The avian acanthocephalan Plagiorhynchus cylindraceus (Palaeacanthocephala) parasitizing the European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) in Europe and New Zealand

Abstract

The palaeacanthocephalan Plagiorhynchus cylindraceus is a common intestinal parasite of passerine birds, which can also occur parenterally or in the intestinal tract of mammals, often as an invading species in many countries worldwide. In this survey, introduced hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus, n = 183) killed in New Zealand during a biocontrol campaign and conspecifics (n = 174) that had died in hedgehog rehabilitation centers in Germany and Britain were examined for this parasite. In New Zealand, P. cylindraceus is recorded for the first time here, in the vicinity of Auckland. In Europe, prevalences ranged from 4.2% up to 47.6%, while in New Zealand, only 1.6% (Auckland 7.9%). Most of the worms occurred inside the peritoneal cavity where they had partly degenerated. Since hedgehogs are seldom preyed upon in continental Europe but often become traffic victims, we hypothesize that the worms inside them, whether extra- or intraperitoneally, contribute to the abundance and persistence of the parasite by being ingested by scavenging birds. Accordingly, we consider P. cylindraceus as a "modern parasite" taking advantage of two aspects of global change: anthropogenic promoted transmission (road kills) and the transcontinental spread of infected intermediate and/or final hosts caused by humans.

Comparative population dynamics of a generalist (Ixodes ricinus) and specialist tick (I. hexagonus) species from European hedgehogs

“…The agents of disease, such as borreliosis or anaplasmosis, have been detected in hedgehogs and the ticks infecting them (Gray et al 1994;Skuballa et al 2007Skuballa et al , 2010, as has their ability to transmit these diseases (Gern et al 1991(Gern et al , 1997. In the case of Borrelia spp., small rodents and potentially birds, are considered to serve as reservoir hosts being the most likely source of infection for ticks (Gray 1998).…”

“…Both I. hexagonus and the European hedgehog can harbour various pathogens such as Borrelia spp. or A. phagocytophilum (Skuballa et al 2007(Skuballa et al , 2010. We suggest that I. hexagonus is involved in the enzootic subcycle of these pathogens and can act as a potentially important secondary vector for the transmission of pathogens to hedgehogs then via co-infections with I. ricinus indirectly to humans.…”

“…It is the major arthropod vector of diseases to humans and animals in Europe. For instance, it is the primary vector of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) and Borrelia species (Fingerle et al 2008), but it also transmits Anaplasma phagocytophilum, the agent of granulocytic anaplasmosis of animals and humans (Skuballa et al 2010), and Babesia spp. causing babesiosis in animals and rarely in humans (Leonhard 2005).…”

An immature polymorphid acanthocephalan from a European hedgehog (Erinaceidae) from New Zealand

“…Dietary studies in New Zealand have now shown that, although predominantly insectivorous, hedgehogs also take other food types as available, including birds, birds' eggs and lizards. This has had an adverse effect on the nesting success of ground-nesting river birds (Jones et al 2005;Shanahan et al 2007) (Skuballa et al 2010). After examination of viscera, with the aid of a dissecting microscope, all specimens were either relaxed overnight in tap water before fixing in 4% buffered formalin or fixed immediately if they showed signs of degeneration.…”

5. Acanthocephala: functional morphology

“…Leakage from the lesion in the intestinal wall is partly trapped in the cavity and the ring-shaped fold but also rinses into the intestinal lumen (LE). Adult intestinal worms can pass into a different host individual by postcyclic transmission, i.e., via predation or scavenging (Skuballa et al 2010). Abbreviations: H, hook; PR, proboscis retractor musculature (H. Taraschewski, unpublished data).…”