Trichophyton mentagrophytesvar.erinaceiin British hedgehogs

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Abstract
Hedgehog ringworm is caused by the fungus Trichophyton mentagrophytes var. erinacei and despite its occurrence as a human pathogen, little work has been carried out on it. The present study demonstrates that 20–25% of British hedgehogs carry ringworm, males being more often infected than females. No regional differences in infection rate are apparent, though urban hedgehogs are more often infected than animals living in the country, perhaps because urban hedgehogs live at a higher density. Ringworm is not usually contracted by hedgehogs less than a year old and the disease seems to cause no great harm to its host though chronic infections may result in skin damage and disfiguratioin. T. mentagrophytes var. erinacei is here reported from French hedgehogs for the first time.