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Hardouin EA, Butler H, Cvitanović M, Ulrich RG, Schulze V, Schilling AK, Lurz PWW, Meredith A, Hodder KH. Wildlife conservation in a fragmented landscape: the Eurasian red squirrel on the Isle of Wight. CONSERV GENET 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10592-021-01380-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
AbstractIsland populations may have a higher extinction risk due to reduced genetic diversity and need to be managed effectively in order to reduce the risk of biodiversity loss. The Eurasian red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris) in the south of England only survive on three islands (the Isle of Wight, Brownsea and Furzey islands), with the Isle of Wight harbouring the largest population in the region. Fourteen microsatellites were used to determine the genetic structure of red squirrel populations on the Isle of Wight, as well as their relatedness to other populations of the species. Our results demonstrated that squirrels on these islands were less genetically diverse than those in Continental mainland populations, as would be expected. It also confirmed previous results from mitochondrial DNA which indicated that the squirrels on the Isle of Wight were relatively closely related to Brownsea island squirrels in the south of England. Importantly, our findings showed that genetic mixing between squirrels in the east and west of the Isle of Wight was very limited. Given the potential deleterious effects of small population size on genetic health, landscape management to encourage dispersal of squirrels between these populations should be a priority.
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Fountain K, Blackett T, Butler H, Carchedi C, Schilling AK, Meredith A, Gibbon MJ, Lloyd DH, Loeffler A, Feil EJ. Fatal exudative dermatitis in island populations of red squirrels ( Sciurus vulgaris): spillover of a virulent Staphylococcus aureus clone (ST49) from reservoir hosts. Microb Genom 2021; 7:000565. [PMID: 34016250 PMCID: PMC8209723 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.000565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Fatal exudative dermatitis (FED) is a significant cause of death of red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris) on the island of Jersey in the Channel Islands where it is associated with a virulent clone of Staphylococcus aureus, ST49. S. aureus 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. S. aureus was frequently carried by red squirrels on the Isle of Arran with strains typically associated with small ruminants predominating. For the Brownsea carriage, S. aureus was less frequent and involved strains associated with birds, small ruminants and humans, while for the Jersey carriage S. aureus was rare but ST49 predominated in diseased squirrels. By combining our data with publicly available sequences, we show that the S. aureus carriage in red squirrels largely reflects frequent but facile acquisitions of strains carried by other hosts sharing their habitat ('spillover'), possibly including, in the case of ST188, humans. Genome-wide association analysis of the ruminant lineage ST133 revealed variants in a small number of mostly bacterial-cell-membrane-associated genes that were statistically associated with squirrel isolates from the Isle of Arran, raising the possibility of specific adaptation to red squirrels in this lineage. In contrast there is little evidence that ST49 is a common carriage isolate of red squirrels and infection from reservoir hosts such as bank voles or rats, is likely to be driving the emergence of FED in red squirrels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kay Fountain
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath, BA2 7AY, UK
| | - Tiffany Blackett
- Voluntary Co-ordinator of the JSPCA Animals' Shelter Red Squirrel Disease Surveillance Scheme, JSPCA Animals' Shelter, 89 St Saviours Road, St Helier, Jersey JE2 4GJ, Jersey
| | - Helen Butler
- Wight Squirrel Project, PO Box 33 Nicholson Road, Ryde, Isle of Wight PO33 1BH, UK
| | - Catherine Carchedi
- Department of Clinical Science and Services, Royal Veterinary College, Hatfield, North Mymms, Hertfordshire, AL9 7TA, UK
| | - Anna-Katarina Schilling
- The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Campus, Midlothian, Edinburgh, EH25 9RG, UK
| | - Anna Meredith
- The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Campus, Midlothian, Edinburgh, EH25 9RG, UK
- Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville Campus, Melbourne, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Marjorie J. Gibbon
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath, BA2 7AY, UK
| | - David H. Lloyd
- Department of Clinical Science and Services, Royal Veterinary College, Hatfield, North Mymms, Hertfordshire, AL9 7TA, UK
| | - Anette Loeffler
- Department of Clinical Science and Services, Royal Veterinary College, Hatfield, North Mymms, Hertfordshire, AL9 7TA, UK
| | - Edward J. Feil
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath, BA2 7AY, UK
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Luu L, Palomar AM, Farrington G, Schilling AK, Premchand-Branker S, McGarry J, Makepeace BL, Meredith A, Bell-Sakyi L. Bacterial Pathogens and Symbionts Harboured by Ixodes ricinus Ticks Parasitising Red Squirrels in the United Kingdom. Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10040458. [PMID: 33920445 PMCID: PMC8070177 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10040458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2021] [Revised: 04/04/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris) 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 Mycobacterium spp. in red squirrel populations on two UK islands, Ixodes ricinus ticks were removed from squirrels and PCR screened for Borrelia spp., intracellular arthropod-borne bacteria and the parasitic wasp Ixodiphagus hookeri. At both sites, the most commonly encountered tick-transmitted bacterium was Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (overall minimum prevalence 12.7%), followed by Anaplasma phagocytophilum (overall minimum prevalence 1.6%). Single ticks infected with Spiroplasma were found at both sites, and single ticks infected with Borrelia miyamotoi or an Ehrlichia sp. at one site. Ticks harbouring Wolbachia (overall minimum prevalence 15.2%) were all positive for I. hookeri. Our study shows that UK red squirrels are potentially exposed to a variety of bacterial pathogens via feeding ticks. The effects on the health and survival of this already vulnerable wildlife species are unknown, and further studies are needed to evaluate the threat posed to red squirrels by Borrelia and other tick-borne pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Luu
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L3 5RF, UK; (L.L.); (G.F.); (J.M.); (B.L.M.)
