Observations on the helminth parasites of west african nocturnal hedgehog (Atelerix albiventrix) in the semi-arid northern Nigeria

Abstract

The prevalence of gastrointestinal helminth parasites of nocturnal hedgehog was studied during the rainy season of 2005. Of the 95 gastrointestinal and lungs samples examined, the following prevalence rates of infection were observed. Cresoma striatum 35(36.8%), Capillaria erinaceous 30(31.5%), Haemonchus contortus 5(5.26%), Spirura ritypleurites 14(14.7%), Dicrocoelium dendriticum 2(2.10%), Nephridiorhynchus major 8(8.42%) and Metacestoides species 3(3.15%). Two of the parasites detected (H. contortus and D. dendriticum) were classical parasites of ruminants, while the most highly pathogenic parasites identified were C. striatum and N. major. The study implicates hedgehogs in the epizootiology of helminth parasites of ruminants in the study area. More work is however needed to understand the dynamics of infection in wild and domestic ruminants.

Keywords: hedgehog; helminth parasites; ruminants; Nigeria

Animal Production Research Advances Vol. 2 (3) 2006: pp. 172-174