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.与应激或营养状况相关的母体免疫及/或代谢异常，可影响子代的宫内（in utero）发育，并对子代成年后的感染应答产生后续影响。本研究以自由栖息的欧洲獾作为宿主-病原体模型，探究产前气候条件如何影响子代成年后生殖器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个月延迟着床与妊娠阶段内所经历的月度降雨、气温均值与波动，是否会对子代的个体疱疹病毒再激活率产生后续影响。我们共识别出4个具有显著调控作用的产前季节性气候窗口，这些窗口与此前已确定的影响獾存活、繁殖力与身体状况的关键气候条件相吻合，且均发生于着床前期而非着床后期。本研究表明，在延迟着床的宫内发育阶段，环境信号可引发机体改变，进而影响个体成年后对抗感染或病毒再激活的发育编程。这一发现阐明了气候变化等环境因素引发的产前逆境，如何对野生动物健康与种群动态产生影响——而这类交互作用在野生动物管理与保护项目中长期被忽视。