue samples, 43% were positive for AdV and 10% for SQPV. Of 1031 hair samples, 11% were positive for AdV and 10% for SQPV. Overall, 762 of 1405 (54%) animals were positive for one or both viruses.LimitationsAd hoc sampling was undertaken from limited geographical areas but provided the only dataset from that period, instead of extrapolating from historical data.ConclusionsThe grey squirrel is an asymptomatic reservoir host for AdV and SQPV. Interspecific infection transmission potential is demonstrated. Grey squirrel management by culling is essential for mainland red squirrel viability until other suitable management tools are available.

AB - BackgroundRed Squirrels United was a UK landscape-scale grey squirrel management programme undertaken between 2016 and 2020.MethodsA total of 11034 grey squirrels were removed by culling, with 1506 necropsied and 1405 suitable for adenovirus (AdV) or squirrelpox virus (SQPV) quantitative PCR (qPCR) analysis. Spleen, lip or hair were extracted, and DNA was isolated, with samples tested in duplicate by qPCR.ResultsOf 1378 tissue samples, 43% were positive for AdV and 10% for SQPV. Of 1031 hair samples, 11% were positive for AdV and 10% for SQPV. Overall, 762 of 1405 (54%) animals were positive for one or both viruses.LimitationsAd hoc sampling was undertaken from limited geographical areas but provided the only dataset from that period, instead of extrapolating from historical data.ConclusionsThe grey squirrel is an asymptomatic reservoir host for AdV and SQPV. Interspecific infection transmission potential is demonstrated. Grey squirrel management by culling is essential for mainland red squirrel viability until other suitable management tools are available.

M3 - Article

VL - 192

JO - Veterinary Record

JF - Veterinary Record

SN - 0042-4900

IS - 10

M1 - e2834

ER -