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Whilst multiple countries in Europe have wildlife health surveillance (WHS) programmes, they vary in scope. In many countries, coordinated general surveillance at a national scale is not conducted and the knowledge of wildlife health status in Europe remains limited. Learning lessons from countries with established systems may help others to effectively implement WHS schemes. In order to facilitate information exchange, the WHS Network of the European Wildlife Disease Association organised a workshop to both collate knowledge and experience from countries that had started or expanded WHS programmes and to translate this information into practical recommendations. Presentations were given by invited representatives of European countries with different WHS levels. Events that led to the start-up and fostered growth spurts of WHS were highlighted, including action plan creation, partnership formation, organisation restructuring and appraisal by external audit. Challenges to programme development, such as a lack of funding, data sharing, infrastructural provision and method harmonisation, were explored. Recommendations to help overcome key challenges were summarised as: understanding and awareness; cross-sectoral scope; national-scale collaboration; harmonisation of methods; government support; academic support; other funding support; staff expertise and capacity; leadership, feedback and engagement; and threat mitigation and wildlife disease management. This resource may enable the development of WHS programmes in Europe and beyond.
Becki Lawson; Aleksija Neimanis; Antonio Lavazza; Jorge Ramón López-Olvera; Paul Tavernier; Charalambos Billinis; J. Paul Duff; Daniel T. Mladenov; Jolianne M. Rijks; Sara Savić; Gudrun Wibbelt; Marie-Pierre Ryser-Degiorgis; Thijs Kuiken. How to Start Up a National Wildlife Health Surveillance Programme. Animals 2021, 11, 2543 .
AMA StyleBecki Lawson, Aleksija Neimanis, Antonio Lavazza, Jorge Ramón López-Olvera, Paul Tavernier, Charalambos Billinis, J. Paul Duff, Daniel T. Mladenov, Jolianne M. Rijks, Sara Savić, Gudrun Wibbelt, Marie-Pierre Ryser-Degiorgis, Thijs Kuiken. How to Start Up a National Wildlife Health Surveillance Programme. Animals. 2021; 11 (9):2543.
Chicago/Turabian StyleBecki Lawson; Aleksija Neimanis; Antonio Lavazza; Jorge Ramón López-Olvera; Paul Tavernier; Charalambos Billinis; J. Paul Duff; Daniel T. Mladenov; Jolianne M. Rijks; Sara Savić; Gudrun Wibbelt; Marie-Pierre Ryser-Degiorgis; Thijs Kuiken. 2021. "How to Start Up a National Wildlife Health Surveillance Programme." Animals 11, no. 9: 2543.
Provision of supplementary food for garden birds is practiced on a large scale in multiple countries. While this resource has benefits for wild bird populations, concern has been expressed regarding the potential for contamination of foodstuffs by mycotoxins, and the implications this might have for wildlife health. We investigated whether aflatoxin (AF) and ochratoxin A (OA) residues are present in foodstuffs sold for wild bird consumption at point of sale in Great Britain using high pressure liquid chromatography analyses. The hypothesis that production of these mycotoxins occurs in British climatic conditions, or under storage conditions after the point of sale, was tested under experimental conditions but was not proved by our study. While the majority of peanut samples were negative for AF residues, 10% (10/98) of samples at point of sale and 11% (13/119) of those across the storage and climate exposure treatment replicates contained AFB1 that exceeded the maximum permitted limit of 20 μg/kg. No significant difference was found in the detection of either mycotoxin between branded and non-branded products. The clinical significance, if any, of exposure of wild birds to mycotoxins requires further investigation. Nevertheless, the precautionary principle should be adopted and best practice steps to reduce the likelihood of wild bird exposure to mycotoxins are recommended.
B. Lawson; R.A. Robinson; M. Parmar; R. Killick; A.A. Cunningham; S.J. Macdonald. Aflatoxin and ochratoxin A residues in supplementary foods used for wild birds. Science of The Total Environment 2020, 731, 138851 .
AMA StyleB. Lawson, R.A. Robinson, M. Parmar, R. Killick, A.A. Cunningham, S.J. Macdonald. Aflatoxin and ochratoxin A residues in supplementary foods used for wild birds. Science of The Total Environment. 2020; 731 ():138851.
Chicago/Turabian StyleB. Lawson; R.A. Robinson; M. Parmar; R. Killick; A.A. Cunningham; S.J. Macdonald. 2020. "Aflatoxin and ochratoxin A residues in supplementary foods used for wild birds." Science of The Total Environment 731, no. : 138851.
Two adult Great Spotted Woodpeckers (Dendrocopos major) from separate sites in Great Britain were examined postmortem in 2013 and 2016. A Salmonella sp. was isolated from multiple tissues in both birds. Histopathology and immunohistochemistry confirmed disseminated salmonellosis. Whole-genome sequencing and biochemical analyses putatively identified both isolates as a novel variant of Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Hessarek (S. Hessarek). Salmonellosis has seldom been reported in Piciformes, and never before in association with S. Hessarek infection. These findings, therefore, add to current knowledge regarding the range of wild bird species susceptible to this Salmonella serovar, and our understanding of the pathogens affecting Great Spotted Woodpeckers, in particular.
Vicky Wilkinson; Julia Rodriguez-Ramos Fernandez; Alejandro Núñez; Shaheed K. MacGregor; Shinto K. John; Timothy J. Dallman; Andrew A. Cunningham; Elizabeth M. De Pinna; Becki Lawson. Novel Salmonella Variant Associated with Mortality in Two Great Spotted Woodpeckers (Dendrocopos major). Journal of Wildlife Diseases 2019, 55, 874 -878.
