Diversity of Tick Species and Tick-borne Pathogens Hosted by Urban and Suburban European Hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) in France.

Abstract

Ticks transmit a variety of pathogens that affect both animal and human health, underscoring the importance of understanding diversity and transmission dynamics. The European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) serves as a host for ticks such as Ixodes hexagonus and Ixodes ricinus, potentially playing a role in the enzootic cycle of tick-borne diseases. This study aimed to evaluate the use of hedgehogs as sentinels for monitoring tick-borne pathogens in urban and suburban areas. A total of 251 hedgehogs were involved in the study, conducted between 2019 and 2021, with 144 examined for ticks and 110 undergoing ear biopsies. Using real-time PCR, multiple pathogens were identified among the hedgehogs, including Borrelia afzelii, Rickettsia asembonensis, and Anaplasma phagocytophilum. Most (96%) ticks collected were I. hexagonus, primarily nymphs and adult females, confirming this species as the main infester of hedgehogs. Carcasses obtained from a wildlife animal hospital provided an accessible source of biological material for this study. The results indicated that hedgehogs could serve as sentinel hosts for the surveillance of Borrelia burgdorferi complex, Rickettsia spp., and A. phagocytophilum in urban and suburban environments. Further research is needed to explore the relationship among hedgehog population densities, tick infestation levels, and the prevalence of tick-borne pathogens. Such studies are essential to determine the contribution of hedgehogs to the enzootic transmission cycle of these pathogens and to evaluate the resultant risks to human health.