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RTarlinton.bsky.social

@rtarlinton.bsky.social
278 followers 261 following 966 posts

Veterinarian, Virologist, Australian/British (with side-forays into the German speaking world)

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RTarlinton.bsky.social @rtarlinton.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
This is a mess… an inevitable consequence of dismantling your veterinary public health infrastructure but still a mess… you don’t need a lab to make the next pandemic just a dead bird being eaten by a small carnivore
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RTarlinton.bsky.social @rtarlinton.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Sometimes you just have to get out see your research being used - lovely afternoon at the Melton Mowbray ram sales admiring ram butts and sooo many lots being advertised with their bluetongue vaccination status and Maedi Visna Free status advertised proudly (and we tried the beer festival too)
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Dutchscientist (the real one) @dutchscientist.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
LOL. The finishing touch is perfect.
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RTarlinton.bsky.social @rtarlinton.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
It will be fun!
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RTarlinton.bsky.social @rtarlinton.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
The river soar at hathern lock, parts of it are diverted for shipping canals or mill races (as here) and in the 1800s it was apparently so polluted with factory waste from Leicester it was bright pink. Nature does recover given a tiny chance…
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RTarlinton.bsky.social @rtarlinton.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Fantastic week at the European Veterinary Microbiology conference last week, very exciting having a record 7 new specialists pass their exams and join us. When I joined 7 years ago there were only 20 of us .. 100 specialists and 40 residents in training now
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RTarlinton.bsky.social @rtarlinton.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
www.bbc.co.uk/videos/c4gr9... a classic of ecological disasters …
bbc.co.uk
The 24 rabbits that invaded Australia
How one of the greatest environmental disasters in history was unleashed by the unintentional actions of one man - Thomas Austin.
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RTarlinton.bsky.social @rtarlinton.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
True this … I mean I come from a country that has actually tried to eradicate a species ( rabbits) twice with two different viruses ( myxomatosis and RHDV)… the rabbits won.
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RTarlinton.bsky.social @rtarlinton.bsky.social · 29/08/2026
On top of multiple serotypes bluetongue and schmallemberg this is going to an awful spring lambing / calving in Europe … and in case anyone wants to go on an anti farming rant this one also affects horses and deer too !
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RTarlinton.bsky.social @rtarlinton.bsky.social · 29/08/2026
Depressing and predictable … ok the disease itself can’t be stopped in wild populations like this ( protecting rare/ critically endangered species is another matter ) but not thinking through public reaction ( and health risk) to large numbers of cadavers has been a continual problem …
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RTarlinton.bsky.social @rtarlinton.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
I actually think we need professional registration for scientists (like I already have to do as a veterinarian) . Gentlemen's agreements are not enough to deal with the tsunami of fraud and terribly quality work. www.nature.com/articles/d41...
nature.com
South Africa’s scientists must register with official body or risk prison, according to draft law
Many researchers are unaware of an upcoming law that will require them to register with a regulatory body, as is the case for engineers and health-care professionals.
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RTarlinton.bsky.social @rtarlinton.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
Some of the work we are doing now on Maedi Visna wouldn't have gotten off the ground without Amanda's enthusiasm and support... her career path is far from conventional but what an impact! www.greatbritishlife.co.uk/magazines/cu...
greatbritishlife.co.uk
The Herdwick Hero receives as MBE
Amanda Carson has been awarded an MBE for her services to farming and the protection of rare breeds
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RTarlinton.bsky.social @rtarlinton.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
This sort of work is what public health should be , patient, collaborative, consistent , over a long enough period of time to really see what’s happening ( and a fantastic drop in childhood deaths to boot)
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Philip Bejon @philipbejon.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
Kilifi is a coastal County in Kenya, where @kemriwellcome.bsky.social has undertaken 35 years sentinel surveillance of malaria. Dramatic changes that I think aren't widely appreciated. Work led by @alice-kamau.bsky.social Highlights and link to paper:
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RTarlinton.bsky.social @rtarlinton.bsky.social · 15/08/2026
Will be fun ( if you are like me and Katy and Emma an eve nerd)
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Count Binface @countbinface.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
I came first in the Clacton by-election! Of the candidates who bothered to turn up for the results. Here is my victory speech!
