A5086152613- Herpesvirus Infections and Treatments
- Viral Infections and Vectors
- Cytomegalovirus and herpesvirus research
- Mosquito-borne diseases and control
- Vector-borne infectious diseases
- Virus-based gene therapy research
- Animal Disease Management and Epidemiology
- Escherichia coli research studies
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies
- Salmonella and Campylobacter epidemiology
- Amphibian and Reptile Biology
- Enterobacteriaceae and Cronobacter Research
- Zoonotic diseases and public health
- Bird parasitology and diseases
- Yersinia bacterium, plague, ectoparasites research
- Rabies epidemiology and control
- Metabolomics and Mass Spectrometry Studies
- Toxoplasma gondii Research Studies
- Immune Response and Inflammation
- Vector-Borne Animal Diseases
- Veterinary Pharmacology and Anesthesia
- Advanced X-ray and CT Imaging
- Nuclear Physics and Applications
- Ocular Infections and Treatments
Zoological Society of London
2019-2025
Animal and Plant Health Agency
2014-2016
University of Surrey
2015-2016
University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna
2012
Elephant Endotheliotropic Herpesviruses (EEHVs) can cause acute haemorrhagic disease in young Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) and clinical EEHV infections account for the majority of their fatalities. The anti-herpesviral drug famciclovir (FCV) has been used routinely to treat viraemic at-risk elephants, but thus far without proven efficacy. This paper presents virological investigations two EEHV-1A infected treated with FCV, discusses anti-herpesvirus therapies elephants. Two 1.5 year old...
In August 2020, as part of a long-term disease surveillance programme, Usutu virus was detected in five Eurasian blackbirds ( Turdus merula ) and one house sparrow Passer domesticus from Greater London, England. This initially by reverse transcription-PCR confirmed isolation immunohistochemical detection flavivirus tissues. Phylogenetic analysis identified African 3.2 lineage, which is prevalent the Netherlands Belgium, suggesting potential incursion mainland Europe.
Abstract Escherichia albertii is a recently identified gastrointestinal bacterial pathogen of humans and animals which typically misidentified as pathotypes diarrhoeagenic coli or Shigella species generally only detected during genomic surveillance other Enterobacteriaceae. The incidence E. likely underestimated, its epidemiology clinical relevance are poorly characterised. Here, we whole genome sequenced isolates from ( n = 83) birds 79) isolated in Great Britain between 2000 2021 analysed...
Usutu virus (USUV) is an emerging zoonotic arbovirus in Europe, where it primarily impacts Eurasian blackbirds (Turdus merula). For mosquito-borne viruses to persist temperate areas, transovarial transmission vectors or overwintering either hosts diapausing must occur facilitate autochthonous transmission. We undertook surveillance of and 2021 elucidate whether USUV had overwintered the United Kingdom (UK) following its initial detection there 2020. From 175 dead bird submissions, we...
Abstract Ophidiomycosis is an emerging infectious disease affecting wild snakes in the Northern Hemisphere. Recently confirmed Great Britain, prevalence, severity and significance of ophidiomycosis has yet to be characterised free-living at a population level Europe. Therefore, barred grass ( Natrix helvetica ) eastern England was monitored for three seasons (May 2019 October 2021), investigate prevalence (25.5%; 191/750 snakes) skin lesions their aetiology. The most frequently observed...
Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (Bbsl) are multi-host bacteria and the causative agents of zoonotic disease, Lyme borreliosis, for which Ixodes spp. vectors. In Great Britain (GB), research to date has primarily focussed on ricinus as main tick transmitting this pathogen, while role that European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) (Ixodes hexagonus) might have in transmission cycle requires investigation. This study aimed examine occurrence Bbsl infection hedgehogs I. hexagonus GB; characterise...
Abstract Following the first detection in United Kingdom of Usutu virus (USUV) wild birds 2020, we undertook a multidisciplinary investigation that combined screening host and vector populations with interrogation national citizen science monitoring datasets to assess potential for population impacts on avian hosts. Pathological findings from six USUV-positive passerines were non-specific, highlighting need molecular immunohistochemical examinations confirm infection. Mosquito surveillance...
Abstract The influence of supplementary feeding wildlife on disease transmission and its consequent impacts population dynamics are underappreciated. In Great Britain, is hypothesised to have enabled the spread protozoan parasite, Trichomonas gallinae , from columbids finches, leading epidemic finch trichomonosis a rapid decline greenfinch ( Chloris chloris ). More recently, chaffinch Fringilla coelebs ), has also declined markedly second fifth commonest bird in Britain. Using citizen...
Introduction Elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus-1 (EEHV-1) is one of the major causes fatality in juvenile Asian elephants (Elephas maximus). On occasions, other EEHV genotypes, i.e. EEHV-3, -4 and -5, have also been reported as cause elephant deaths. In this case report we describe investigation into a European zoo. Case Presentation: A fatal haemorrhagic disease from zoo was diagnosed with co-infection EEHV-1 -4. EEHV-4 had wider organ distribution higher viral load; both viruses...
Radiography units are not used commonly in wildlife medicine field settings, primarily because of their weight and requirement for a power supply. In this study, portable, battery-powered, lightweight radiography unit, originally developed dentistry, was assessed its potential applications. Radiographs various animal species (ranging from 14 g to 1,000 kg) were imaged using varying source image distance (SID) exposure time. The quality these images evaluated resolution, noise, motion blur....
Lancing a finger elicits minimal pain in humans and is applied routinely to obtain small volumes of blood for clinical diagnostics. A modified lancet bleeding method several sampling matrices were evaluated this study the purpose routine elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus (EEHV) surveillance Asian elephants (Elephas maximus). The procedure enabled weekly from as young 9 mo age. their sensitivity measuring β-actin, tumor necrosis factor α, and/or EEHV-1 by quantitative polymerase chain...
A wild adult female common toad Bufo bufo found dead in Scotland September 2016 was observed to have hepatomegaly, a large soft tissue mass the coelomic cavity (2.7 g, 3.5 × 2.3 1.8 cm) and numerous dark-red papules (1-2 mm diameter) skin subjacent over back dorsal aspects of limbs. Histopathological examination identified marked hepatitis coelomitis associated with pigmented fungal hyphae, which are results consistent diagnosis phaeohyphomycosis. Sequencing internal transcribed spacer...
Borrelia spp. are multi-host bacteria and the causative agents of zoonotic disease, Lyme borreliosis, for which Ixodes vectors. In Great Britain (GB), research to date has primarily focussed on ricinus as main tick transmitting this pathogen, while role that European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) (Ixodes hexagonus) might have in transmission cycle requires investigation. This study aimed examine occurrence infection hedgehogs I. hexagonus GB; characterise genospecies if present; better...
Abstract Escherichia albertii is a recently identified gastrointestinal bacterial pathogen of humans and animals which typically misidentified generally only detected during genomic surveillance other Enterobacteriaceae. The incidence E. likely underestimated its epidemiology clinical relevance are poorly characterised. Here, we whole genome sequenced isolates from ( n = 83) birds 79) in Great Britain analysed broader public dataset (n 475) to address these gaps. We found human avian (90%;...
Avian knemidokoptosis, caused by knemidokoptid mites (Knemidokoptinae: Epidermoptidae), has been reported in wild and domestic birds globally. We report two cases of severe knemidokoptosis Dunnocks (Prunella modularis) from separate sites Great Britain, where the disease previously predominantly finches and, less frequently, corvids.