Current Disease Event Information
Updated March 2022
For an in depth discussion of SkAdV-1, listen to EPISODE #15 of
Wildlife Health Connections Podcast
Skunk adenovirus 1 (SkAdV-1) is a recently identified, emerging pathogen in eastern North America. Based on its propensity to spread between distantly related mammalian species, the potential impacts for wildlife health in North America are alarming. Despite the detection of SKAdV-1 in free-ranging mammals, little is known about the behavior, transmission and prevalence of skunk adenovirus-1 in free-ranging wildlife.
Little information exists regarding the clinical presentation of affected animals, but typically individuals show signs of nasal discharge, acute pneumonia, and lethargy. The most commonly reported lesions include severe bronchopneumonia and hepatitis. Typically, Adenoviruses are species-specific and often associated with other factors causing immunosuppression, however, skunk adenovirus-1 has caused disease in a wide range of host species as well as in animals with no evidence of underlying immunosuppression. While most infected individuals die from the disease, there are cases of porcupines that have recovered and been released back into the wild.
As of March 2020, Skunk Adenovirus 1 (SkAdV-1) has been confirmed in the following areas:
– New Hampshire
– Maine
– Canada
And in the following species:
– American Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum)
– Striped Skunk (Mephitis mephitis)
– Grey Fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus)
– Raccoon (Procyon lotor)
– Pygmy Marmoset (Cebuella pygmaea) – Captive, Hungary
– African Pygmy Hedgehog (Atelerix albiventris) – Captive, Japan
Full timeline of disease detection below
Detections of SkAdV1 in North America – Updated March 2022 (in development)
ZOONOTIC POTENTIAL AND ONE HEALTH ASPECTS
While a diverse range of taxa (including primates) have been infected with the virus, there is currently no evidence of transmission to people that have been in close contact with infected animals. More research into the zoonotic potential of this virus is needed.
TIMELINE OF SKUNK ADENOVIRUS 1 (in development)
2013 – Hungary: Pygmy Marmoset (Captive)
2015 – Canada: Skunk (Wild)
2016 – Japan: African Pygmy Hedgehog (Captive, 35 individuals)
2015 – Unknown: Porcupine (Wild)
2017 – Unknown: Porcupine (Wild)
2019 – New Hampshire: Grey Fox (Wild)
2020 – New Hampshire: Grey Fox (Wild)
2021 – Maine: Porcupine (Wild, 5 individuals)
2022 – Maine: Porcupine (Wild, 3 individuals)