AMA StyleVicky Wilkinson, Julia Rodriguez-Ramos Fernandez, Alejandro Núñez, Shaheed K. MacGregor, Shinto K. John, Timothy J. Dallman, Andrew A. Cunningham, Elizabeth M. De Pinna, Becki Lawson. Novel Salmonella Variant Associated with Mortality in Two Great Spotted Woodpeckers (Dendrocopos major). Journal of Wildlife Diseases. 2019; 55 (4):874-878.
Chicago/Turabian StyleVicky Wilkinson; Julia Rodriguez-Ramos Fernandez; Alejandro Núñez; Shaheed K. MacGregor; Shinto K. John; Timothy J. Dallman; Andrew A. Cunningham; Elizabeth M. De Pinna; Becki Lawson. 2019. "Novel Salmonella Variant Associated with Mortality in Two Great Spotted Woodpeckers (Dendrocopos major)." Journal of Wildlife Diseases 55, no. 4: 874-878.
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. gallinae from other strains necessitated development of multilocus sequence typing (MLST). Development of the MLST was facilitated by the assembly and annotation of a 54.7 Mb draft genome of a cloned stabilate of the A1 European finch epidemic strain (isolated from Greenfinch, Chloris chloris, XT-1081/07 in 2007) containing 21,924 protein coding genes. This enabled construction of a robust 19 locus MLST based on existing typing loci for Trichomonas vaginalis and T. gallinae. Our MLST has the sensitivity to discriminate strains within existing genotypes confidently, and resolves the American finch A1 genotype from the European finch epidemic A1 genotype. Interestingly, one isolate we obtained from a captive black-naped fruit dove Ptilinopsus melanospilus, was not truly T. gallinae but a hybrid of T. gallinae with a distant trichomonad lineage. Phylogenetic analysis of the individual loci in this fruit dove provides evidence of gene flow between distant trichomonad lineages at 2 of the 19 loci examined and may provide precedence for the emergence of other hybrid trichomonad genomes including T. vaginalis.
Abdulwahed Fahad Alrefaei; Ross Low; Neil Hall; Rodrigo Jardim; Alberto Dávila; Richard Gerhold; Shinto John; Sascha Steinbiss; Andrew A Cunningham; Becki Lawson; Diana Bell; Kevin Tyler. Multilocus Analysis Resolves the European Finch Epidemic Strain of Trichomonas gallinae and Suggests Introgression from Divergent Trichomonads. Genome Biology and Evolution 2019, 11, 2391 -2402.
AMA StyleAbdulwahed Fahad Alrefaei, Ross Low, Neil Hall, Rodrigo Jardim, Alberto Dávila, Richard Gerhold, Shinto John, Sascha Steinbiss, Andrew A Cunningham, Becki Lawson, Diana Bell, Kevin Tyler. Multilocus Analysis Resolves the European Finch Epidemic Strain of Trichomonas gallinae and Suggests Introgression from Divergent Trichomonads. Genome Biology and Evolution. 2019; 11 (8):2391-2402.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAbdulwahed Fahad Alrefaei; Ross Low; Neil Hall; Rodrigo Jardim; Alberto Dávila; Richard Gerhold; Shinto John; Sascha Steinbiss; Andrew A Cunningham; Becki Lawson; Diana Bell; Kevin Tyler. 2019. "Multilocus Analysis Resolves the European Finch Epidemic Strain of Trichomonas gallinae and Suggests Introgression from Divergent Trichomonads." Genome Biology and Evolution 11, no. 8: 2391-2402.
Disease surveillance in wildlife populations presents a logistical challenge, yet is critical in gaining a deeper understanding of the presence and impact of wildlife pathogens. Erinaceus coronavirus (EriCoV), a clade C Betacoronavirus, was first described in Western European hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) in Germany. Here, our objective was to determine whether EriCoV is present, and if it is associated with disease, in Great Britain (GB). An EriCoV-specific BRYT-Green® real-time reverse transcription PCR assay was used to test 351 samples of faeces or distal large intestinal tract contents collected from casualty or dead hedgehogs from a wide area across GB. Viral RNA was detected in 10.8% (38) samples; however, the virus was not detected in any of the 61 samples tested from Scotland. The full genome sequence of the British EriCoV strain was determined using next generation sequencing; it shared 94% identity with a German EriCoV sequence. Multivariate statistical models using hedgehog case history data, faecal specimen descriptions and post-mortem examination findings found no significant associations indicative of disease associated with EriCoV in hedgehogs. These findings indicate that the Western European hedgehog is a reservoir host of EriCoV in the absence of apparent disease.
I. F. Saldanha; Becki Lawson; H. Goharriz; J. Rodriguez-Ramos Fernandez; S. K. John; A. R. Fooks; A. A. Cunningham; N. Johnson; D. L. Horton. Extension of the known distribution of a novel clade C betacoronavirus in a wildlife host. Epidemiology and Infection 2019, 147, e169 .
AMA StyleI. F. Saldanha, Becki Lawson, H. Goharriz, J. Rodriguez-Ramos Fernandez, S. K. John, A. R. Fooks, A. A. Cunningham, N. Johnson, D. L. Horton. Extension of the known distribution of a novel clade C betacoronavirus in a wildlife host. Epidemiology and Infection. 2019; 147 ():e169.
Chicago/Turabian StyleI. F. Saldanha; Becki Lawson; H. Goharriz; J. Rodriguez-Ramos Fernandez; S. K. John; A. R. Fooks; A. A. Cunningham; N. Johnson; D. L. Horton. 2019. "Extension of the known distribution of a novel clade C betacoronavirus in a wildlife host." Epidemiology and Infection 147, no. : e169.
