Single and Co-Infections by Tick-Borne Pathogens in Synanthropic European Hedgehogs () in Northwestern Italy
Prandi, Ilaria Serrano, Emmanuel Maas, Miriam Fonville, Manoj Wattimena, Anne Quaranta, Giuseppe Capucchio, Maria Teresa Sprong, Hein Tomassone, Laura
Prandi, Ilaria
Serrano, Emmanuel
Maas, Miriam
Fonville, Manoj
Wattimena, Anne
Quaranta, Giuseppe
Capucchio, Maria Teresa
Sprong, Hein
Tomassone, Laura
Series / Report no.
Open Access
Type
Journal Article
Article
Article
Language
en
Date of publication
2026-02-04
Year of publication
Research Projects
Organizational Units
Journal Issue
Title
Single and Co-Infections by Tick-Borne Pathogens in Synanthropic European Hedgehogs () in Northwestern Italy
Translated Title
Published in
Vet Sci 2026; 13(2):150
Abstract
Tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) are increasingly recorded in urban areas, where synanthropic wildlife may sustain pathogen transmission cycles. The European hedgehog (), frequently infested with ectoparasites, may serve as an urban reservoir of zoonotic TBPs. We investigated TBPs in host tissues and associated ectoparasites ( spp. and ) from 129 hedgehogs in northwestern Italy. , and spp. were detected in skin, spleen and ectoparasites ( spp. and ). One spleen sample was positive for Molecular identification revealed ecotype 1, and . A flea-borne closely related to the zoonotic was identified for the first time in European hedgehogs. All pathogens were more prevalent in skin than in spleen. In skin, and s.l. showed a positive interaction, whereas both were negatively associated with 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.