Wildlife Disease Monitoring: Methods and Perspectives.

In the last few decades, scientific interest in wildlife diseases has steadily grown and has recently been boosted by the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, which highlighted that the health of humans, livestock, wildlife and, ultimately, of the whole environment is inextricably linked [...

A Review of Non-Invasive Sampling in Wildlife Disease and Health Research: What's New?

In the last decades, wildlife diseases and the health status of animal populations have gained increasing attention from the scientific community as part of a One Health framework. Furthermore, the need for non-invasive sampling methods with a minimal impact on wildlife has become paramount in complying with modern ethical standards and regulations, and to collect high-quality and unbiased data. We analysed the publication trends on non-invasive sampling in wildlife health and disease research and offer a comprehensive review on the different samples that can be collected non-invasively.

CLINICAL PROGRESSION OF LEPROSY IN EURASIAN RED SQUIRRELS () IN A NATURALLY INFECTED WILD POPULATION.

Leprosy has been described in Eurasian red squirrel (; ERS) carcasses since 2014. Studies of ERS carcasses have not provided information about incubation or disease progression in this host but have provided important insights into pathogen presence and distribution throughout the United Kingdom. Here we present field study data on 31 live ERS from an island population naturally infected with that were assessed longitudinally over a 2-yr time period.

DIAGNOSING AND CATEGORIZING LEPROSY IN LIVE EURASIAN RED SQUIRRELS () FOR MANAGEMENT, SURVEILLANCE, AND TRANSLOCATION PURPOSES.

The presence of and in Eurasian red squirrel (, ERS) carcasses throughout the British Isles, and leprosy as a disease, have recently been reported using histological and molecular diagnostic methods. In 2016, the first longitudinal study of ERS affected by leprosy was initiated. One of the main challenges was the reliable diagnosis of leprosy in live ERS, which is important for (a) welfare and case management and (b) surveillance or pretranslocation screening efforts.

Fatal exudative dermatitis in island populations of red squirrels (): spillover of a virulent clone (ST49) from reservoir hosts.

Fatal exudative dermatitis (FED) is a significant cause of death of red squirrels () on the island of Jersey in the Channel Islands where it is associated with a virulent clone of ST49. ST49 has been found in other hosts such as small mammals, pigs and humans, but the dynamics of carriage and disease of this clone, or any other lineage in red squirrels, is currently unknown. We used whole-genome sequencing to characterize 228 isolates from healthy red squirrels on Jersey, the Isle of Arran (Scotland) and Brownsea Island (England), from red squirrels showing signs of FED on Jersey and the Isle of Wight (England) and a small number of isolates from other hosts.

Bacterial Pathogens and Symbionts Harboured by Ticks Parasitising Red Squirrels in the United Kingdom.

Red squirrels () are native to most of Eurasia; in much of the United Kingdom, they have been supplanted by the non-native grey squirrel, and are considered an endangered species. Very little is known about the range of tick-borne pathogens to which UK red squirrels are exposed. As part of trap-and-release surveys examining prevalence of spp.

Conservation of genetic uniqueness in remaining populations of red squirrels ( L.) in the South of England.

The Eurasian red squirrel () is an emblematic species for conservation, and its decline in the British Isles exemplifies the impact that alien introductions can have on native ecosystems. Indeed, red squirrels in this region have declined dramatically over the last 60 years due to the spread of squirrelpox virus following the introduction of the gray squirrel (). Currently, red squirrel populations in Britain are fragmented and need to be closely monitored in order to assess their viability and the effectiveness of conservation efforts.

British Red Squirrels Remain the Only Known Wild Rodent Host for Leprosy Bacilli.

Eurasian red squirrels in the British Isles are the most recently discovered animal reservoir for the leprosy bacteria and . Initial data suggest that prevalence of leprosy infection is variable and often low in different squirrel populations. Nothing is known about the presence of leprosy bacilli in other wild squirrel species despite two others (Siberian chipmunk [], and Thirteen-lined ground squirrel []) having been reported to be susceptible to experimental infection with .

Stress assessment in small ruminants kept on city farms in southern Germany.

Sheep and goats are frequently used in nonhuman animal-assisted activities on city farms. There are few data available on this type of usage of small ruminants. Health evaluations, behavioral observations (feeding, resting, comfort, explorative and social behaviors), behavioral tests (human approach tests and touch test), and measurements of fecal cortisol metabolites and heart rate were performed to assess stress levels in 25 sheep and 32 goats on 7 city farms and 2 activity playgrounds in Germany.

Zoonotic agents in small ruminants kept on city farms in southern Germany.

Sheep and goats are popular examples of livestock kept on city farms. In these settings, close contacts between humans and animals frequently occur. Although it is widely accepted that small ruminants can carry numerous zoonotic agents, it is unknown which of these agents actually occur in sheep and goats on city farms in Germany.