Research and analysis

HAIRS risk assessment: squirrel Bornavirus

Qualitative assessment of the risk that variegated squirrel Bornavirus presents to the UK population.

Documents

HAIRS risk assessment: novel squirrel Bornavirus

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Details

Three fatal cases of encephalitis were reported in 2015 which had occurred between 2011 and 2013 in Germany and were associated with a novel Bornavirus species.

A further human case, also a fatal encephalitis, due to the same novel Bornvirus was reported in 2018, and an additional probable case in 2019. This risk assessment was carried out to determine the level of risk to the UK population.

Updates to this page

Published 8 September 2016
Last updated 29 July 2019 + show all updates
  1. Updated the risk assessment.

  2. Updated risk assessment.

  3. Updated risk assessment following detection of the virus in a second subfamily of squirrels.

  4. First published.

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