Natural infection of Algerian hedgehog, Atelerix algirus (Lereboullet 1842) with Leishmania parasites in Tunisia

Chemkhi, Jomaa; Souguir, Hejer; Ali, Insaf Bel Hadj; Driss, Mehdi; Guizani, Ikram; Guerbouj, Souheila

doi:10.1016/j.actatropica.2015.06.009

Cited by 23 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 46 publications

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“…Natural infection of hedgehogs with Leishmania parasites have also been demonstrated in some other countries of the world such as Tunisia and an endemic area of ZCL in Algeria. The examined hedgehogs have been identified as Atelerix algirus , infected with L. major and L. infantum , in Tunisia and both Paraechinus aethiopicus and Atelerix algirus , infected with L. major , in Algeria (23, 24). Moreover, Leishmania DNA has been detected in the hair of another species of hedgehog, Erinaceus europaneus , in Spain (22).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Various species of rodents including Rhombomys opimus , Nesokia indica , Meriones libycus , Tatera indica , M. hurrianae , Rattus norvegicus , M. persicus , and Mus musculus have been identified as reservoir and or potential reservoir hosts of the parasite in the country (11, 14–19). Furthermore, the parasite species have recently been isolated and reported in gorillas (20) and hedgehogs in several parts of the world (21–24). Phlebotomus papatasi , the most prevalent species of Phlebotomus genus, is the predominant and the only proven vector of ZCL (13, 25).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Molecular Detection of Leishmania major in Hemiechinus auritus, A Potential Reservoir of Zoonotic Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Damghan, Iran

Pourmohammadi

Mohammadi-Azni

2019

JAD

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Background: Zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania major is endemic in 17 of 31 Iranian provinces. Various species of rodents have been introduced as the main reservoirs of the disease. This study was conducted to determine the natural infection of hedgehogs with Leishmania spp. in an endemic area of the disease, northern Iran. Methods: Fifteen long-eared hedgehogs were captured alive during 18 months study period, from Apr 2015 to Sep 2016, in Damghan City, Semnan Province, Iran. The animals were identified using apparent characteristics and to determine the Leishmania infection, impression smears were prepared from their ear lobes, hind feet, livers, and spleens. Microscopic examination and semi-nested PCR were applied to determine the infection and to identify the parasites species respectively. Results: All examined animals were identified as Hemiechinus auritus (Family: Erinaceidae). In microscopic examination, 8 (53.3%) samples were shown to be infected with Leishmania parasites. The higher and lower rate of the infection was observed in the ears as well as the feet and in the liver specimens, 53.3%, and 33.3% respectively. Forty percent (6/ 15) of the samples were molecularly positive and all were identified as L. major parasites. All the examined animals in autumn and 50% of them in summer were shown to be infected with Leishmania parasites. Conclusion: This study demonstrated the natural infection of H. auritus with L. major for the first time in Damghan City and introduced these mammals as new potential reservoirs of ZCL in the study area.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Molecular Detection of Leishmania major in Hemiechinus auritus, A Potential Reservoir of Zoonotic Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Damghan, Iran

Pourmohammadi

Mohammadi-Azni

2019

JAD

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“…It is generally found at altitudes of 0–400 m, but can reach altitudes of 900 m in Morocco (Amori et al, ). The highest altitude recorded in Tunisia for this animal is 816 m at Sakiet Sidi Youssef (Chemkhi et al, ). The second species is the Ethiopian hedgehog, Paraechinus aethiopicus (Ehrenberg 1833).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

