Exposure to viral and bacterial pathogens among Soay sheep (Ovis aries) of the St Kilda archipelago

Research on Soay sheep (Ovis aries) from the UNESCO-listed St Kilda archipelago reveals limited exposure to viral and bacterial pathogens, despite their long isolation. Analysis of 42 sheep showed that nearly half (50%) harboured ovine herpesvirus 2 (OHV-2). A broader study of 750 plasma samples collected between 1997 and 2010 found evidence of Leptospira spp. exposure in 6.5% of cases, while no serological signs were detected for border disease, parainfluenza, maedi-visna, orf viruses, or Chlamydia abortus. Some sheep showed antibodies against Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP), though confirmation was lacking due to missing faecal samples. The study suggests that pathogen importation and local transmission dynamics warrant further investigation to understand the ecological and fitness impacts on this unmanaged population.

GRAHAM, A. L., NUSSEY, D. H., LLOYD-SMITH, J. O., LONGBOTTOM, D., MALEY, M., PEMBERTON, J. M., PILKINGTON, J. G., PRAGER, K. C., SMITH, L., WATT, K. A., WILSON, K., McNEILLY, T. N., & BRÜLISAUER, F. (2016). Exposure to viral and bacterial pathogens among Soay sheep (Ovis aries) of the St Kilda archipelago. Epidemiology and Infection, 144(9), 1879–1888. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0950268816000017