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. These samples had been collected in 2011 from 2409 wild newts from ponds across the UK. All swabs were negative for Bsal. Bayesian hierarchical modelling suggests that Bsal was absent from, or present at very low levels in, these ponds at the time of sampling. Additionally, surveillance of newt mortality incidents, 2013–2017, failed to detect Bsal. As this pathogen has been shown to be widespread in British captive amphibian collections, there is an urgent need to raise awareness of the importance of effective biosecurity measures, especially amongst people with captive amphibians, to help minimise the risk of Bsal spreading to the wild. Continued and heightened wild amphibian disease surveillance is a priority to provide an early warning system for potential incursion events.
Andrew A. Cunningham; Freya Smith; Trevelyan J. McKinley; Matthew W. Perkins; Liam D. Fitzpatrick; Owen N. Wright; Becki Lawson. Apparent absence of Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans in wild urodeles in the United Kingdom. Scientific Reports 2019, 9, 2831 .
AMA StyleAndrew A. Cunningham, Freya Smith, Trevelyan J. McKinley, Matthew W. Perkins, Liam D. Fitzpatrick, Owen N. Wright, Becki Lawson. Apparent absence of Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans in wild urodeles in the United Kingdom. Scientific Reports. 2019; 9 (1):2831.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAndrew A. Cunningham; Freya Smith; Trevelyan J. McKinley; Matthew W. Perkins; Liam D. Fitzpatrick; Owen N. Wright; Becki Lawson. 2019. "Apparent absence of Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans in wild urodeles in the United Kingdom." Scientific Reports 9, no. 1: 2831.
Listeria monocytogenes 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 (Erinaceus europaeus) in Great Britain (2011–2017) identified five (5/266, 2%, 95% confidence interval: 0.8–4.3%) animals with L. monocytogenes infection. The L. monocytogenes isolates comprised three serogroup 1/2a and two serogroup 4 from three multilocus sequence types (2, 37, and 121), all of which were different by single-nucleotide polymorphism analysis, indicating they were distinct and epidemiologically unrelated. These findings are consistent with hedgehogs contracting sporadic infection from the environment, perhaps through eating soil-dwelling invertebrates. Examination of data from scanning surveillance programs focused on other British wildlife species indicates that the hedgehog is one of the wildlife species from which L. monocytogenes has been most frequently identified to date in Great Britain. However, further studies of multiple taxa with comparable sampling efforts are required to assess the relative frequency of L. monocytogenes infection in different wildlife species. The bacterium was isolated from extraintestinal sites in multiple hedgehogs, which may indicate septicemia. However, histological examination was limited and could not discriminate subclinical infection from disease (i.e., listeriosis). Although L. monocytogenes is a zoonotic pathogen, disease in people is typically contracted from the ingestion of contaminated foods. The risk to immunocompetent people of contracting listeriosis from hedgehogs is considered very low to negligible.
Helle Bernstorf Hydeskov; Corinne F.L. Amar; Julia Rodriguez-Ramos Fernandez; Shinto K. John; Shaheed K. MacGregor; Andrew A. Cunningham; Becki Lawson. LISTERIA MONOCYTOGENES INFECTION OF FREE-LIVING WESTERN EUROPEAN HEDGEHOGS (ERINACEUS EUROPAEUS). Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine 2019, 50, 183 -189.
AMA StyleHelle Bernstorf Hydeskov, Corinne F.L. Amar, Julia Rodriguez-Ramos Fernandez, Shinto K. John, Shaheed K. MacGregor, Andrew A. Cunningham, Becki Lawson. LISTERIA MONOCYTOGENES INFECTION OF FREE-LIVING WESTERN EUROPEAN HEDGEHOGS (ERINACEUS EUROPAEUS). Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine. 2019; 50 (1):183-189.
Chicago/Turabian StyleHelle Bernstorf Hydeskov; Corinne F.L. Amar; Julia Rodriguez-Ramos Fernandez; Shinto K. John; Shaheed K. MacGregor; Andrew A. Cunningham; Becki Lawson. 2019. "LISTERIA MONOCYTOGENES INFECTION OF FREE-LIVING WESTERN EUROPEAN HEDGEHOGS (ERINACEUS EUROPAEUS)." Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine 50, no. 1: 183-189.
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 × 2.3 × 1.8 cm) and numerous dark-red papules (1-2 mm diameter) in the skin and subjacent tissue over the back and dorsal aspects of the limbs. Histopathological examination identified marked hepatitis and coelomitis associated with pigmented fungal hyphae, which are results consistent with a diagnosis of phaeohyphomycosis. Sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer region and the D1-D2 region of the large subunit of the ribosomal RNA gene from affected liver tissue identified the presence of Exophiala (Chaetothyriales) sp., a black yeast previously identified as a cause of amphibian phaeohyphomycosis. To our knowledge, this is the first published report of Exophiala sp. in a wild or captive amphibian in Europe and the first description of phaeohyphomycosis affecting a free-living amphibian in Great Britain. Exophiala spp. are saprobes and opportunistic pathogens. It has been postulated that phaeohyphomycosis is a disease of immunocompromised amphibians; however, we found no evidence of significant concurrent infection or generalised debility in this common toad. Phaeohyphomycosis appears to be a sporadic cause of mortality in amphibians, and this report adds to the growing list of pathogens known to affect wild amphibians in Europe.
Katharina Seilern-Moy; Julia Rodriguez-Ramos Fernandez; Shaheed K MacGregor; Shinto K John; Chris Linton; Andrew A Cunningham; Becki Lawson; Jrr Fernandez. Fatal phaeohyphomycosis due to Exophiala sp. infection in a free-living common toad Bufo bufo. Diseases of Aquatic Organisms 2019, 133, 19 -24.
