On Sat, 19 Apr 2008 17:19:40 +0100, amacmil304@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
wrote:
>Dear Ms Meredith
>I was interested to read a March 2006 Advice Note published by
>yourselves and the Institute of Zoology which states unequivocally
>that, "The origin of the squirrelpox virus in red squirrels is the
>introduced American grey squirrel". This seems an extremely bold
>statement and I would like to know what real evidence you have to
>sup****t it. The JNCC states that the origin is "unknown"
>
>As you are probably aware, a pox infection was evident in red
>squirrels in forty districts in England in the early part of the last
>century prior to them mixing with greys. SQPV was only identified in
>the 80s and it seems there is no evidence to rule out the possibility
>of earlier infections being of the same ilk.
>
>It also appears that some red squirrels could have some form of
>resistence, as isolated cases of the disease occur in close knit
>populations where it could easily be transmitted between
>reds themselves.
>
>I look forward to hearing from you.
>
>Yours sincerely
>
>Angus Macmillan
>www.grey-squirrel.org.uk
>
>
>
>
>Dear Mr Macmillan,
>
>Thank you for your message. All the scientific evidence and research
>so far sup****ts the theory that SQPV was introduced by American grey
>squirrels, including transmission studies, mathematical modelling on
>the dynamics of red squirrel populations, and the finding that grey
>squirrels from the USA have now been found to be seropositive for the
>virus (please see attached paper by McInnes et al which also gives a
>good summary of recent research). There is much still to be learned
>about this virus and there is ongoing research both here and
>at the Moredun Institute into this area,but there is little doubt that
>control of greys is the key to preventing the death of reds. We are
>witnessing the steady spread of seropositivity in greys into the south
>of Scotland,and, within the last year, the corresponding first deaths
>from SQPV in reds in these areas.
>
>Yours sincerely
>Anna Meredith MA VetMB CertLAS DZooMed MRCVS
>Head of Exotic Animal and Wildlife Service
>Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies
>University of Edinburgh
>Hospital for Small Animals
>Easter Bush Veterinary Centre
>Roslin
>Midlothian
>EH25 9RG
>Tel 0131 650 7650/6247
>Fax 0131 650 7652
>The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body, registered in
>Scotland, with registration
>number SC005336.
>
>
>Dear Ms Meredith
>
>Thank you for your reply.
>
>With respect, you haven't really answered the points I made in my
>email or 19 March. For a respected organisation such as the Royal
>(Dick) School of Veterinary Studies to make a statement of fact - "the
>origin of the squirrelpox virus in red squirrels is the introduced
>American grey squirrel" - when it is merely an inconclusive theory,
>strikes me as being sloppy science or a desire to mislead the general
>public in sup****t of the present hate campaign being waged against
>grey squirrels.
>
>With regard to the McInnes et al paper,
>
>1. I do not dispute that the SQPV virus has been identified as
>different from the earlier classification as a parapoxvirus. This has
>been common knowledge for some time.
>
>2. It is not true for them to say, “outbreaks of pox-like disease in
>red squirrels were not re****ted until after the introduction of the
>grey squirrel from America.” when forty districts in England had red
>squirrels with pox-like disease before there was any contact with
>greys
>.
>3. It is also very interesting that they acknowledge the possibility
>that the virus is endemic to the UK and that other rodent species
>inhabiting the same woodland environment could be harbouring the
>virus. This opens up a whole new avenue of thought.
>
>4. The fact that pox-like disease was endemic in the red squirrel
>population before contact with
>greys shows the paucity of the claim that greys are responsible.
>
>5. SQPV found in greys in America proves nothing. They could have been
>contact with any number of rodents that have had the disease.
>It is my understanding that the presence of antibodies in a grey
>squirrel merely shows they have been in contact with some infected
>animal and does not necessarily mean they are carriers but merely that
>they have the ability to fend off the disease. Could you please
>confirm that this is the case.
>
>I would also be very grateful if you could answer the points in my
>email of 19 March.
>
>I’m sure neither you nor I would wish to be convicted and executed on
>the sort of evidence that is currently found against grey squirrels.
>
>Yours sincerely
>
>Angus Macmillan
>www.grey-squirrel.org.uk
>
>
>
>No response so far.
>
They don't like their lies and half truths being confronted. If they
don't answer be sure to go through the official complaints procedure
right through to the top.
Well done.
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