Professional paper
The most common infectious and invasive diseases of African pygmy hedgehogs (Atelerix albiventris) in captivity
Petra Dolinar
; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Maja Lukač
orcid.org/0000-0002-4584-6152
; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Danijela Horvatek Tomić
; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Dražen Đuričić
orcid.org/0000-0002-8013-2091
; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
*
* Corresponding author.
Abstract
The African pygmy hedgehog is an autochthonous species of central Africa and a common exotic pet in North America and Europe. They can suffer from various diseases, but the diseases that occur in free-living individuals are different from the diseases that occur in African pygmy hedgehogs in captivity. Clinical signs are usually non-specific (lethargy, weakness, anorexia, etc.), so additional diagnostic tests are often required. The most common bacterial infectious clinical conditions are respiratory diseases (bronchitis and pneumonia), salmonellosis and bacterial dermatitis. The most common fungal diseases are dermatophytosis and candidiasis. Viral diseases are less common, and anthropozoonosis, infection with human alphaherpesvirus-I, has been recorded. Mange is relatively common of the invasive diseases, which can be caused by mites from four different genera (Caparinia, Notoedres, Chorioptes and Otodectes), rarely encounter cryptosporidiosis (a disease caused by protozoa from the genus Cryptosporidium), and other endoparasites (nematodes and acanthocephalans).
Keywords
African pygmy hedgehog; Atelerix albiventris; invasive diseases; infectious diseases; captivity
Hrčak ID:
336258
URI
Publication date:
6.10.2025.
Visits: 451 *