AMA StyleKatharina Seilern-Moy, Julia Rodriguez-Ramos Fernandez, Shaheed K MacGregor, Shinto K John, Chris Linton, Andrew A Cunningham, Becki Lawson, Jrr Fernandez. Fatal phaeohyphomycosis due to Exophiala sp. infection in a free-living common toad Bufo bufo. Diseases of Aquatic Organisms. 2019; 133 (1):19-24.
Chicago/Turabian StyleKatharina Seilern-Moy; Julia Rodriguez-Ramos Fernandez; Shaheed K MacGregor; Shinto K John; Chris Linton; Andrew A Cunningham; Becki Lawson; Jrr Fernandez. 2019. "Fatal phaeohyphomycosis due to Exophiala sp. infection in a free-living common toad Bufo bufo." Diseases of Aquatic Organisms 133, no. 1: 19-24.
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. Secondly, pathological investigations were performed on a sample of 39 chaffinches, four bullfinches (Pyrrhula pyrrhula), one greenfinch (Chloris chloris) and one goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis) with proliferative leg skin lesions and detected Cnemidocoptes sp. mites in 91% (41/45) of affected finches and from all species examined. Fringilla coelebs papillomavirus (FcPV1) PCR was positive in 74% (23/31) of birds tested: a 394 base pair sequence was derived from 20 of these birds, from all examined species, with 100% identity to reference genomes. Both mites and FcPV1 DNA were detected in 71% (20/28) of birds tested for both pathogens. Histopathological examination of lesions did not discriminate the relative importance of mite or FcPV1 infection as their cause. Development of techniques to localise FcPV1 within lesions is required to elucidate the pathological significance of FcPV1 DNA detection.
Becki Lawson; Robert A. Robinson; Julia Rodriguez-Ramos Fernandez; Shinto K. John; Laura Benitez; Conny Tolf; Kate Risely; Mike P. Toms; Andrew A. Cunningham; Richard A. J. Williams. Spatio-temporal dynamics and aetiology of proliferative leg skin lesions in wild British finches. Scientific Reports 2018, 8, 14670 .
AMA StyleBecki Lawson, Robert A. Robinson, Julia Rodriguez-Ramos Fernandez, Shinto K. John, Laura Benitez, Conny Tolf, Kate Risely, Mike P. Toms, Andrew A. Cunningham, Richard A. J. Williams. Spatio-temporal dynamics and aetiology of proliferative leg skin lesions in wild British finches. Scientific Reports. 2018; 8 (1):14670.
Chicago/Turabian StyleBecki Lawson; Robert A. Robinson; Julia Rodriguez-Ramos Fernandez; Shinto K. John; Laura Benitez; Conny Tolf; Kate Risely; Mike P. Toms; Andrew A. Cunningham; Richard A. J. Williams. 2018. "Spatio-temporal dynamics and aetiology of proliferative leg skin lesions in wild British finches." Scientific Reports 8, no. 1: 14670.
Sporadic cases of herpesvirus-associated disease have been reported in the Western European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus), but there has been little surveillance for, nor any sequence characterisation of, herpesviruses in this species to date. A nested pan-herpesvirus polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting a region of the DNA polymerase gene was used to test 129 Western European hedgehogs from across Great Britain, 2011-2016; 59 (46%) of which were PCR-positive. In addition, samples from two previously published cases of fatal herpesvirus infection in E. europaeus, from Sweden and Switzerland, were positive using this PCR. No statistically significant relationship was detected between PCR result and sex, age class, year or season for the British hedgehogs tested. In most PCR-positive animals (19/22) from which liver and brain were tested separately, both were PCR-positive. Sanger sequencing of amplicons from 59 British hedgehogs revealed at least two novel viruses within the Gammaherpesvirinae. Thirteen of these hedgehogs had liver and brain tissues screened for microscopic abnormalities, of which one had non-suppurative meningoencephalitis, but neither intranuclear inclusion bodies nor herpesvirus virions (on electron microscopical examination) were identified. Sequencing of the whole DNA polymerase gene confirmed two genetically different Human alphaherpesvirus 1 viruses in the Swedish and Swiss hedgehogs.
Helle B. Hydeskov; Akbar Dastjerdi; Kevin P. Hopkins; Marie-Pierre Ryser-Degiorgis; Frederik Widén; Andrew A. Cunningham; Becki Lawson. Detection and characterisation of multiple herpesviruses in free-living Western European hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus). Scientific Reports 2018, 8, 13942 .
AMA StyleHelle B. Hydeskov, Akbar Dastjerdi, Kevin P. Hopkins, Marie-Pierre Ryser-Degiorgis, Frederik Widén, Andrew A. Cunningham, Becki Lawson. Detection and characterisation of multiple herpesviruses in free-living Western European hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus). Scientific Reports. 2018; 8 (1):13942.
Chicago/Turabian StyleHelle B. Hydeskov; Akbar Dastjerdi; Kevin P. Hopkins; Marie-Pierre Ryser-Degiorgis; Frederik Widén; Andrew A. Cunningham; Becki Lawson. 2018. "Detection and characterisation of multiple herpesviruses in free-living Western European hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus)." Scientific Reports 8, no. 1: 13942.
