Single and Co-Infections by Tick-Borne Pathogens in Synanthropic European Hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) in Northwestern Italy
Tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) are increasingly recorded in urban areas, where synanthropic wildlife may sustain pathogen transmission cycles. The European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus), frequently infested with ectoparasites, may serve as an urban reservoir of zoonotic TBPs. We investigated TBPs in h...
| Autores: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Tipo de recurso: | artículo |
| Fecha de publicación: | 2026 |
| País: | España |
| Institución: | Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona |
| Repositorio: | Dipòsit Digital de Documents de la UAB |
| Idioma: | inglés |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:dnet:uabarcelona_::5909d7435fecc44329feb9e697b00524 |
| Acceso en línea: | https://ddd.uab.cat/record/327015 https://dx.doi.org/urn:doi:10.3390/vetsci13020150 |
| Access Level: | acceso abierto |
| Palabra clave: | Erinaceus europaeus Tick-borne pathogens Anaplasma phagocytophilum Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato Rickettsia spp. Tissue tropism Pathogen co-infection |
| Sumario: | Tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) are increasingly recorded in urban areas, where synanthropic wildlife may sustain pathogen transmission cycles. The European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus), frequently infested with ectoparasites, may serve as an urban reservoir of zoonotic TBPs. We investigated TBPs in host tissues and associated ectoparasites (Ixodes spp. and Archaeopsylla erinacei) from 129 hedgehogs in northwestern Italy. Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato and Rickettsia spp. were detected in skin, spleen and ectoparasites (Ixodes spp. and Archaeopsylla erinacei). One spleen sample was positive for B. miyamotoi. Molecular identification revealed A. phagocytophilum ecotype 1, B. afzelii and B. bavariensis. A flea-borne Rickettsia closely related to the zoonotic Rickettsia asembonensis was identified for the first time in European hedgehogs. All pathogens were more prevalent in skin than in spleen. In skin, A. phagocytophilum and B. burgdorferi s.l. showed a positive interaction, whereas both were negatively associated with Rickettsia spp. These findings highlight hedgehogs as potential urban reservoirs of zoonotic TBPs, posing a potential risk for humans and domestic animals. The marked skin tropism of these pathogens supports the use of skin for TBP surveillance and underlines its role as a key interface for vector-borne transmission. |
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