Detection of squirrel poxvirus by nested and real-time PCR from red (<i>Sciurus vulgaris</i>) and grey (<i>Sciurus carolinensis</i>) squirrels

Atkin, Janus W, Radford, Alan D ORCID: 0000-0002-4590-1334, Coyne, Karen P, Stavisky, Jenny and Chantrey, Julian ORCID: 0000-0002-4801-7034 (2010) Detection of squirrel poxvirus by nested and real-time PCR from red (<i>Sciurus vulgaris</i>) and grey (<i>Sciurus carolinensis</i>) squirrels. BMC VETERINARY RESEARCH, 6 (1). 33-.

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Abstract

<h4>Background</h4>Squirrel poxvirus (SQPV) is highly pathogenic to red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris), and is a significant contributing factor to the local extinction of the species in most parts of England and Wales, where infection is endemic in Eastern grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) populations. Although a nested PCR assay has been used successfully to study the epidemiology of SQPV, samples have a long processing time and the assay is not quantifiable.<h4>Results</h4>This project describes the design and optimization of a real-time PCR for SQPV. Comparison with the nested PCR showed the real-time assay to be more sensitive by one log and able to detect approximately 144 genome copies per mg of tissue.<h4>Conclusions</h4>The real-time PCR has been used to quantify viral genome load in tissues from diseased and apparently healthy red and grey squirrels, and suggests that the titre of virus in tissues from diseased red squirrels is considerably higher than that found even in a grey squirrel with cutaneous lesions.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	**ITEM MARKED CONFIDENTIAL – HELD IN REVIEW**
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Animals, Sciuridae, Poxviridae, Poxviridae Infections, England, Wales
Depositing User:	Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited:	12 Oct 2020 09:35
Last Modified:	11 Oct 2023 03:26
DOI:	10.1186/1746-6148-6-33
Related URLs:	Author Publisher
URI:	https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3009052

Available Versions of this Item

• Detection of squirrel poxvirus by nested and real-time PCR from red (Sciurus vulgaris) and grey (Sciurus carolinensis) squirrels. (deposited 11 Apr 2016 09:51)
  • Detection of squirrel poxvirus by nested and real-time PCR from red (<i>Sciurus vulgaris</i>) and grey (<i>Sciurus carolinensis</i>) squirrels. (deposited 12 Oct 2020 09:35) [Currently Displayed]