[Endoparasitic infestation of wild hedgehogs and hedgehogs in human care with a contribution to therapy]

In order to confirm the prevalence of endoparasites fecal samples from 127 hedgehogs living outdoors as well as from 85 in an animal home and from 542 hedgehogs hibernating in private homes were examined. 52.0%-72.3% of the animals from natural surroundings proved to be infested with the lung worm and 72.3%-74.0% with Capillaria species of the intestine, respectively. Capillaria aerophila were found in 15.1%-40.7%, whereas coccidia (1.4%-12.9%) were less frequent. In animal homes and private care hibernating hedgehogs excreted larvae of Crenosoma striatum (23.5% and 21.0%, respectively), eggs of Capillaria species of the intestine (47.1% and 37.1%), and eggs of Capillaria aerophila (7.1% and 19.4%), but oocysts of Isospora rastegaievae were found to be predominant (44.7% and 32.3%). Proglottides of Hymenolepis erinacei and eggs of Brachylaemus erinacei appeared only in the faeces of 3 and 2 hedgehogs, respectively. Helminths of the lung and gut were already found in May, therefore it must be concluded that these parasites are able to survive the winter in the host during the hibernation period. Even young hedgehogs (400-500 g) were infected with Crenosoma and/or Capillaria spp. of the intestine, however, compared with the adults the excretion of eggs and larvae was rather low. The antiparasitic agent Ivermectin (0.3 mg/100 g body-weight) was effective against Crenosoma striatum (efficacy: 95.9%) and Capillaria spp. (100%); therefore it can be recommended as a new, well tolerated anthelmintic against nematodes of the hedgehog.