Final models from Adverse weather during <i>in utero</i> development is linked to higher rates of later-life herpesvirus reactivation in adult European badgers, <i>Meles meles</i>

Maternal immune and/or metabolic conditions relating to stress or nutritional status can affect <i>in utero</i> development of their offspring with subsequent implications for later-life responses to infections. We used free-ranging European badgers as a host-pathogen model to investigate how prenatal weather conditions affect later-life herpesvirus genital tract reactivation. In 2018, we applied a sliding window analysis to 164 samples collected from 95 individuals born between 2005–2016 to test if the monthly mean and variation in rainfall and temperature experienced by their mother prior to parturition during the 12 months of delayed implantation and gestation subsequently affected individual herpes reactivation rates among these offspring. We identified four influential prenatal seasonal weather windows that corresponded with previously identified critical climatic conditions affecting badger survival, fecundity and body condition. These all occurred during the pre-implantation rather than the post-implantation period. We conclude that environmental cues during the <i>in utero</i> period of delayed implantation may result in changes that affect an individual's developmental programming against infection or viral reactivation later in life. This illustrates how prenatal adversity caused by environmental factors, such as climate change, can impact wildlife health and population dynamics—an interaction largely overlooked in wildlife management and conservation programmes.

与应激或营养状态相关的母体免疫及/或代谢状态，可影响子代的宫内（in utero）发育，并对子代成年后对感染的应答产生后续影响。本研究以野生自由活动的欧洲獾作为宿主-病原体模型，探究产前气象条件如何影响子代成年后生殖道疱疹病毒的再激活情况。2018年，我们对2005至2016年间出生的95只个体采集的164份样本开展滑动窗口分析，以检验母兽在分娩前的12个月（涵盖延迟着床与妊娠阶段）所经历的月均降雨量、温度及其波动，是否会对子代的个体疱疹病毒再激活率产生影响。本研究识别出4个具有显著效应的产前季节性气象窗口，这些窗口与此前已证实的影响獾存活、繁殖力与体况的关键气候条件相契合。上述窗口均发生于着床前阶段，而非着床后阶段。本研究结论表明，在延迟着床的宫内阶段，环境信号可引发机体改变，进而影响个体针对感染或晚年病毒再激活的发育编程。这一研究阐释了气候变化等环境因素引发的产前逆境如何影响野生动物健康与种群动态——这类相互作用在野生动物管理与保护计划中长期被大幅忽视。