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. Blood, feather, and tissue samples were screened for BFDV through standard polymerase chain reaction. Isolates obtained from positive individuals were then analyzed in a maximum likelihood phylogeny along with all other publically available global BFDV sequences. We detected BFDV in 8 countries where it was not known to occur previously, indicating the virus is more widely distributed than currently recognized. We documented for the first time the presence of BFDV in wild populations of P. krameri within its native range in Asia and Africa. We detected BFDV among introduced P. krameri in Mauritius and the Seychelles, raising concerns for island endemic species in the region. Phylogenetic relationships between viral sequences showed likely pathways of transmission between populations in southern Asia and western Africa. A high degree of phylogenetic relatedness between viral variants from geographically distant populations suggests recent introductions, likely driven by global trade. These findings highlight the need for effective regulation of international trade in live parrots, particularly in regions with high parrot endemism or vulnerable taxa where P. krameri could act as a reservoir host.
Deborah J. Fogell; Rowan O. Martin; Nancy Bunbury; Becki Lawson; James Sells; Alison M. McKeand; Vikash Tatayah; Cao Tien Trung; Jim J. Groombridge. Trade and conservation implications of new beak and feather disease virus detection in native and introduced parrots. Conservation Biology 2018, 32, 1325 -1335.
AMA StyleDeborah J. Fogell, Rowan O. Martin, Nancy Bunbury, Becki Lawson, James Sells, Alison M. McKeand, Vikash Tatayah, Cao Tien Trung, Jim J. Groombridge. Trade and conservation implications of new beak and feather disease virus detection in native and introduced parrots. Conservation Biology. 2018; 32 (6):1325-1335.
Chicago/Turabian StyleDeborah J. Fogell; Rowan O. Martin; Nancy Bunbury; Becki Lawson; James Sells; Alison M. McKeand; Vikash Tatayah; Cao Tien Trung; Jim J. Groombridge. 2018. "Trade and conservation implications of new beak and feather disease virus detection in native and introduced parrots." Conservation Biology 32, no. 6: 1325-1335.
Infectious disease is a significant driver of global amphibian declines, yet despite this, relatively little is known about the range of pathogens that affect free-living amphibians. Recent detection of the tentatively named Ranid herpesvirus 3 (RHV3), associated with skin disease in free-living common frogs Rana temporaria in Switzerland, helps to address this paucity in knowledge, but the geographic distribution and epidemiology of the pathogen remains unclear. Syndromic surveillance for ranid herpesvirus skin disease was undertaken throughout Great Britain (GB), January 2014 to December 2016. Reports of common frogs with macroscopic skin lesions with a characteristic grey appearance were solicited from members of the public. Post-mortem examination was conducted on one affected frog found dead in 2015 at a site in England. In addition, archived samples from an incident involving common frogs in England in 1997 with similar macroscopic lesions were further investigated. Transmission electron microscopy identified herpes-like virions in skin lesions from both the 1997 and 2015 incidents. RHV3, or RHV3-like virus, was detected in skin lesions from the 2015 case by PCR and sequencing. Our findings indicate that herpesvirus skin disease is endemic in common frogs in GB, with widespread distribution at apparently low prevalence. Further research into the role of host immunity, virus latency and the significance of infection to host survival is required to better understand the epidemiology and impact of cutaneous herpesvirus infections in amphibian populations.
Lydia Franklinos; J Rodriguez-Ramos Fernandez; Helle Bernstorf Hydeskov; Kevin Hopkins; D J Everest; A A Cunningham; B Lawson. Herpesvirus skin disease in free-living common frogs Rana temporaria in Great Britain. Diseases of Aquatic Organisms 2018, 129, 239 -244.
AMA StyleLydia Franklinos, J Rodriguez-Ramos Fernandez, Helle Bernstorf Hydeskov, Kevin Hopkins, D J Everest, A A Cunningham, B Lawson. Herpesvirus skin disease in free-living common frogs Rana temporaria in Great Britain. Diseases of Aquatic Organisms. 2018; 129 (3):239-244.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLydia Franklinos; J Rodriguez-Ramos Fernandez; Helle Bernstorf Hydeskov; Kevin Hopkins; D J Everest; A A Cunningham; B Lawson. 2018. "Herpesvirus skin disease in free-living common frogs Rana temporaria in Great Britain." Diseases of Aquatic Organisms 129, no. 3: 239-244.
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. The incomplete understanding of PV-encoded miRNAs is due in part to lack of tractable laboratory models for most PV types. To overcome this, we have developed miRNA Discovery by forced Genome Expression (miDGE), a new wet bench approach to miRNA identification that screens numerous pathogen genomes in parallel. Using miDGE, we screened over 73 different PV genomes for the ability to code for miRNAs. Our results show that most PVs are unlikely to code for miRNAs and we conclusively demonstrate a lack of PV miRNA expression in cancers associated with infections of several high risk HPVs. However, we identified five different high-confidence or highly probable miRNAs encoded by four different PVs (Human PVs 17, 37, 41 and a Fringilla coelebs PV (FcPV1)). Extensive in vitro assays confirm the validity of these miRNAs in cell culture and two FcPV1 miRNAs are further confirmed to be expressed in vivo in a natural host. We show that miRNAs from two PVs (HPV41 & FcPV1) are able to regulate viral transcripts corresponding to the early region of the PV genome. Combined, these findings identify the first canonical PV miRNAs and support that miRNAs of either host or viral origin are important regulators of the PV life cycle. Papillomaviruses (PVs) are causative agents of cancer. Currently, there is an incomplete understanding as to why only some infections lead to cancer. Developing a better comparative evolutionary understanding of PV gene products and their regulation is key to comprehending the life cycle of these pathogens. An emerging concept of viral gene regulation is that many persistent viruses will utilize small regulatory RNAs called miRNAs to optimize host and viral gene expression. Yet despite obvious interest, there have been no credible reports identifying canonical PV-encoded miRNAs. Here we develop new broadly applicable methodology to identify miRNAs from organisms lacking a laboratory culture system. We identify the first examples of bona fide canonical PV miRNAs and provide evidence supporting both host and viral miRNA-mediated regulation as relevant to control of PV gene expression. These findings resolve the issue of PV miRNAs and further the notion of miRNA importance to persistent virus infection.