“…Here, we studied two Erinaceidae species which occur in Tunisia because there is a need to update the distribution of these small mammals for better protection in the future. Despite some work mainly in Algeria like Chemkhi et al (), Hosni and El‐Maghrbi (), Sakraoui, Boukheroufa, Sakraoui, and Madoui () and Khaldi et al () on parasites, Djennoune, Marniche, Amroun, and Boulay (), Mouhoub‐Sayah et al () on their feeding and Sayah et al () on road mortality, no study talks of the biogeography and bioclimatic niche of the North African Erinaceidae species. Hutterer () and Amori et al () have noted the scarcity of research and the lack of protection measures of these taxa.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Distribution, bioclimatic niche and sympatry of two Erinaceidae in Tunisia

et al. 2019

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Numerous mammalian species of North Africa have an enigmatic distribution between the Mediterranean and Saharan area. In order to study the distribution of hedgehogs in Tunisia, field data were collected from several protected areas and various natural and peri-urban environments during 4 years 2015-2018 covering the all bioclimatic zones present in the country. The present work provides a detailed geographical and ecological distribution of hedgehogs with a total of 168 occurrence data of Atelerix algirus and Paraechinus aethiopicus. Atelerix algirus showed a wide distribution range from north to south being absent only in the extreme Saharan environment. Paraechinus aethiopicus has been recorded in the centre and the south with a specialisation in the arid and Saharan environment. A parapatry distribution is also shown with a sympatric area between arid and Saharan bioclimates. Our results improve knowledge of the bioclimatic niche and habitat characteristic of these taxa not clearly defined in previous research. The presence of the two hedgehogs on Djerba Island (A. algirus and P. aethiopicus) is also confirmed. Résumé De nombreuses espèces de mammifères d'Afrique du Nord ont une répartition énigmatique entre la zone méditerranéenne et saharienne. Afin d'étudier la répartition des hérissons en Tunisie, des données de terrain ont été recueillies dans plusieurs zones protégées et divers environnements naturels et périurbains au cours des quatre ans 2015-2018 couvrant toutes les zones bioclimatiques présentes dans le pays. Le présent travail fournit une répartition géographique et écologique détaillée des hérissons avec un total de 168 données d'occurrence d' Atelerix Algirus et de Paraechinus aethiopicus. A. algirus a montré une large gamme de distribution du Nord au Sud étant absent uniquement dans l'environnement extrême saharien. Paraechinus aethiopicus a été enregistré dans le centre et le sud avec une spécialisation dans l'environnement aride et saharien. Une distribution de parapatrie est également présentée avec une zone sympatrique entre les bioclimats arides et sahariens. Nos résultats améliorent la connaissance de la niche bioclimatique et de l'habitat caractéristique de ces taxons qui n'étaient pas clairement définis dans les recherch précédentes. La présence des deux hérissons sur l'île de Djerba (Atelerix algirus et P. aethiopicus) est également confirmée.

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“…papatasi as vector. Psammomys obesus, Meriones shawi, and Meriones libycus are the described reservoirs for this parasite, while Mustela nivalis, Paraechinus aethiopicus, and Atelerix algirus are potential reservoirs [4][5][6][7]. Leishmania killicki, the agent of the chronic CL in Tunisia, shows also a zoonotic life cycle with Ph.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Molecular detection and identification of Leishmania DNA and blood meal analysis in Phlebotomus (Larroussius) species

et al. 2020

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Background Phlebotomus (Larroussius) perniciosus and Canis familiaris are respectively the only confirmed vector and reservoir for the transmission of Leishmania (L.) infantum MON-1 in Tunisia. However, the vector and reservoir hosts of the two other zymodemes, MON-24 and MON-80, are still unknown. The aim of this study was to analyze the L. infantum life cycle in a Tunisian leishmaniasis focus. For this purpose, we have focused on: i) the detection, quantification and identification of Leishmania among this sand fly population, and ii) the analysis of the blood meal preferences of Larroussius (Lar.) subgenus sand flies to identify the potential reservoirs.

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Natural infection of Algerian hedgehog, Atelerix algirus (Lereboullet 1842) with Leishmania parasites in Tunisia

Cited by 23 publications

References 46 publications

Molecular Detection of Leishmania major in Hemiechinus auritus, A Potential Reservoir of Zoonotic Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Damghan, Iran

Molecular Detection of Leishmania major in Hemiechinus auritus, A Potential Reservoir of Zoonotic Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Damghan, Iran

Distribution, bioclimatic niche and sympatry of two Erinaceidae in Tunisia

Molecular detection and identification of Leishmania DNA and blood meal analysis in Phlebotomus (Larroussius) species

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