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RTarlinton.bsky.social @rtarlinton.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
For UK farming people, 2026 Bluetongue impact survey now open. Please fill it in and disseminate to your networks so we can collate the actual numbers and impact at a herd/flock level. Its really critical right now! l forms.cloud.microsoft/e/c6V8mPgtRi
forms.cloud.microsoft
Microsoft Forms
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RTarlinton.bsky.social @rtarlinton.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
Privileged to have been asked to be a co-author on this paper discussing a really critical issue for high consequence veterinary diseases. Given all the control options we have at hand nowadays culling should not be the reflexive control approach www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/18...
mdpi.com
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Katy Brown @thekatybrown.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
Me, @emma-harding.bsky.social, @rtarlinton.bsky.social and @royalsociety.org are organising a meeting on endogenous viral elements! 8-9 Feb 2027, Birmingham UK. 2 whole days of EVEs! Many amazing researchers already agreed to speak. Invites: shorturl.at/jp9sh Provisional schedule: shorturl.at/8O5KV
royalsociety.org
Endogenous viral elements | Royal Society
Theo Murphy meeting organised by Dr Katy Brown, Dr Emma Harding and Professor Rachael Tarlinton
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RTarlinton.bsky.social @rtarlinton.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
For anyone involved in uk farming: If you missed it - link to the BTV-3 webinar from ruminant health and welfare - get your info from the vets in the thick of it, rather than your mate down the road youtu.be/UqU4-7q1rVo
youtu.be
Bluetongue virus update - 5 August | AHDB Webinar
YouTube video by AHDB
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RTarlinton.bsky.social @rtarlinton.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
If you are as obsessed with endogenous viral elements in host genomes as I am, Save the date! will be a most excellent meeting mostly organised by @thekatybrown.bsky.social (even though my name is on it) royalsociety.org/science-even...
royalsociety.org
Endogenous viral elements | Royal Society
Theo Murphy meeting organised by Dr Katy Brown, Dr Emma Harding and Professor Rachael Tarlinton
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RTarlinton.bsky.social @rtarlinton.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
For Vet/farmer colleagues in the UK - the BTV-3 outbreak is really explosive this year - please sign up for tonight's industry webinar and send in your questions. We will do our best to get you the most accurate information we can ahdb.org.uk/events/bluet...
ahdb.org.uk
Bluetongue virus update – 5 August
Cases of bluetongue virus (BTV) are rapidly increasing in both sheep and cattle. Clinical signs appear to be more severe than previous years, resulting in high mortality in sheep. During this webinar ...
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RTarlinton.bsky.social @rtarlinton.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
About time there was a crackdown on this …. At its worst this is preying on the vulnerable selling snake oil . These sorts of pressures from the desperate are a huge part of what medical training and ethics is about … you have to say no a lot. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
Undercover reporter offered fenbendazole and ivermectin as cancer treatment
A terminally ill man was offered the drugs by a stair lift salesman claiming they could shrink tumours.
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Philip Thomas @philvet123.bsky.social · 02/08/2026
Unfortunately the 26/27 season has got iff to flying start and the news from South West England is shocking and sickening. By the start of August in 24 and 25 there were no cases in the UK, in 2026 we have over 80 already confirmed with more serious levels of mortality in sheep. Vaccinate ASAP
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RTarlinton.bsky.social @rtarlinton.bsky.social · 01/08/2026
With a very large number of dead sheep in Cornwall and exmoor this years btv-3 outbreak in the uk is kicking off in a very bad way. Join the ahdb bluetongue webinar update on Wed for the most up to date and accurate info we have ahdb.org.uk/bluetongue-v...
ahdb.org.uk
Bluetongue virus technical webinars
We're holding a series of webinars to provide live updates and presentations from industry experts on bluetongue virus BTV).