Rachel Chirayil; Rodney P. Kincaid; Christine Dahlke; Chad V. Kuny; Nicole Dälken; Michael Spohn; Becki Lawson; Adam Grundhoff; Christopher S. Sullivan. Identification of virus-encoded microRNAs in divergent Papillomaviruses. PLOS Pathogens 2018, 14, e1007156 .
AMA StyleRachel Chirayil, Rodney P. Kincaid, Christine Dahlke, Chad V. Kuny, Nicole Dälken, Michael Spohn, Becki Lawson, Adam Grundhoff, Christopher S. Sullivan. Identification of virus-encoded microRNAs in divergent Papillomaviruses. PLOS Pathogens. 2018; 14 (7):e1007156.
Chicago/Turabian StyleRachel Chirayil; Rodney P. Kincaid; Christine Dahlke; Chad V. Kuny; Nicole Dälken; Michael Spohn; Becki Lawson; Adam Grundhoff; Christopher S. Sullivan. 2018. "Identification of virus-encoded microRNAs in divergent Papillomaviruses." PLOS Pathogens 14, no. 7: e1007156.
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. Here, we present findings from a national surveillance programme in GB and note the dynamism of endemic and emerging diseases over a 25-year period, focusing on protozoal (finch trichomonosis), viral (Paridae pox) and bacterial (passerine salmonellosis) diseases with contrasting modes of transmission. We also examine the occurrence of mycotoxin contamination of food residues in bird feeders, which present both a direct and indirect (though immunosuppression) risk to wild bird health. Our results inform evidence-based mitigation strategies to minimize anthropogenically mediated health hazards, while maintaining the benefits of providing supplementary food for wild birds. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Anthropogenic resource subsidies and host–parasite dynamics in wildlife’.
Becki Lawson; Robert A. Robinson; Mike P. Toms; Kate Risely; Susan Macdonald; Andrew A. Cunningham. Health hazards to wild birds and risk factors associated with anthropogenic food provisioning. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 2018, 373, 20170091 .
AMA StyleBecki Lawson, Robert A. Robinson, Mike P. Toms, Kate Risely, Susan Macdonald, Andrew A. Cunningham. Health hazards to wild birds and risk factors associated with anthropogenic food provisioning. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 2018; 373 (1745):20170091.
Chicago/Turabian StyleBecki Lawson; Robert A. Robinson; Mike P. Toms; Kate Risely; Susan Macdonald; Andrew A. Cunningham. 2018. "Health hazards to wild birds and risk factors associated with anthropogenic food provisioning." Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 373, no. 1745: 20170091.
The impacts of hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) Salmonella infection on public health and on animal welfare and conservation are unknown. We isolated Salmonella Enteritidis multi-locus sequence-type (ST)183 from 46/170 (27%) hedgehog carcasses (27 S. Enteritidis phage type (PT)11, 18 of a novel PT66 biotype and one with co-infection of these PTs) and from 6/208 (3%) hedgehog faecal samples (4 PT11, 2 PT66) from across Great Britain, 2012–2015. Whole genome phylogenetic analysis of the hedgehog isolates and ST183 from people in England and Wales found that PT11 and PT66 form two divergent clades. Hedgehog and human isolates were interspersed throughout the phylogeny indicating that infections in both species originate from a common population. PT11 was recovered from hedgehogs across England and Scotland, consistent with endemic infection. PT66 was isolated from Scotland only, possibly indicating a recent emergence event. People infected with ST183 were four times more likely to be aged 0–4 years than people infected by the more common ST11 S. Enteritidis. Evidence for human ST183 infection being non-foodborne included stronger correlation between geographic and genetic distance, and significantly increased likelihood of infection in rural areas, than for ST11. These results are consistent with hedgehogs acting as a source of zoonotic infection.
Becki Lawson; Lydia Franklinos; Julia Rodriguez-Ramos Fernandez; Clare Wend-Hansen; Satheesh Nair; Shaheed K. MacGregor; Shinto K. John; Romain Pizzi; Alejandro Nunez; Philip M. Ashton; Andrew A. Cunningham; Elizabeth M. De Pinna. Salmonella Enteritidis ST183: emerging and endemic biotypes affecting western European hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) and people in Great Britain. Scientific Reports 2018, 8, 1 -11.
AMA StyleBecki Lawson, Lydia Franklinos, Julia Rodriguez-Ramos Fernandez, Clare Wend-Hansen, Satheesh Nair, Shaheed K. MacGregor, Shinto K. John, Romain Pizzi, Alejandro Nunez, Philip M. Ashton, Andrew A. Cunningham, Elizabeth M. De Pinna. Salmonella Enteritidis ST183: emerging and endemic biotypes affecting western European hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) and people in Great Britain. Scientific Reports. 2018; 8 (1):1-11.
Chicago/Turabian StyleBecki Lawson; Lydia Franklinos; Julia Rodriguez-Ramos Fernandez; Clare Wend-Hansen; Satheesh Nair; Shaheed K. MacGregor; Shinto K. John; Romain Pizzi; Alejandro Nunez; Philip M. Ashton; Andrew A. Cunningham; Elizabeth M. De Pinna. 2018. "Salmonella Enteritidis ST183: emerging and endemic biotypes affecting western European hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) and people in Great Britain." Scientific Reports 8, no. 1: 1-11.
