The European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) is a common wild mammal in Central Europe that shares habitats with humans in urban, peri-urban, and rural areas. Thus, this species may play a role in human contact with zoonotic diseases. Here we report the presence of the pathogen Anaplasma phagocytophilum in hedgehogs and their ticks in Germany.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
BeninatiT, PiccoloG, RizzoliA, GenchiC, BandiC.Anaplasmataceae in wild rodents and roe deer from Trento Province (northern Italy)Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis, 2006; 25:677–678.
2.
BownKJ, BegonM, BennettM, WoldehiwetZ, OgdenNH.Seasonal dynamics of Anaplasma phagocytophila in a rodent–tick (Ixodes trianguliceps) system, United Kingdom. Emerg Infect Dis, 2003; 9:63–70.
3.
De la FuenteJ, MassungRF, WongSJ, ChuFKet al.Sequence analysis of the msp4 gene of Anaplasma phagocytophilum strains. J Clin Microbiol, 2005; 43:1309–1317.
4.
GernL, RouvinezE, ToutoungiLN, GodfroidE.Transmission cycles of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato involving Ixodes ricinus and/or I. hexagonus ticks and the European hedgehog, Erinaceus europaeus, in suburban and urban areas in Switzerland. Folia Parasitol (Praha), 1997; 44:309–314.
5.
HarteltK, OehmeR, FrankH, BrockmannSOet al.Pathogens and symbionts in ticks: prevalence of Anaplasma phagocytophilum (Ehrlichia sp.), Wolbachia sp., Rickettsia sp., and Babesia sp. in Southern Germany. Int J Med Microbiol, 2004; 293:86–92.
6.
NijhofAM, BodaanC, PostigoM, NieuwenhuijsHet al.Ticks and associated pathogens collected from domestic animals in the Netherlands. Vector Borne Zoonot Dis, 2007; 7:585–595.
7.
OgdenNH, CrippsP, DavisonCC, OwenGet al.The ixodid tick species attaching to domestic dogs and cats in Great Britain and Ireland. Med Vet Entomol, 2000; 14:332–338.
8.
PfäffleM, PetneyTN, ElgasM, SkuballaJ, TaraschewskiH.Tick-induced blood loss leads to regenerative anaemia in the European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus)Parasitology, 2009; 136:443–452.
9.
SilaghiC, GillesJ, HöhleM, FingerleVet al.Anaplasma phagocytophilum infection in Ixodes ricinus, Bavaria, Germany. Emerg Infect Dis, 2008; 14:972–974.
10.
SkuballaJ, OehmeR, HarteltK, PetneyTet al.European hedgehogs as hosts for Borrelia spp., Germany. Emerg Infect Dis, 2007; 13:952–953.
11.
SréterT, Sréter-LanczZ, SzéllZ, KálmánD.Anaplasma phagocytophilum: an emerging tick-borne pathogen in Hungary and Central Europe. Ann Trop Med Parasitol, 2004; 4:401–405.
12.
StuenS.Anaplasma phagocytophilum—the most widespread tick-borne infection in animals in Europe. Vet Res Commun, 2007; 31:79–84.