Dermatophytes and wildlife: a study of the European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) in Piedmont.

The European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) is a cosmopolitan insectivore mammal broadly distributed in Europe. Dermatophytosis is a fungal skin infection with substantial consequences on public health. The most frequent species found on the hedgehog is Trichophyton erinacei. Other geophilic species – such as Nannizia gypsea – have been reported with low frequency. From October 2020 to February 2024, 305 rescued hedgehogs submitted to CANC (Centro Animali Non Convenzionali, Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin) were examined for the presence of dermatophytes. Eleven out of 305 animals, equal to 3.6% of the samples taken, were positive for dermatophytes (N. gypsea n=9, 2.9%; T. erinacei n=1, 0.3%; N. incurvata n=1, 0.3%). Seven out of nine hedgehogs positive for N. gypsea and the one with N. incurvata presented skin lesions. Notably, the infection by the geophilic dermatophyte N. incurvata, a recently described species, represents the first report in the hedgehog. These considerations show the necessity of further studies on the role of hedgehogs as carrier of dermatophyte fungi.