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RTarlinton.bsky.social @rtarlinton.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
With BTV-3 now in the high sheep density areas of the UK we are seeing a lot of severe disease and mortality in sheep. 50 cases since the start of July means and early and hard start to the season that does not bode well. Not too late to vaccinate! experience.arcgis.com/experience/4...
experience.arcgis.com
Experience
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RTarlinton.bsky.social @rtarlinton.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
There would be a lot more of these reports if more places were brave enough to look
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RTarlinton.bsky.social @rtarlinton.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
www.science.org/content/arti... This is what we should have done, everywhere but at least the last country standing is going to give its vulnerable bird populations a fighting chance against H5N1
science.org
As flu virus threatens its unique bird species, New Zealand pins hopes on a vaccine
Arrival of H5N1 in Australia triggers ambitious vaccination program
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RTarlinton.bsky.social @rtarlinton.bsky.social · 18/06/2026
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
Bird flu kills more than 75% of baby seals on remote Australian island, study finds
Scientists say 13,000 southern elephant seal pups on Heard Island have died of the H5N1 strain.
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RTarlinton.bsky.social @rtarlinton.bsky.social · 15/06/2026
Another publication from Cristobal Castillo Aliaga 's PhD with us here at OneVirology, University of Nottingham demonstrating the feline leukaemia virus is likely circulating in Guigna endangered small felids) in Chile after spill over from domestic cats link.springer.com/article/10.1...
link.springer.com
Cross-species transmission of host adaptation of feline leukemia virus between domestic cats and the wild felid Leopardus guigna - Veterinary Research
Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) is widespread in domestic cats and frequently spills over into wild felid populations, causing severe outbreaks in nondomestic felid populations. Domestic cats carry both ...
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Microbiology Society @microbiologysociety.org · 05/06/2026
We are pleased to share that a majority of our authors would be willing to publish with us again. Publishing your papers with us is an investment back into your community, not profits for shareholders. Discover our portfolio: www.microbiologyresearch.org/our-po…
Donut chart showing 98% of authors are likely to submit to the journals again, with most marked very likely in yellow and some somewhat likely in pink.
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RTarlinton.bsky.social @rtarlinton.bsky.social · 01/06/2026
This one is a biggie in wildlife and veterinary care. It is entirely true that euthanasia is in most cases the most appropriate thing for the animals welfare (in wildlife that are bought to veterinary hospitals). bvajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
bvajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
The Wild West of wildlife rehab?
To many members of the public, and to some veterinary professionals, the rescue and rehabilitation of wild animals may seem like an uncomplicated virtue, a simple case of compassion in action. But th...
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RTarlinton.bsky.social @rtarlinton.bsky.social · 28/05/2026
As the "owner" of a 16 year old boy in the UK.. theres a few very big elephants in this room not being talked about. These kids are the covid generation - they missed a really critical socialisation period in their development and are on the whole a very anxious bunch. www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cl...
bbc.co.uk
More than one million young people not in work or education as report warns of 'lost generation'
The number of Neets aged 16 to 24 increases to its highest level in 12 years, as a major review says the figure will continue to rise without "urgent" action.
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RTarlinton.bsky.social @rtarlinton.bsky.social · 23/05/2026
Oh dear I’ve lost a swarm of bees, how long before there is a panic on the village Facebook?
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RTarlinton.bsky.social @rtarlinton.bsky.social · 13/05/2026
Even though I'm not in the redundancy pools (the vet school is mostly protected) its still a fairly grim day here at Notts....
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RTarlinton.bsky.social @rtarlinton.bsky.social · 05/05/2026
Officially in press now. Really nice study on coronaviruses in pet long eared hedgehogs with Italian colleagues. Gabriele the first author did the data analysis with us here on his bio-informatics externship as part of his specialist training in Vet Micro www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
sciencedirect.com
Sequencing of Betacoronavirus erinacei from faeces of pet hedgehogs demonstrates a continuity of MERS-CoV like viruses in European and Eurasian hedgehog species
Hedgehogs have been recently identified as carriers of Betacoronavirus erinacei (also known as Erinaceus coronavirus, EriCoV) a virus closely related …
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RTarlinton.bsky.social @rtarlinton.bsky.social · 05/05/2026
From colleagues in Berlin - more AMR in urban waterways than rural - this is a pretty common finding in waste water studies. While sewerage treatment removes (some) bacteria its not designed to filter out chemical residues www.izw-berlin.de/en/press-rel...
izw-berlin.de
Urban water bodies are heavily contaminated with antibiotic-resistant bacteria, but rural lakes are also affected - Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research
A team of scientists from Berlin analysed water and sediment samples from six water bodies in Berlin and the adjacent federal states of Brandenburg and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, as well as the in...
