Zoonoses and other findings in hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus): a survey of mortality and review of the literature

Abstract

A survey of mortality in hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) was carried out between July 1976 and November 1986. Most were from Norfolk. Of the 74 examined, 35 (47.3 per cent) were road casualties, one of which yielded Salmonella typhimurium phage type (PT) 104. Of the remaining 39, 13 (33.3 per cent) had salmonellosis due to S enteritidis PT 11. This organism, which appears to be common and widespread in hedgehogs in England was found in 10 separate incidents. The only other zoonosis was ringworm (Trichophyton erinacei infection). Other findings included ectoparasitic infestations with mange mites (Caparinia tripilis), fleas (Archaeopsylla erinacei) and ticks (Ixodes hexagonus). Helminths comprised Crenosoma striatum lungworms (associated with Bordetella bronchiseptica infection in one animal), intestinal nematodes (Capillaria species), cestodes (Rodentolepis erinacei), trematodes (Brachylaemus erinacei) and acanthocephalans (Prosthoryhnchus species). Metaldehyde poisoning was diagnosed in three animals. Over a 10 year period 370 carcases were counted on a stretch of 18 miles of road in Norfolk. The major causes of mortality are probably road casualties and hypothermia during the winter months. In December 1988 S enteritidis PT 11 was isolated from three of four carcases examined in Berkshire and the zoonosis pseudotuberculosis (Yersinia pseudotuberculosis infection) was diagnosed in two of them.

Parasites of European hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) in Britain: epidemiological study and coprological test evaluation

“…In Europe, epidemiological studies on the parasite fauna of hedgehogs have been conducted in Germany (Laux 1987;Wieland 2007), Norway (Keymer et al 1991) and Italy (Poglayen et al 2003). Studies on British hedgehog parasites focused particularly on parasitic lung disease (Majeed and Cooper 1984;Majeed et al 1989;Robinson and Routh 1999;Cousquer 2004;Molenaar 2008, unpublished data), and few epidemiological studies of hedgehog parasites have been undertaken in Great Britain.…”

Ecological factors driving the higher hedgehog (Erinaceus europeaus) density in an urban area compared to the adjacent rural area

“…Lower traffic kills may thus account at least partially for the higher density of hedgehog populations in urban areas compared to rural areas. Keymer, Gibson, and Reynolds (1991) considered road casualties and hypothermia during the winter months as probably the major cause of mortality in hedgehog populations.…”

Factors affecting hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) attraction to rural villages in arable landscapes

“…Our findings suggest a two-pronged approach for hedgehog conservation: firstly, maintaining hedgehog subpopulations in rural villages, for example by improving garden management and preserving green spaces and secondly, improving the surrounding arable land, chiefly in respect to cover from predation and connectivity between rural villages. Although this research shows that residential areas are selected by hedgehogs, hedgehogs are also in decline in urban areas (PTES and BHPS 2015) and villages and face a suite of problems which were beyond the scope of this study including the following: poisoning from molluscicides and rodenticides (Keymer et al 1991;Dowding et al 2010b), a lack of habitat connectivity due to enclosed gardens (Hof and Bright 2009) and deaths on roads (Huijser and Bergers 2000;Rondinini and Doncaster 2002). Wildlife friendly gardening and the consideration of habitat connectivity in urban planning may reduce some of these threats to hedgehogs (Hof and Bright 2009).…”