PRELIMINARY RESULTS ON COMPREHENSIVE PARASITOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF EUROPEAN HEDGEHOG (ERINACEUS EUROPAEUS) IN EMILIAROMAGNA REGION

INTRODUCTION: The European hedgehog (erinaceus europaeus) is a widespread mammal in Europe. In Italy, it is present throughout the peninsula and is particularly common in suburban and rural areas. The frequent presence of hedgehogs near public parks and gardens (Mizgajska-wiktor et al., 2010. wiad Parazytol, 56:329-32) has led to a high level of interaction with humans. This species is an important component of the epidemiology of various parasites, including zoonotic ones (Ruszkowski et al., 2021. Animals, 11:1754). The aim of this study is to obtain an overview of the parasitic agents that most frequently affect the European hedgehog, investigating their epidemiological aspects and zoonotic potential. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 21 specimens of e. europaeus, collected from roadsides in the provinces of bologna and Ferrara between 2006 and 2023 following road accidents or poisoning. During necropsy, tissue samples from the brain, heart, and tongue were subjected to qPCR and nested PCR targeting the b1 gene of Toxoplasma gondii. Ears, liver, spleen, and popliteal lymph nodes were used for qPCR targeting a fragment of kinetoplast minicircles DNA and nested PCR targeting the cysteine peptidase b (cpb) gene for Leishmania spp. Spleen tissue was utilized for PCR targeting the 18S rDNA of pyroplasms. The trachea and lungs were collected to search for pulmonary parasites using macroscopic dissection and the baermann technique. The intestines were opened and examined for gastrointestinal helminths, whose identification was confirmed through sequencing different molecular markers (18S rDNA and COI). Lastly, skin samples were collected to search for ectoparasites through maceration in sodium hydrate followed by the flotation technique. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Four (19%) hedgehogs tested positive for T. gondii, and seven (33.3%) tested positive for L. infantum, showing the presence of the two strains circulating in the Emilia- Romagna region (Magri et al., 2022. Int J Parasitol, 52:745-50). Additionally, nine hedgehogs (42.8%) tested positive for Crenosoma striatum, and seven (33.3%) had gastrointestinal parasites, identified as Brachylaemus erinacei and Capillaria erinacei, similarly to previous studies in Emilia-Romagna region, while a greater helminth species richness was found in Central Italy and the Islands (Poglayen et al., 2003. vet Rec, 152:22-4; Mariacher et al., 2021. Animals, 11:3171). Furthermore, eleven specimens (52.4%) tested positive for ectoparasites, including fleas (Archaeopsylla erinacei), mites (Caparinia tripilis), previously reported in southern Italy (bezerra-Santos et al., 2021. Int J Parasitol: Parasites and wildlife, 15:95-104), and ticks (Ixodes ricinus and Ixodes hexagonus). This study confirms the high prevalence of multiple endoparasites in e. europaeus, some of which are highly pathogenic for hedgehogs and important in wildlife rescue centers, such as C. striatum, while others with potential zoonotic risks.