{rfName}

Indexed in

License and use

Licencia
Icono OpenAccess

Citations

7

Altmetrics

Grant support

M. P. Ribas was funded through the 2021 FI Scholarship, Departament de Recerca i Universitats, Generalitat de Catalunya, Spain (FI_B 00171).

Analysis of institutional authors

Aguilar, Xavier FernándezAuthorCabezon, OscarCorresponding Author

Share

Publications
>
Article

Exposure of Urban European Hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) to Toxoplasma gondii in Highly Populated Areas of Northeast Spain

Publicated to:Animals. 14 (11): 1596- - 2024-05-28 14(11), DOI: 10.3390/ani14111596

Authors: Escudero, A; Ribas, MP; Obón, E; Almería, S; Aguilar, XF; Gholipour, H; Cabezón, O; Molina-López, R

Affiliations

Campus Univ Autonoma Barcelona UAB, Ctr Recerca Sanitat Anim CReSA, Unitat Mixta Invest IRTA UAB, Bellaterra 08193, Catalonia, Spain - Author
FDA, Dept Hlth & Human Serv, Off Appl Res & Safety Assessment OARSA, Ctr Food Safety & Nutr CFSAN,Div Virulence Assess, Laurel, MD 20708 USA - Author
Forestal Catalana SA, Ctr Fauna Salvatge Torreferrussa, Santa Perpetua De La Mogo 08130, Catalonia, Spain - Author
Sanitat Animal. Producció Animal - Author
Shahid Bahonar Univ Kerman, Fac Vet Med, Dept Clin Sci, Kerman 7617914111, Iran - Author
Univ Autonoma Barcelona, Dept Med & Cirurgia Anim, Wildlife Conservat Med Res Grp WildCoM, Bellaterra 08193, Catalonia, Spain - Author
Univ Cardenal Herrera CEU, Fac Vet, Dept Prod & San Anim, Anat Patol, Alfara Del Patriarca 46115, Valencian, Spain - Author
See more

Abstract

Toxoplasma gondii is a generalist zoonotic parasite that involves a wide range of warm-blooded animals as intermediate hosts and felines as definitive hosts. Recent studies have proved significant positive associations between human population density and T. gondii seroprevalence in wildlife. However, there is limited data regarding T. gondii wildlife in urban areas, where the highest human density occurs. The present study aimed to analyse the T. gondii exposure in urban hedgehogs from the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona, NE Spain. One hundred eighteen hedgehogs were analysed for the presence of antibodies (modified agglutination test; n = 55) and parasite DNA (qPCR; heart = 34; brain = 60). Antibodies were detected in 69.09% of hedgehogs. T. gondii DNA was not detected in any of the analysed samples. The present study reports a high T. gondii seroprevalence in urban hedgehogs in areas surrounding Barcelona, the most densely human-populated area of NE Spain, reinforcing the association between human population density and environmental T. gondii oocysts. The lack of detection by molecular techniques warrants more studies. In the last few decades, the distribution and abundance of European hedgehogs have declined, including their urban populations. Further research is needed to investigate the impact of T. gondii on hedgehog populations.

Keywords

CatErinaceus europaeuErinaceus europaeusHedgehogInfectionNeospora-caninumPrevalenceSeroprevalenceToxoplasma gondiiTransmissionUrbanZoonotic pathogens

Quality index

Bibliometric impact. Analysis of the contribution and dissemination channel

The work has been published in the journal Animals due to its progression and the good impact it has achieved in recent years, according to the agency WoS (JCR), it has become a reference in its field. In the year of publication of the work, 2024 there are still no calculated indicators, but in 2023, it was in position 10/80, thus managing to position itself as a Q1 (Primer Cuartil), in the category Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science.

Independientemente del impacto esperado determinado por el canal de difusión, es importante destacar el impacto real observado de la propia aportación.

Según las diferentes agencias de indexación, el número de citas acumuladas por esta publicación hasta la fecha 2025-06-23:

  • WoS: 3
  • Scopus: 3
  • Europe PMC: 1

Impact and social visibility

From the perspective of influence or social adoption, and based on metrics associated with mentions and interactions provided by agencies specializing in calculating the so-called "Alternative or Social Metrics," we can highlight as of 2025-06-23:

  • The use of this contribution in bookmarks, code forks, additions to favorite lists for recurrent reading, as well as general views, indicates that someone is using the publication as a basis for their current work. This may be a notable indicator of future more formal and academic citations. This claim is supported by the result of the "Capture" indicator, which yields a total of: 7 (PlumX).

It is essential to present evidence supporting full alignment with institutional principles and guidelines on Open Science and the Conservation and Dissemination of Intellectual Heritage. A clear example of this is:

  • The work has been submitted to a journal whose editorial policy allows open Open Access publication.
  • Assignment of a Handle/URN as an identifier within the deposit in the Institutional Repository: http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12327/3085

Leadership analysis of institutional authors

This work has been carried out with international collaboration, specifically with researchers from: Iran; United States of America.

the author responsible for correspondence tasks has been CABEZON PONSODA, OSCAR.