| | - Ana M. Palomar
- Centre of Rickettsiosis and Arthropod-Borne Diseases, Hospital Universitario San Pedro-CIBIR, 26006 Logroño, Spain;
| | - Gemma Farrington
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L3 5RF, UK; (L.L.); (G.F.); (J.M.); (B.L.M.)
| | - Anna-Katarina Schilling
- Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian EH25 9RG, UK; (A.-K.S.); (A.M.)
| | - Shonnette Premchand-Branker
- Department of Biology, University of York, Wentworth Way, York YO10 5DD, UK;
- The Pirbright Institute, Ash Road, Pirbright, Surrey GU24 0NF, UK
| | - John McGarry
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L3 5RF, UK; (L.L.); (G.F.); (J.M.); (B.L.M.)
| | - Benjamin L. Makepeace
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L3 5RF, UK; (L.L.); (G.F.); (J.M.); (B.L.M.)
| | - Anna Meredith
- Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian EH25 9RG, UK; (A.-K.S.); (A.M.)
- Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Lesley Bell-Sakyi
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L3 5RF, UK; (L.L.); (G.F.); (J.M.); (B.L.M.)
- The Pirbright Institute, Ash Road, Pirbright, Surrey GU24 0NF, UK
- Correspondence:
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Schilling AK, Lurz PW, Meredith AL. Field anaesthesia of Eurasian red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris). Vet Anaesth Analg 2020; 47:736-738. [PMID: 32778454 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaa.2020.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2019] [Revised: 04/27/2020] [Accepted: 05/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Anna-Katarina Schilling
- The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, UK
| | - Peter Ww Lurz
- The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, UK
| | - Anna L Meredith
- The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, UK.
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Schilling AK, Del-Pozo J, Lurz PWW, Stevenson K, Avanzi C, Shuttleworth CM, Cole ST, Meredith AL. Leprosy in red squirrels in the UK. Vet Rec 2020; 184:416. [PMID: 30926706 DOI: 10.1136/vr.l1385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Anna-Katarina Schilling
- Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Campus, Roslin, Midlothian EH25 9RG
| | - Jorge Del-Pozo
- Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Campus, Roslin, Midlothian EH25 9RG
| | - Peter W W Lurz
- Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Campus, Roslin, Midlothian EH25 9RG
| | - Karen Stevenson
- Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Park, Bush Loan, Penicuik, Midlothian EH26 0PZ
| | - Charlotte Avanzi
- Global Health Institute, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Station 19, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | | | - Stewart T Cole
- Institut Pasteur, 25-28 Rue du Dr Roux, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Anna L Meredith
- University of Melbourne, Parkville VIC 3010, Melbourne, Australia
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Schilling AK, van Hooij A, Corstjens P, Lurz PWW, DelPozo J, Stevenson K, Meredith A, Geluk A. Detection of humoral immunity to mycobacteria causing leprosy in Eurasian red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris) using a quantitative rapid test. EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s10344-019-1287-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Schilling AK, Avanzi C, Ulrich RG, Busso P, Pisanu B, Ferrari N, Romeo C, Mazzamuto MV, McLuckie J, Shuttleworth CM, Del-Pozo J, Lurz PWW, Escalante-Fuentes WG, Ocampo-Candiani J, Vera-Cabrera L, Stevenson K, Chapuis JL, Meredith AL, Cole ST. British Red Squirrels Remain the Only Known Wild Rodent Host for Leprosy Bacilli. Front Vet Sci 2019; 6:8. [PMID: 30775369 PMCID: PMC6367869 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2019.00008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2018] [Accepted: 01/14/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Eurasian red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris) in the British Isles are the most recently discovered animal reservoir for the leprosy bacteria Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium lepromatosis. 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 [Tamias sibiricus], and Thirteen-lined ground squirrel [Ictidomys tridecemlineatus]) having been reported to be susceptible to experimental infection with M. leprae. Rats, a food-source in some countries where human leprosy occurs, have been suggested as potential reservoirs for leprosy bacilli, but no evidence supporting this hypothesis is currently available. We screened 301 squirrel samples covering four species [96 Eurasian red squirrels, 67 Eastern gray squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis), 35 Siberian chipmunks, and 103 Pallas's squirrels (Callosciurus erythraeus)] from Europe and 72 Mexican white-throated woodrats (Neotoma albigula) for the presence of M. leprae and M. lepromatosis using validated PCR protocols. No DNA from leprosy bacilli was detected in any of the samples tested. Given our sample-size, the pathogen should have been detected if the prevalence and/or bacillary load in the populations investigated were similar to those found for British red squirrels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna-Katarina Schilling
- Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.,Moredun Research Institute, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Charlotte Avanzi
- Global Health Institute, Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Rainer G Ulrich
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Philippe Busso
- Global Health Institute, Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Benoit Pisanu
- Département Homme et Environment, Centre d'Ecologie et des Sciences de la Conservation, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France.,Agence Française pour la Biodiversité, Centre d'expertise et de Données sur la Nature, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
| | - Nicola Ferrari
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Claudia Romeo
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Maria Vittoria Mazzamuto
- Dipartimento di Scienze Teoriche ed Applicate, Università degli Studi dell'Insubria, Varese, Italy
| | | | | | - Jorge Del-Pozo
- Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Peter W W Lurz
- Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Wendy G Escalante-Fuentes
- Laboratorio Interdisciplinario de Investigación Dermatológica, Servicio de Dermatología, Hospital Universitario, Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo León, Monterrey, Mexico
| | - Jorge Ocampo-Candiani
- Laboratorio Interdisciplinario de Investigación Dermatológica, Servicio de Dermatología, Hospital Universitario, Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo León, Monterrey, Mexico
| | - Lucio Vera-Cabrera
- Laboratorio Interdisciplinario de Investigación Dermatológica, Servicio de Dermatología, Hospital Universitario, Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo León, Monterrey, Mexico
| | | | - Jean-Louis Chapuis
- Département Homme et Environment, Centre d'Ecologie et des Sciences de la Conservation, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
| | - Anna L Meredith
- Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.,Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Stewart T Cole
- Global Health Institute, Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.,Institut Pasteur de Paris, Paris, France
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Schilling AK, Reese S, Palme R, Erhard M, Wöhr AC. Stress Assessment in Small Ruminants Kept on City Farms in Southern Germany. J APPL ANIM WELF SCI 2015; 18:119-32. [DOI: 10.1080/10888705.2014.1000457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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Schilling AK, Hotzel H, Methner U, Sprague LD, Schmoock G, El-Adawy H, Ehricht R, Wöhr AC, Erhard M, Geue L. Zoonotic agents in small ruminants kept on city farms in southern Germany. Appl Environ Microbiol 2012; 78:3785-93. [PMID: 22447607 PMCID: PMC3346384 DOI: 10.1128/aem.07802-11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2011] [Accepted: 03/05/2012] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
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. We sampled feces and nasal liquid of 48 animals (28 goats, 20 sheep) distributed in 7 city farms and on one activity playground in southern Germany. We found that 100% of the sampled sheep and 89.3% of the goats carried Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC). The presence of Staphylococcus spp. in 75% of both sheep and goats could be demonstrated. Campylobacter spp. were detected in 25% and 14.3% of the sheep and goats, respectively. Neither Salmonella spp. nor Coxiella burnetii was found. On the basis of these data, we propose a reasonable hygiene scheme to prevent transmission of zoonotic agents during city farm visits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna-Katarina Schilling
- Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Veterinary Sciences, Munich, Germany
| | - Helmut Hotzel
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses, Jena, Germany
| | - Ulrich Methner
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses, Jena, Germany
| | - Lisa D. Sprague
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses, Jena, Germany
| | - Gernot Schmoock
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses, Jena, Germany
| | - Hosny El-Adawy
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses, Jena, Germany
| | | | - Anna-Caroline Wöhr
- Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Veterinary Sciences, Munich, Germany
| | - Michael Erhard
- Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Veterinary Sciences, Munich, Germany
| | - Lutz Geue
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Institute of Epidemiology, Wusterhausen, Germany
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