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RTarlinton.bsky.social @rtarlinton.bsky.social · 28/03/2026
If you are engaged in UK sheep farming please consider filing in the annual lambing survey. Plan is to use the data to set up benchmarking indicators for farms to see how they are going compared to others forms.office.com/pages/respon...
forms.office.com
Microsoft Forms
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RTarlinton.bsky.social @rtarlinton.bsky.social · 19/03/2026
About bloody time …
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RTarlinton.bsky.social @rtarlinton.bsky.social · 11/03/2026
New pre-print - this one was a really fun collaboration with colleagues in Italy with a neat finding a lot of coronaviruses reported as "recombinants" might not be (there are an awful lot of species and parts of the world not in the databases) papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
papers.ssrn.com
Sequencing of European and Eurasian hedgehogs demonstrates a continuity of MERS-CoV like viruses in hedgehog species
Hedgehogs have been recently identified as carriers of Betacoronavirus erinacei (also known as Erinaceus coronavirus, EriCoV) a virus closely related to B. came
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RTarlinton.bsky.social @rtarlinton.bsky.social · 07/03/2026
Viruses, they do what they want…
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RTarlinton.bsky.social @rtarlinton.bsky.social · 05/03/2026
About time .. note this is not actually new or even research, but its the first time anyone’s been stubborn enough to push it through the uk regulatory processes www.gov.uk/government/n...
gov.uk
New avian influenza vaccine trials begin in UK
New targeted trial in turkeys will test vaccine efficacy as part of fight to protect wild and captive birds
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RTarlinton.bsky.social @rtarlinton.bsky.social · 03/03/2026
Really sad to hear this, Robin was a a huge influence on so many of us, both his work and for me personally being kind enough to be interested in a bewildered new PIs work
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RTarlinton.bsky.social @rtarlinton.bsky.social · 02/03/2026
Now this is a right mess - how to sink your national surveillance system by refusing to review pathogen classification when a disease moves from "exotic" to endemic www.vettimes.com/news/vets/li...
vettimes.com
‘Flying blind’ fear as dispute on bluetongue testing rumbles on
New APHA document appears to have rejected calls from veterinary organisations for reforms they claim could improve bluetongue surveillance.
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RTarlinton.bsky.social @rtarlinton.bsky.social · 28/02/2026
Ah signs of spring… the cat left me a live frog in the hall this morning
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RTarlinton.bsky.social @rtarlinton.bsky.social · 16/02/2026
I'm especially happy I managed to sneak an 1802 satirical cartoon from my son's GCSE history course into an editorial on Avian Influenza communications bvajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
bvajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Avian influenza: how well is relevant biosecurity information communicated via online resources?
Click on the article title to read more.
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RTarlinton.bsky.social @rtarlinton.bsky.social · 12/02/2026
Once upon a time in another life I worked on oral contraceptives for possums … we didn’t have cinnamon Oreo’s to tempt them though
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RTarlinton.bsky.social @rtarlinton.bsky.social · 09/02/2026
Its hard to overstate just how urgent this is, we need to get vaccinating BEFORE we have lots of sad wildlife documentaries of mass deaths in penguin colonies...
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RTarlinton.bsky.social @rtarlinton.bsky.social · 03/02/2026
Done, see you all there… some real science discussion from people who know stuff ( the novelty! )
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RTarlinton.bsky.social @rtarlinton.bsky.social · 29/01/2026
The ultimate scientific accolade - your paper appearing in the "news" section of one of the really big science journals... (well ok its really Guilherme's accolade but I did help a bit....) Spotting viral invaders in koala family trees www.nature.com/articles/d41...
nature.com
Spotting viral invaders in koala family trees
Genetic analyses of koala pedigrees help to suss out virus-induced genome changes that affect cancer risk and reproductive success.
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