Prospects for virally vectored immunocontraception in the control of wild house mice (Mus domesticus)

Abstract

The wild house mouse (Mus domesticus) is not native to Australia and was introduced from Europe with early settlement. It undergoes periodic population explosions or plagues, which place significant economic and social burdens on agricultural communities. Present control mechanisms rely on improvements to farm hygiene and the use of rodenticides. This review covers over a decade of work on the use of virally vectored immunocontraception (VVIC) as an adjunct method of controlling mouse populations. Two viral vectors, ectromelia virus (ECTV) and murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) have been tested as potential VVIC vectors: MCMV has been the most widely studied vector because it is endemic to Australia; ECTV less so because its use would have required the introduction of a new pathogen into the Australian environment. Issues such as efficacy, antigen choice, resistance, transmission, species specificity and safety of VVIC are discussed. In broad terms, both vectors when expressing murine zona pellucida 3 (mZP3) induced long-term infertility in most directly inoculated female mice. Whereas innate and acquired resistance to MCMV may be a barrier to VVIC, the most significant barrier appears to be the attenuation seen in MCMV-based vectors. This attenuation is likely to prevent sufficient transmission for broad-scale use. Should this issue be overcome, VVIC has the potential to contribute to the control of house mouse populations in Australia.

Contraceptive Vaccines for Wildlife: A Review

“…99 These and many other concerns have led to a cessation of this line of research for wildlife immunocontraceptives and have been summarized elsewhere. [100][101][102] One exception to this trend is a research effort in New Zealand. 103,104 Here, the vector is a nematode parasite Parastrongyloides trichosuri and the target species is the invasive brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula).…”

The transmission rate of MCMV in house mice in pens: implications for virally vectored immunocontraception

“…A genetically engineered recombinant strain of murine cytomegalovirus (recMCMV) is being considered as the immunocontraceptive vector to control outbreaks of house mice McLeod et al 2007;Redwood et al 2007). Virus-host models have been developed to explore the likely success of VVIC for mice (Arthur et al 2005.…”

Perspectives on Existing and Potential New Alternatives to Anticoagulant Rodenticides and the Implications for Integrated Pest Management

“…There are, however, many difficulties to overcome before any of these materials become available on the commercial market Tyndale-Biscoe and Hinds 2007;McLeod et al, 2007), including the need for an effective remote delivery system and the need to get a national, state, or /provincial registration that would allow the use of compounds in the field, especially given that the effects of such compounds would probably not be species-specific (Fagerstone 2002). Using viruses as a vector for delivering speciesspecific sterility proteins has proven effective under laboratory conditions, but the level of natural transmission to unaffected animals has been insufficient to proceed with field trials (Redwood et al 2007;Campbell et al 2015). Currently, GonaCon is registered in the US for the control of over abundant white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and feral horses (Equus caballus) and feral burros (Equus asinus) .…”