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Lookup NU author(s): Professor Aileen MillORCiD, Dr Zelda Van der Waal
This is the authors' accepted manuscript of an article that has been published in its final definitive form by John Wiley and Sons Inc, 2023.
For re-use rights please refer to the publisher's terms and conditions.
© 2023 Crown copyright. Veterinary Record © 2023 British Veterinary Association. This article is published with the permission of the Controller of HMSO and the King's Printer for Scotland.Background: Red Squirrels United was a UK landscape-scale grey squirrel management programme undertaken between 2016 and 2020. Methods: A 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. Results: Of 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. Limitations: Ad hoc sampling was undertaken from limited geographical areas but provided the only dataset from that period, instead of extrapolating from historical data. Conclusions: The 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.
Author(s): Everest DJ, Green C, Dastjerdi A, Davies H, Cripps R, McKinney C, Podgornik G, Stinson M, O'Hare S, Sapsford B, Mill A, Van der Waal Z, Robinson N, Trotter S, Shuttleworth CM
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Veterinary Record
Year: 2023
Volume: 192
Issue: 10
Online publication date: 06/04/2023
Acceptance date: 01/03/2023
Date deposited: 12/05/2023
ISSN (print): 0042-4900
ISSN (electronic): 2042-7670
Publisher: John Wiley and Sons Inc
URL: https://doi.org/10.1002/vetr.2834
DOI: 10.1002/vetr.2834
ePrints DOI: 10.57711/jb7z-pe97
PubMed id: 37024300
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