Reports of severe disease outbreaks in amphibian communities in mainland Europe due to strains of the common midwife toad virus (CMTV)-like clade of Ranavirus are increasing and have created concern due to their considerable population impacts. In Great Britain, viruses in another clade of Ranavirus–frog virus 3 (FV3)-like—have caused marked declines of common frog (Rana temporaria) populations following likely recent virus introductions. The British public has been reporting mortality incidents to a citizen science project since 1992, with carcasses submitted for post-mortem examination, resulting in a long-term tissue archive spanning 25 years. We screened this archive for ranavirus (458 individuals from 228 incidents) using molecular methods and undertook preliminary genotyping of the ranaviruses detected. In total, ranavirus was detected in 90 individuals from 41 incidents focused in the north and south of England. The majority of detections involved common frogs (90%) but also another anuran, a caudate and a reptile. Most incidents were associated with FV3-like viruses but two, separated by 300 km and 16 years, involved CMTV-like viruses. These British CMTV-like viruses were more closely related to ranaviruses from mainland Europe than to each other and were estimated to have diverged at least 458 years ago. This evidence of a CMTV-like virus in Great Britain in 1995 represents the earliest confirmed case of a CMTV associated with amphibians and raises important questions about the history of ranavirus in Great Britain and the epidemiology of CMTV-like viruses. Despite biases present in the opportunistic sample used, this study also demonstrates the role of citizen science projects in generating resources for research and the value of maintaining long-term wildlife tissue archives.
Stephen J. Price; Alexandra Wadia; Owen Wright; William T. M. Leung; Andrew A. Cunningham; Becki Lawson. Screening of a long-term sample set reveals two Ranavirus lineages in British herpetofauna. PLOS ONE 2017, 12, e0184768 .
AMA StyleStephen J. Price, Alexandra Wadia, Owen Wright, William T. M. Leung, Andrew A. Cunningham, Becki Lawson. Screening of a long-term sample set reveals two Ranavirus lineages in British herpetofauna. PLOS ONE. 2017; 12 (9):e0184768.
Chicago/Turabian StyleStephen J. Price; Alexandra Wadia; Owen Wright; William T. M. Leung; Andrew A. Cunningham; Becki Lawson. 2017. "Screening of a long-term sample set reveals two Ranavirus lineages in British herpetofauna." PLOS ONE 12, no. 9: e0184768.
Snake fungal disease (SFD) is an emerging disease of conservation concern in eastern North America. Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola, the causative agent of SFD, has been isolated from over 30 species of wild snakes from six families in North America. Whilst O. ophiodiicola has been isolated from captive snakes outside North America, the pathogen has not been reported from wild snakes elsewhere. We screened 33 carcasses and 303 moulted skins from wild snakes collected from 2010–2016 in Great Britain and the Czech Republic for the presence of macroscopic skin lesions and O. ophiodiicola. The fungus was detected using real-time PCR in 26 (8.6%) specimens across the period of collection. Follow up culture and histopathologic analyses confirmed that both O. ophiodiicola and SFD occur in wild European snakes. Although skin lesions were mild in most cases, in some snakes they were severe and were considered likely to have contributed to mortality. Culture characterisations demonstrated that European isolates grew more slowly than those from the United States, and phylogenetic analyses indicated that isolates from European wild snakes reside in a clade distinct from the North American isolates examined. These genetic and phenotypic differences indicate that the European isolates represent novel strains of O. ophiodiicola. Further work is required to understand the individual and population level impact of this pathogen in Europe.
Lydia Franklinos; Jeffrey M. Lorch; Elizabeth Bohuski; Julia Rodriguez-Ramos Fernandez; Owen Wright; Liam Fitzpatrick; Silviu Petrovan; Chris Durrant; Chris Linton; Vojtech Balaz; Andrew A. Cunningham; Becki Lawson. Emerging fungal pathogen Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola in wild European snakes. Scientific Reports 2017, 7, 1 -7.
AMA StyleLydia Franklinos, Jeffrey M. Lorch, Elizabeth Bohuski, Julia Rodriguez-Ramos Fernandez, Owen Wright, Liam Fitzpatrick, Silviu Petrovan, Chris Durrant, Chris Linton, Vojtech Balaz, Andrew A. Cunningham, Becki Lawson. Emerging fungal pathogen Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola in wild European snakes. Scientific Reports. 2017; 7 (1):1-7.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLydia Franklinos; Jeffrey M. Lorch; Elizabeth Bohuski; Julia Rodriguez-Ramos Fernandez; Owen Wright; Liam Fitzpatrick; Silviu Petrovan; Chris Durrant; Chris Linton; Vojtech Balaz; Andrew A. Cunningham; Becki Lawson. 2017. "Emerging fungal pathogen Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola in wild European snakes." Scientific Reports 7, no. 1: 1-7.
Suttonella ornithocola, a bacterium in the Cardiobacteriaceae family, is postulated to act as a pathogen targeting the respiratory tract of wild birds in the tit families (Paridae and Aegithalidae). This organism has fastidious culture requirements, which might lead to missed detection; thus, a nested PCR targeting the 16S rRNA gene was designed to provide an additional detection tool. DNA was extracted from combined lung and trachea samples from 114 birds in the Paridae and five in the Aegithalidae. These wild birds were found dead across England and Wales, 2005–2012 inclusive, and examined post-mortem. The PCR detected S. ornithocola in 15 birds from the Paridae family only: 11 blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus), three great tits (Parus major) and one coal tit (Periparus ater). Derived sequences of the 16S rRNA gene had 100% identity to S. ornithocola from previous studies. Positive cases had a widespread geographical distribution across the study period with recurrent spring seasonality, consistent with an endemic infection. Incident history and pathological findings indicated that S. ornithocola infection was likely to be a significant contributory factor to the deaths of at least two birds (from two sites), was of equivocal significance in four birds (from four sites) and was an incidental finding in nine birds (from eight sites). Nested PCR detected S. ornithocola in ten birds for which microbiological examination of the lung was culture-negative for the bacterium. A combination of molecular, microbiological and histopathological examinations is recommended to further investigate the epidemiology and significance of S. ornithocola infection.
