Abstract
Toxin-producing Corynebacterium ulcerans, a causative agent of diphtheria in humans, was isolated from 53 hedgehogs in Belgium during the spring of 2020. Isolates showed low levels of acquired antimicrobial drug resistance. Strain diversity suggests emergence from an endemic situation. These findings stress the need for raising public awareness and improved wildlife disease surveillance.
Highlights
Hedgehogs across northern Belgium are currently being affected by an ulcerative skin disease
Despite presence of parasites related to skin disease (fly maggots; myiasis, n = 5; Sarcoptes scabiei, n = 1; and Caparinia spp., (n = 1) and pathogens related to systemic disease, we found no consistent evidence for other causes of primary disease
Because presence of the toxin gene (toxE) gene and toxin production are associated with pathogenicity in humans, these results suggest a zoonotic potential of most hedgehog-derived C. ulcerans isolates
Summary
Hedgehogs across northern Belgium are currently being affected by an ulcerative skin disease. The purpose of this study was to identify the cause of these skin lesions. The Study During May and June 2020, we tested 81 hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) that had ulcerative skin lesions and were provided by the public to 4 animal rescue centers across northern Belgium (Figure 1). We obtained 60 Corynebacterium ulcerans isolates from ulcers or abscesses on the head or limbs from 53 of 81 investigated hedgehogs; all were adult males. Evidence is insufficient to conclusively attribute the observed lesions to C. ulcerans, its widespread and high-level occurrence in diseased male hedgehogs is a serious concern, given frequent exposure of humans to hedgehogs and because C. ulcerans is the predominant cause of human diphtheria in many countries in Europe [4]
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