biostudies-literatureLawson BGarfield Weston FoundationUniversities Federation for Animal WelfareAnimal and Plant Health Agency (APHA)Horizon 2020Research EnglandDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, UK GovernmentBanister Charitable TrustEsmee Fairbairn Foundation10298https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC9206397biostudies-literatureUnknown12(1)Following the first detection in the United Kingdom of Usutu virus (USUV) in wild birds in 2020, we undertook a multidisciplinary investigation that combined screening host and vector populations with interrogation of national citizen science monitoring datasets to assess the potential for population impacts on avian hosts. Pathological findings from six USUV-positive wild passerines were non-specific, highlighting the need for molecular and immunohistochemical examinations to confirm infection. Mosquito surveillance at the index site identified USUV RNA in Culex pipiens s.l. following the outbreak. Although the Eurasian blackbird (Turdus merula) is most frequently impacted by USUV in Europe, national syndromic surveillance failed to detect any increase in occurrence of clinical signs consScientific reportsCombining host and vector data informs emergence and potential impact of an Usutu virus outbreak in UK wild birds.PMC9206397SE0560SV3045Diseases of Wildlife Scheme871029 - EVA-GlobalMcElhinney LMFolly AJJohnson NRobinson RASeilern-Moy KFooks ARJohnston CMcCracken FBriscoe AGMacgregor SKHernandez-Triana LMJohn SKHeaver JPMedlock JMCunningham AALean FZXMasters NJVaux AGCLawson BSpiro SPearce-Kelly PfalseCombining host and vector data informs emergence and potential impact of an Usutu virus outbreak in UK wild birds.Following the first detection in the United Kingdom of Usutu virus (USUV) in wild birds in 2020, we undertook a multidisciplinary investigation that combined screening host and vector populations with interrogation of national citizen science monitoring datasets to assess the potential for population impacts on avian hosts. Pathological findings from six USUV-positive wild passerines were non-specific, highlighting the need for molecular and immunohistochemical examinations to confirm infection. Mosquito surveillance at the index site identified USUV RNA in Culex pipiens s.l. following the outbreak. Although the Eurasian blackbird (Turdus merula) is most frequently impacted by USUV in Europe, national syndromic surveillance failed to detect any increase in occurrence of clinical signs cons2022-01-01T00:00:00Z2022 Jun2026-05-10T00:59:38.22Z2025-04-07T01:56:11.498ZS-EPMC92063973571734810.1038/s41598-022-13258-2