Mariacher Alessia, Santini Andrea, Del Lesto Irene, Tonon Sara, Cardini Elena, Barone Antonino, Eleni Claudia, Fichi Gianluca, Perrucci Stefania
Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Regioni Lazio e Toscana, 58100 Grosseto, Italy.
Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Regioni Lazio e Toscana, 00178 Roma, Italy.
Animals (Basel). 2021 Nov 6;11(11):3171. doi: 10.3390/ani11113171.
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 ( = 40) from central Italy (Latium and Tuscany regions) were investigated, along with concurrent gross and histopathological lesions. The most prevalent identified endoparasites were (45%), (42.5%) and (22.5%), in accordance with previous reports from hedgehogs in southern Italy. In few subjects, , Acanthocephalans and coccidia were also identified. The infection by the lungworm was found to be significantly associated ( < 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.
欧洲刺猬是一种与人类共生的哺乳动物，广泛分布于欧洲。该物种通常栖息在落叶林或混交林边缘，但在私人花园和公园中也很常见。尽管刺猬与人类以及野生动物和家畜接触频繁且广受欢迎，但在意大利，很少有研究调查刺猬的体内寄生虫群落。在本研究中，对来自意大利中部（拉齐奥和托斯卡纳地区）自然死亡的刺猬（n = 40）的体内寄生虫进行了调查，并同时观察了大体和组织病理学病变。根据意大利南部刺猬的先前报告，鉴定出的最常见体内寄生虫为（45%）、（42.5%）和（22.5%）。在少数个体中，还鉴定出了、棘头虫和球虫。组织病理学检查发现，肺线虫感染与支气管增生和细支气管周围炎显著相关（P < 0.01）。了解刺猬最常见的寄生虫感染及其对这些动物健康的影响极其重要，尤其是在野生动物救助中心，欧洲刺猬是最常住院的哺乳动物物种。
