The team at Wildlife Health Ghent, in collaboration with the Wildlife Rehabilitation Centres (VOC), has identified a new circovirus in the Flemish hedgehog population. This virus, discovered for the first time in hedgehogs, raises significant questions about the health and conservation of this vulnerable species.
Hedgehogs under pressure
The European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) has been facing significant challenges for decades. Habitat loss, road mortality, and exposure to pollutants have drastically reduced their populations. Recently, a new threat has emerged in Belgium: hedgehog diphtheric disease (HDD), a condition characterized by painful skin ulcers and linked to the bacterium Corynebacterium ulcerans.
Hedgehog with HDD lesions: inflammation and necrosis of the skin (c) Frank Pasmans
Although this bacterium has likely been present in the ecosystem for some time, the complex disease profile of hedgehog diphtheric disease suggests a multifactorial cause. To test this hypothesis, we sequenced all DNA in blood samples from hedgehogs suffering from HDD. This research revealed a previously unknown circovirus.
What is a circovirus?
Circoviruses are known pathogens in various animal species. For example, pigeon circovirus causes immunosuppression, stunted growth, and increased susceptibility to secondary infections. In pigs, porcine circovirus plays a role in "post-weaning syndrome", a condition characterized by severe weight loss, mortality, and heightened vulnerability to other infections. While these viruses are often not directly fatal, their impact on the immune system can be profound. This newly discovered virus is the first circovirus identified within the mammalian order to which hedgehogs belong.
What do we know about its impact?
Although many hedgehogs admitted to the VOC carried the circovirus (61%), this study found no direct relationship between the virus and disease. It is not yet known whether this virus affects the immune system or immune competence of hedgehogs. Theoretically, immune suppression, a hallmark of circoviruses, could increase hedgehogs' susceptibility to other infections, but further research is needed to explore this aspect.
Next steps
To better understand the role of this circovirus in hedgehog health, additional research is essential. Studies on wild populations and investigations into the virus's effects on the immune system of hedgehogs will be crucial in uncovering its impact.
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