Colocalization of hedgehog arterivirus 1 (HhAV-1) and histologic lesions in the European hedgehog () with neurological disease.

The European hedgehog () is a protected species of conservation concern in the UK. In recent years, there have been multiple incidents of fatal encephalitis in captive hedgehogs in wildlife rescue centers associated with the molecular detection of a hedgehog arterivirus (HhAV-1). However, it remains unclear whether the virus is the causative agent of the central nervous system (CNS) lesions.

Characterisation, prevalence and severity of skin lesions caused by ophidiomycosis in a population of wild snakes.

Ophidiomycosis is an emerging infectious disease affecting wild snakes in the Northern Hemisphere. Recently confirmed in Great Britain, the prevalence, severity and significance of ophidiomycosis has yet to be characterised in free-living snakes at a population level in Europe. Therefore, a population of barred grass snakes (Natrix helvetica) in eastern England was monitored for three seasons (May 2019 to October 2021), to investigate the prevalence (25.

APPARENT PREVALENCE, DIVERSITY, AND ASSOCIATED LESIONS OF PERIORBITAL NEMATODES IN A POPULATION OF BARRED OWLS (STRIX VARIA) FROM NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, USA.

Over the last four decades, Barred Owls (Strix varia) have expanded their range to include much of western North America, including California. This expansion is suspected to have contributed to declining populations of a closely related species, the federally threatened Northern Spotted Owl (Strix occidentalis caurina). As a result, understanding potential health threats to Barred Owls has implications for Spotted Owl health and recovery.

The genomic epidemiology of Escherichia albertii infecting humans and birds in Great Britain.

Escherichia albertii is a recently identified gastrointestinal bacterial pathogen of humans and animals which is typically misidentified as pathotypes of diarrhoeagenic Escherichia coli or Shigella species and is generally only detected during genomic surveillance of other Enterobacteriaceae. The incidence of E. albertii is likely underestimated, and its epidemiology and clinical relevance are poorly characterised.

Tissue distribution of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor in wild animals with a focus on artiodactyls, mustelids and phocids.

Natural cases of zooanthroponotic transmission of SARS-CoV-2 to animals have been reported during the COVID-19 pandemic, including to free-ranging white-tailed deer () in North America and farmed American mink () on multiple continents. To understand the potential for angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2)-mediated viral tropism we characterised the distribution of ACE2 receptors in the respiratory and intestinal tissues of a selection of wild and semi-domesticated mammals including artiodactyls (cervids, bovids, camelids, suids and hippopotamus), mustelid and phocid species using immunohistochemistry. Expression of the ACE2 receptor was detected in the bronchial or bronchiolar epithelium of several European and Asiatic deer species, Bactrian camel (), European badger (), stoat (), hippopotamus (), harbor seal (), and hooded seal ().

Evidence for overwintering and autochthonous transmission of Usutu virus to wild birds following its redetection in the United Kingdom.

Usutu virus (USUV) is an emerging zoonotic arbovirus in Europe, where it primarily impacts Eurasian blackbirds (Turdus merula). For mosquito-borne viruses to persist in temperate areas, transovarial transmission in vectors or overwintering in either hosts or diapausing vectors must occur to facilitate autochthonous transmission. We undertook surveillance of hosts and vectors in 2021 to elucidate whether USUV had overwintered in the United Kingdom (UK) following its initial detection there in 2020.

Hinfluences severe disease-mediated population declines in two of the most common garden bird species in Great Britain.

The influence of supplementary feeding of wildlife on disease transmission and its consequent impacts on population dynamics are underappreciated. In Great Britain, supplementary feeding is hypothesised to have enabled the spread of the protozoan parasite, Trichomonas gallinae, from columbids to finches, leading to epidemic finch trichomonosis and a rapid population decline of greenfinch (Chloris chloris). More recently, chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs), has also declined markedly from the second to fifth commonest bird in Britain.

The population genetics of the causative agent of snake fungal disease indicate recent introductions to the USA.

Snake fungal disease (SFD; ophidiomycosis), caused by the pathogen Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola (Oo), has been documented in wild snakes in North America and Eurasia, and is considered an emerging disease in the eastern United States of America. However, a lack of historical disease data has made it challenging to determine whether Oo is a recent arrival to the USA or whether SFD emergence is due to other factors. Here, we examined the genomes of 82 Oo strains to determine the pathogen's history in the eastern USA.

Combining host and vector data informs emergence and potential impact of an Usutu virus outbreak in UK wild birds.

Following the first detection in the United Kingdom of Usutu virus (USUV) in wild birds in 2020, we undertook a multidisciplinary investigation that combined screening host and vector populations with interrogation of national citizen science monitoring datasets to assess the potential for population impacts on avian hosts. Pathological findings from six USUV-positive wild passerines were non-specific, highlighting the need for molecular and immunohistochemical examinations to confirm infection. Mosquito surveillance at the index site identified USUV RNA in Culex pipiens s.

Atypical Knemidokoptosis in Two Dunnocks (Prunella modularis) in Southern England.

