Molecular Detection of Anaplasma phagocytophilum in the European Hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) and its Ticks

Erinaceus europaeus is a cosmopolitan mammalian species broadly distributed in Europe, from natural to suburban areas. Due to its ecological role and susceptibility to distinct zoonotic agents, E. europaeus could be a suitable sentinel candidate for many global problems that negatively affect human and animal health. Hedgehogs can work as bioindicators to environmental contamination and can be hosts for multiple tickborne zoonotic agents. Thus, people who directly or indirectly make physical contact with this species are exposed to a variety of threats. Moreover, it has also been studied as an indicator for antibiotic resistance, which was already confirmed for tetracyclines. Additionally, it was also reported as a reservoir for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). More recently, hedgehogs have been recently recognised as potential reservoirs of MERS-CoV-like strains. Among other animals, this species can possibly represent an intermediate reservoir for SARS-CoV-2. The aim of this review is to briefly expose the scientific attainments about hedgehog health, namely agents, diseases, and threats that significantly affect general health concerns and that contribute to achieve One Health principles.

Download Full-text

Tick-induced blood loss leads to regenerative anaemia in the European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus)

Parasitology ◽

10.1017/s0031182009005514 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 136 (4) ◽

pp. 443-452 ◽

Cited By ~ 27

Author(s):

M. PFÄFFLE ◽

T. PETNEY ◽

M. ELGAS ◽

J. SKUBALLA ◽

H. TARASCHEWSKI

Keyword(s):

Blood Loss ◽

Tick Infestation ◽

Feeding Activity ◽

Natural Habitat ◽

Blood Parameters ◽

Experimental Population ◽

Erinaceus Europaeus ◽

European Hedgehog ◽

Blood Characteristics

SUMMARYAlthough there is an increasing understanding of the role of parasites in their host dynamics, accurate, quantitative estimates of parasite caused morbidity in wild animals are rare. Here, we examine the possible impact of 2 tick species (Ixodes ricinus, I. hexagonus) on the condition of the European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus). For this, we tested for correlations between blood parameters of 36 adult hedgehogs from an experimental population enclosed in a natural habitat and their tick infestation over a period of 8 months (March–October 2007). We found correlations between the tick infestation and the concentration of red blood cells, haemoglobin, haematocrit, MCH, MCHC, thrombocytes, lymphocytes and neutrophils. These results indicate that ticks can induce anaemia in the hedgehog. The peripheral blood characteristics and the erythrocyte indices characterize this anaemia as haemorrhagic and regenerative. During the course of our study the hedgehogs of our population showed below normal mortality but morbidity was found to be high resulting from the blood loss caused by the feeding activity of the ticks.

Download Full-text

Erinaceus europaeus europaeus (Western European hedgehog)

An Atlas of Mammalian Chromosomes ◽

10.1007/978-1-4615-6424-9_2 ◽

1968 ◽

pp. 5-7

Author(s):

T. C. Hsu ◽

Kurt Benirschke

Keyword(s):

Erinaceus Europaeus ◽

European Hedgehog ◽

Western European

Download Full-text

A prickly problem: developing a volunteer-friendly tool for monitoring populations of a terrestrial urban mammal, the West European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus)

Urban Ecosystems ◽

10.1007/s11252-018-0795-1 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 21 (6) ◽

pp. 1075-1086 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Ben Williams ◽

Nittanjyot Mann ◽

Jessica L. Neumann ◽

Richard W. Yarnell ◽

Philip J. Baker

Keyword(s):

The West ◽

Erinaceus Europaeus ◽

European Hedgehog ◽

West European

Download Full-text

Endoparasite Infections of the European Hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) in Central Italy

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani11113171 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (11) ◽

pp. 3171

Author(s):

Alessia Mariacher ◽

Andrea Santini ◽

Irene Del Lesto ◽

Sara Tonon ◽

Elena Cardini ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Southern Italy ◽

Histopathological Examination ◽

Central Italy ◽

Domestic Animals ◽

Parasitic Infections ◽

Public Parks ◽

Mammal Species ◽

Erinaceus Europaeus ◽

European Hedgehog ◽

Physaloptera Clausa

The European hedgehog is a synanthropic mammal, widely distributed in Europe. This species usually inhabits the edges of deciduous or mixed woods, but it is also very common in private gardens and public parks. Despite its popularity and frequency of contacts both with humans and with wild and domestic animals, few studies have examined the endoparasitic fauna of the hedgehog in Italy. In the present study, endoparasites of naturally deceased hedgehogs (n = 40) from central Italy (Latium and Tuscany regions) were investigated, along with concurrent gross and histopathological lesions. The most prevalent identified endoparasites were Crenosoma striatum (45%), Capillaria erinacei (42.5%) and Brachylaemus erinacei (22.5%), in accordance with previous reports from hedgehogs in southern Italy. In few subjects, Physaloptera clausa, Acanthocephalans and Cystoisospora rastegaeivae coccidia were also identified. The infection by the lungworm C. striatum was found to be significantly associated (p < 0.01) with bronchial hyperplasia and peribronchiolitis upon histopathological examination. Awareness of the most common parasitic infections in the hedgehog and of their effects on the health of these animals is extremely important, especially in wildlife rescue centers, where European hedgehog represents the most frequently hospitalized mammal species.

Download Full-text

Serological and molecular detection of Anaplasma phagocytophilum in horses reared in Korea

Veterinární Medicína ◽

10.17221/8491-vetmed ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 60 (No. 10) ◽

pp. 533-538 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

SH Lee ◽

KT Kim ◽

SH Yun ◽

E. Choi ◽

GH Lee ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Anaplasma Phagocytophilum ◽

Molecular Detection

Download Full-text

Molecular Detection of Arthropod-Borne Pathogens in Eurasian Badgers (Meles meles) from the United Kingdom

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani10030446 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (3) ◽

pp. 446

Author(s):

Lisa Guardone ◽

Valentina Virginia Ebani ◽

Ranieri Verin ◽

Simona Nardoni ◽

Antonio Consolazione ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Great Britain ◽

Coxiella Burnetii ◽

Anaplasma Phagocytophilum ◽

Molecular Detection ◽

Meles Meles ◽

Widespread Distribution ◽

The United Kingdom ◽

Wide Range ◽

Domestic Carnivores

Arthropod-borne diseases (ABD) are of increasing interest in veterinary and public health. Eurasian badgers (Meles meles) are known to harbor a wide range of pathogens, but information on their role as ABD reservoirs and their potential epidemiological relevance is limited. This study aimed to investigate the occurrence of arthropod-borne pathogens, specifically piroplasmids and the bacteria Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Ehrlichia canis, Coxiella burnetii, Francisella tularensis and Bartonella spp., in badgers from Great Britain (GB). Blood and heart samples from 18 badgers were examined using PCR and sequencing. A neighbour-joining (NJ) phylogram was also produced. Nine animals tested positive for Babesia sp., while none of the samples was positive for the investigated bacteria. The sequences obtained clustered with other sequences of Babesia sp. from badgers from GB and elsewhere, including China, Hungary, Spain and Italy, showing a widespread distribution of this parasite in badgers. Badger-associated Babesia DNA was also found recently in a wild cat in Bosnia Herzegovina, in a wolf in Italy and in dogs in Hungary. Further investigations are needed to understand the epidemiology of this putative pathogen and its impact on the health of wild and domestic carnivores.

Download Full-text