SHORT REPORT: FOX SQUIRREL (SCIURUS NIGER) ASSOCIATIONS WITH WEST NILE VIRUS

Authors

J. Jeffrey Root, USDA/APHIS/WS National Wildlife Research CenterFollow
Paul T. Oesterle, United States Department of Agriculture, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center
Heather J. Sullivan, USDA/APHIS/WS National Wildlife Research CenterFollow
Jeffrey S. Hall, United States Department of Agriculture, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research CenterFollow
Nicole L. Marlenee, United States Department of Agriculture, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center
Robert G. McLean, United States Department of Agriculture, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research CenterFollow
John A. Montenieri, United States Department of Agriculture, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center
Larry Clark, USDA/APHIS/WS National Wildlife Research CenterFollow

Date of this Version

April 2007

Comments

Published in Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg., 76(4), 2007, pp. 782–784.

Abstract

Tree squirrels (Sciurus spp.) have been recently shown to be commonly exposed to West Nile virus (WNV). Many characteristics of WNV infections in tree squirrels are unknown. To better understand WNV associations in fox squirrels (S. niger), we conducted mark-recapture sampling (N=72) and radio telemetry to study the longitudinal seroprevalence, seroconversions, and ectoparasites of these animals during 2005–2006 in northern Colorado. Five seroconversions were documented during this study. The majority of seroconversions occurred during the late summer/ fall months. However, one seroconversion was documented over the time period of February to late March 2005. Fleas (Orchopeas howardi) were tested for WNV RNA using real-time PCR techniques. No WNV RNA positive fleas (N = 33) were detected. In addition, urine samples (N = 17) opportunistically collected from fox squirrels were negative for WNV RNA. Results indicate that seroconversions can be observed in fox squirrels during low WNV transmission years.