Avian knemidokoptosis, caused by knemidokoptid mites (Knemidokoptinae: Epidermoptidae), has been reported in wild and domestic birds globally. We report two cases of severe knemidokoptosis in Dunnocks (Prunella modularis) from separate sites in Great Britain, where the disease has previously been reported predominantly in finches and, less frequently, in corvids.

Detection of Usutu virus infection in wild birds in the United Kingdom, 2020.

In August 2020, as part of a long-term disease surveillance programme, Usutu virus was detected in five Eurasian blackbirds () and one house sparrow () from Greater London, England. This was initially detected by reverse transcription-PCR and was confirmed by virus isolation and by immunohistochemical detection of flavivirus in tissues. Phylogenetic analysis identified Usutu virus African 3.

What motivates the masses: Understanding why people contribute to conservation citizen science projects.

Participation in conservation citizen science projects is growing rapidly and approaches to project design are diversifying. There has been a recent shift towards projects characterised by contributors collecting data in isolation and submitting findings online, with little training or opportunities for direct social interaction with other citizen scientists. While research is emerging on developing citizen science projects by optimising technological modalities, little consideration has been given to understanding what motivates individuals to voluntarily contribute data.

Multilocus Analysis Resolves the European Finch Epidemic Strain of Trichomonas gallinae and Suggests Introgression from Divergent Trichomonads.

In Europe, Trichomonas gallinae recently emerged as a cause of epidemic disease in songbirds. A clonal strain of the parasite, first found in the United Kingdom, has become the predominant strain there and spread to continental Europe. Discriminating this epidemic strain of T.

Novel Variant Associated with Mortality in Two Great Spotted Woodpeckers ().

Two adult Great Spotted Woodpeckers () from separate sites in Great Britain were examined postmortem in 2013 and 2016. A sp. was isolated from multiple tissues in both birds.

INFECTION OF FREE-LIVING WESTERN EUROPEAN HEDGEHOGS ().

is a ubiquitous environmental bacterium that causes disease in a wide range of species. Infection with this pathogen is most frequently diagnosed in ruminant livestock, but is also known to infect people and occasionally wildlife. Postmortem examinations of Western European hedgehogs () in Great Britain (2011-2017) identified five (5/266, 2%, 95% confidence interval: 0.

Fatal phaeohyphomycosis due to Exophiala sp. infection in a free-living common toad Bufo bufo.

A wild adult female common toad Bufo bufo found dead in Scotland in September 2016 was observed to have hepatomegaly, a large soft tissue mass in the coelomic cavity (2.7 g, 3.5 × 2.

Apparent absence of Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans in wild urodeles in the United Kingdom.

Whether an infectious disease threat to wildlife arises from pathogen introduction or the increased incidence of an already-present agent informs mitigation policy and actions. The prior absence of a pathogen can be difficult to establish, particularly in free-living wildlife. Subsequent to the epidemic emergence of the fungus, Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal), in mainland Europe in 2010 and prior to its detection in captive amphibians in the United Kingdom (UK), we tested archived skin swabs using a Bsal-specific qPCR.

Spatio-temporal dynamics and aetiology of proliferative leg skin lesions in wild British finches.

Proliferative leg skin lesions have been described in wild finches in Europe although there have been no large-scale studies of their aetiology or epizootiology to date. Firstly, disease surveillance, utilising public reporting of observations of live wild finches was conducted in Great Britain (GB) and showed proliferative leg skin lesions in chaffinches (Fringilla coelebs) to be widespread. Seasonal variation was observed, with a peak during the winter months.

Trade and conservation implications of new beak and feather disease virus detection in native and introduced parrots.

Psittacine beak and feather disease (PBFD), caused by Beak and feather disease virus (BFDV), has spread rapidly around the world, raising concerns for threatened species conservation and biosecurity associated with the global pet bird trade. The virus has been reported in several wild parrot populations, but data are lacking for many taxa and geographical areas with high parrot endemism. We aimed to advance understanding of BFDV distribution in many data-deficient areas and determine phylogenetic and biogeographic associations of the virus in 5 parrot species across Africa, the Indian Ocean islands, Asia, and Europe and focused specifically on the highly traded and invasive Psittacula krameri.

Identification of virus-encoded microRNAs in divergent Papillomaviruses.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small RNAs that regulate diverse biological processes including multiple aspects of the host-pathogen interface. Consequently, miRNAs are commonly encoded by viruses that undergo long-term persistent infection. Papillomaviruses (PVs) are capable of undergoing persistent infection, but as yet, no widely-accepted PV-encoded miRNAs have been described.

Health hazards to wild birds and risk factors associated with anthropogenic food provisioning.

Provision of supplementary food for wild birds at garden feeding stations is a common, large-scale and year-round practice in multiple countries including Great Britain (GB). While these additional dietary resources can benefit wildlife, there is a concomitant risk of disease transmission, particularly when birds repeatedly congregate in the same place at high densities and through interactions of species that would not normally associate in close proximity. Citizen science schemes recording garden birds are popular and can integrate disease surveillance with population monitoring, offering a unique opportunity to explore inter-relationships between supplementary feeding, disease epidemiology and population dynamics.