肠胞虫双子小孢子虫是感染多种脊椎动物和无脊椎动物宿主的新兴病原体,已知具有人畜共患特征,因为它们感染野生动物和家养动物,和人类。尽管意义重大,关于刺猬微孢子虫的流行病学数据非常有限,尤其是欧洲刺猬(Erinaceuseuropaeus)和长耳刺猬(Hemiechinusauritus),前者被称为同向刺猬,后者适合作为宠物。因此,本研究旨在评估葡萄牙刺猬中E.bieneusi的存在。为此,来自三个物种的110只刺猬的粪便样本-E.europaeus(n=106),H.auritus(n=1),和Atelerixalbiventris(n=3)-被收集并通过PCR靶向ITS区域和rRNA的侧翼小亚基和大亚基来测试E.bieneusi。我们发现总体发生率为22.7%(25/110;95%[CI]:15.28-31.70),在E.europaeus中,22.6%(24/106;95%[CI]:15.08-31.79),100%(1/1)在金丝雀,和0%在阿比文特里斯。有趣的是,确定了三种新的基因型,全部属于潜在的人畜共患组1。我们的发现强调了刺猬作为E.bieneusi潜在水库的重要性,并强调需要进一步研究以了解它们在传播动力学中的作用并评估对公共和兽医健康的相关风险。
对Synthropic刺猬进行了肠孢子虫bieneusi测试,人类微孢子虫病的主要病因。结果显示22.7%的刺猬脱落E.bieneusi孢子,具有来自人畜共患组1的三种新基因型。刺猬可能会传播给人类/动物,保证更多的研究。
Enterocytozoon bieneusi microsporidia are emerging pathogens infecting a wide range of vertebrate and invertebrate hosts, known to have zoonotic features since they infect both wild and domestic animals, and humans. Despite their significance, there is very limited epidemiological data on microsporidia in
hedgehogs, especially European
hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) and long-eared
hedgehogs (Hemiechinus auritus), the former known as synantropic
hedgehogs, and the latter suited as pets. As such, the present study aimed to assess the presence of E. bieneusi in
hedgehogs from Portugal. For this purpose, fecal samples from 110 hedgehogs of three species-E. europaeus (n = 106), H. auritus (n = 1), and Atelerix albiventris (n = 3)-were collected and tested for E. bieneusi by PCR targeting the internal transcribed spacer region and the flanking small and large subunits of the rRNA. We found an overall occurrence of 22.7% (25/110; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 15.28-31.70), with 22.6% (24/106; 95% [CI]: 15.08-31.79) in E. europaeus, 100% (1/1) in H. auritus, and 0% in A. albiventris. Interestingly, three novel genotypes were identified, all belonging to the potentially zoonotic Group 1. Our findings highlight the importance of hedgehogs as potential reservoirs for E. bieneusi and emphasize the need for further research to understand their role in transmission dynamics and assess the associated risks to public and veterinary health.
Synanthropic hedgehogs were tested for Enterocytozoon bieneusi, the main cause of human microsporidiosis. Results showed 22.7% of hedgehogs were shedding E. bieneusi spores, with three new genotypes from the zoonotic Group 1.
Hedgehogs may transmit to humans/animals, warranting more research.