Gabriela Peniche; Julia Rodriguez-Ramos Fernandez; Chris Durrant; Shinto K. John; Shaheed K. Macgregor; Andrew A. Cunningham; Becki Lawson. Nested PCR for Suttonella ornithocola reveals widespread infection in British Paridae species. European Journal of Wildlife Research 2017, 63, 50 .
AMA StyleGabriela Peniche, Julia Rodriguez-Ramos Fernandez, Chris Durrant, Shinto K. John, Shaheed K. Macgregor, Andrew A. Cunningham, Becki Lawson. Nested PCR for Suttonella ornithocola reveals widespread infection in British Paridae species. European Journal of Wildlife Research. 2017; 63 (3):50.
Chicago/Turabian StyleGabriela Peniche; Julia Rodriguez-Ramos Fernandez; Chris Durrant; Shinto K. John; Shaheed K. Macgregor; Andrew A. Cunningham; Becki Lawson. 2017. "Nested PCR for Suttonella ornithocola reveals widespread infection in British Paridae species." European Journal of Wildlife Research 63, no. 3: 50.
Abdulwahed Alrefaei; Diana Bell; Becki Lawson; Kevin Tyler. The highly virulent finch epidemic strain of Trichomonas gallinae is a major cause of wild bird mortality. Journal of Immunological Techniques in Infectious Diseases 2017, 6, 1 .
AMA StyleAbdulwahed Alrefaei, Diana Bell, Becki Lawson, Kevin Tyler. The highly virulent finch epidemic strain of Trichomonas gallinae is a major cause of wild bird mortality. Journal of Immunological Techniques in Infectious Diseases. 2017; 6 (2):1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAbdulwahed Alrefaei; Diana Bell; Becki Lawson; Kevin Tyler. 2017. "The highly virulent finch epidemic strain of Trichomonas gallinae is a major cause of wild bird mortality." Journal of Immunological Techniques in Infectious Diseases 6, no. 2: 1.
Passerine salmonellosis is a well-recognized disease of birds in the order Passeriformes, which includes common songbirds such as finches and sparrows, caused by infection with Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium. Previous research has suggested that some subtypes of S . Typhimurium—definitive phage types (DTs) 40, 56 variant, and 160—are host adapted to passerines and that these birds may represent a reservoir of infection for humans and other animals. Here, we have used the whole-genome sequences of 11 isolates from British passerines, five isolates of similar DTs from humans and a domestic cat, and previously published S . Typhimurium genomes that include similar DTs from other hosts to investigate the phylogenetic relatedness of passerine salmonellae to other S . Typhimurium isolates and investigate possible genetic features of the distinct disease pathogenesis of S . Typhimurium in passerines. Our results demonstrate that the 11 passerine isolates and 13 other isolates, including those from nonpasserine hosts, were genetically closely related, with a median pairwise single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) difference of 130 SNPs. These 24 isolates did not carry antimicrobial resistance genetic determinants or the S . Typhimurium virulence plasmid. Although our study does not provide evidence of Salmonella transmission from passerines to other hosts, our results are consistent with the hypothesis that wild birds represent a potential reservoir of these Salmonella subtypes, and thus, sensible personal hygiene precautions should be taken when feeding or handling garden birds. IMPORTANCE Passerine salmonellosis, caused by certain definitive phage types (DTs) of Salmonella Typhimurium, has been documented as a cause of wild passerine mortality since the 1950s in many countries, often in the vicinity of garden bird feeding stations. To gain better insight into its epidemiology and host-pathogen interactions, we sequenced the genomes of a collection of 11 isolates from wild passerine salmonellosis in England and Wales. Phylogenetic analysis showed these passerine isolates to be closely related to each other and to form a clade that is distinct from other strains of S . Typhimurium, which included a multidrug-resistant isolate from invasive nontyphoidal Salmonella disease that shares the same phage type as several of the passerine isolates. Closely related to wild passerine isolates and within the same clade were four S . Typhimurium isolates from humans as well as isolates from horses, poultry, cattle, an unspecified wild bird, and a domestic cat and dog with similar DTs and/or multilocus sequence types. This suggests the potential for cross-species transmission, and the genome sequences provide a valuable resource to investigate passerine salmonellosis further.
Alison E. Mather; Becki Lawson; Elizabeth de Pinna; Paul Wigley; Julian Parkhill; Nicholas R. Thomson; Andrew J. Page; Mark A. Holmes; Gavin K. Paterson. Genomic Analysis of Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium from Wild Passerines in England and Wales. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 2016, 82, 6728 -6735.
AMA StyleAlison E. Mather, Becki Lawson, Elizabeth de Pinna, Paul Wigley, Julian Parkhill, Nicholas R. Thomson, Andrew J. Page, Mark A. Holmes, Gavin K. Paterson. Genomic Analysis of Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium from Wild Passerines in England and Wales. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 2016; 82 (22):6728-6735.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAlison E. Mather; Becki Lawson; Elizabeth de Pinna; Paul Wigley; Julian Parkhill; Nicholas R. Thomson; Andrew J. Page; Mark A. Holmes; Gavin K. Paterson. 2016. "Genomic Analysis of Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium from Wild Passerines in England and Wales." Applied and Environmental Microbiology 82, no. 22: 6728-6735.