Grey squirrels have high seroprevalence to a parapoxvirus associated with deaths in red squirrels

Sainsbury, Anthony W.; Nettleton, P. F.; Gilray, Janice; Gurnell, John

doi:10.1017/s1367943000000949

Cited by 30 publications

(76 citation statements)

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“…100 000 parapoxvirus particles per millilitre, and used to challenge naive individuals of both species. Naivety was confirmed by collecting no more than 1 ml of blood from the femoral vein of each individual prior to the challenge and screening sera for antibodies to parapoxvirus by direct enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) (Sainsbury et al 2000).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, the process by which this replacement occurred, and is still ongoing, is not yet fully understood (Reynolds 1985;Gurnell & Pepper 1993;Kenward & Holm 1993;Rushton et al 1997;Kenward et al 1998;Wauters & Gurnell 1999;Wauters et al 2000). One recent hypothesis is that a parapoxvirus, possibly introduced into the UK with the grey squirrel, is a significant component of the replacement mechanism (Sainsbury et al 2000). This virus is believed to have little effect on grey squirrel health, but causes mortality when transmitted to red squirrels.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…When the introduced host acts as a reservoir population from which infection can 'spill-over' to sympatric wildlife, pathogens, which would otherwise fail to persist, may instead cause the extinction of susceptible host populations (Tompkins et al 2000). Such a scenario is believed to describe the action of parapoxvirus in squirrels (Rushton et al 2000;Sainsbury et al 2000).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Parapoxvirus causes a deleterious disease in red squirrels associated with UK population declines

Tompkins

Sainsbury

Nettleton

et al. 2002

Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B

157

175

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The disease implications of novel pathogens need to be considered when investigating the ecological impact of species translocations on native fauna. Traditional explanations based on competition or predation may often not be the whole story. Evidence suggests that an emerging infectious disease, caused by a parapoxvirus, may be a significant component of the impact that the introduced grey squirrel has had on UK red squirrel populations. Here we validate the potential role of parapoxvirus by proving that the virus is highly pathogenic in the red squirrel while having no detectable effect on grey squirrel health.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Parapoxvirus causes a deleterious disease in red squirrels associated with UK population declines

Tompkins

Sainsbury

Nettleton

et al. 2002

Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B

157

175

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“…In areas where both species are present, grey squirrels raid red squirrel caches of seed, leading to reduced reproductive and juvenile recruitment rates for red squirrels (Wauters et al 2002;Gurnell et al 2004). Grey squirrels also carry Squirrelpox virus, which is lethal to red squirrels but has little effect on grey squirrels (Rushton et al 2000;Sainsbury et al 2000;Tompkins et al 2002;Thomas et al 2003;McInnes et al 2006). Grey squirrels also cause bark stripping damage to trees (Kenward 1983;Rowe & Gill 1985;Dagnall et al 1998), and this can have serious economic impacts as well as influence woodland composition (Mayle et al 2009).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Feeding of grey squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) with the contraceptive agent DiazaCon™: effect on cholesterol, hematology, and blood chemistry

Yoder

Mayle

Furcolow

et al. 2011

Integrative Zoology

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Grey squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) are an invasive species in Britain and Italy. They have replaced native red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris) throughout most of Britain, and cause damage to trees. Currently, lethal control is used to manage grey squirrel populations in Britain, but nonlethal methods might be more acceptable to the public. One such method is contraception with 20,25‐diazacholesterol dihydrochloride (DiazaCon™). DiazaCon™ inhibits the conversion of desmosterol to cholesterol, resulting in increasing desmosterol concentrations and decreasing cholesterol concentrations. Because cholesterol is needed for the synthesis of steroid reproductive hormones, such as progesterone and testosterone, inhibition of cholesterol synthesis indirectly inhibits reproduction. Desmosterol is used as a marker of efficacy in laboratory studies with species that do not reproduce readily in captivity. Grey squirrels were gavaged with a DiazaCon™ solution for 2 days, and then fed DiazaCon™‐coated peanuts for an additional 8 days at target doses of 50 and 100 mg DiazaCon™ per kg body weight. There was a significant difference in cholesterol concentrations in the treatment groups compared to the control group. Cholesterol was reduced by ≥ 40% for 2 months in both treatment groups. There were no differences among groups with respect to blood chemistry and hematology parameters, and mean values are reported. The mean overall dose of DiazaCon™ received was 29.0 ± 1.6 and 55.3 ± 4.3 mg/kg in the low (50 mg/kg) and high dose (100 mg/kg) groups, respectively. DiazaCon™ might provide an effective, acceptable alternative to lethal control.

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“…Squirrelpox virus (SQPV) has been identified as the probable mediator of competition between the species involved in several UK red squirrel population declines (Rushton et al, 2006). Grey squirrels carry the virus without usually developing the disease (Sainsbury et al, 2000).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Squirrelpox Virus in Red Squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris) in the Republic of Ireland

Naulty

Everest

Warnock

et al. 2013

Journal of Wildlife Diseases

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Grey squirrels have high seroprevalence to a parapoxvirus associated with deaths in red squirrels

Cited by 30 publications

References 0 publications

Parapoxvirus causes a deleterious disease in red squirrels associated with UK population declines

Parapoxvirus causes a deleterious disease in red squirrels associated with UK population declines

Feeding of grey squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) with the contraceptive agent DiazaCon™: effect on cholesterol, hematology, and blood chemistry

Squirrelpox Virus in Red Squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris) in the Republic of Ireland

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