From visible cutaneous pathologies to a lesional photographic guide of the Common Hamster in Alsace

• Main Authors: Angelo, Tom, Decors, Anouk, Risco-Castillo, Veronica, Le Loc'H, Guillaume, Fleitz, Julie, Kourkgy, Charlotte
• Other Authors: Service santé de la faune et fonctionnement des écosystèmes agricoles (OFB Service Santé Agri), Direction de la recherche et de l’appui scientifique (OFB - DRAS), Office français de la biodiversité (OFB)-Office français de la biodiversité (OFB), Biologie moléculaire et immunologie parasitaires et fongiques (BIPAR), École nationale vétérinaire d'Alfort (ENVA)-Laboratoire de santé animale, sites de Maisons-Alfort et de Normandie, Agence nationale de sécurité sanitaire de l'alimentation, de l'environnement et du travail (ANSES)-Agence nationale de sécurité sanitaire de l'alimentation, de l'environnement et du travail (ANSES)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE), École nationale vétérinaire d'Alfort (ENVA), Interactions hôtes-agents pathogènes Toulouse (IHAP), Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse (ENVT), Institut National Polytechnique (Toulouse) (Toulouse INP), Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut National Polytechnique (Toulouse) (Toulouse INP), Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE), Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien (IPHC), Université de Strasbourg (UNISTRA)-Université de Haute-Alsace (UHA) Mulhouse - Colmar (Université de Haute-Alsace (UHA))-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Office Nationale de la chasse et faune sauvage (ONCFS), ONCFS, International hamster group
• Format: Conference Object
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2023
• Subjects: common hamster; trichiphyton; dermatophyte; wildlife; [SDV.BA.MVSA]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Animal biology/Veterinary medicine and animal Health; [SDV.EE.IEO]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Ecology; environment/Symbiosis; [SDV.MHEP.MI]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Human health and pathology/Infectious diseases; [SDV.MP.MYC]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Microbiology and Parasitology/Mycology; [SDV.MP.PAR]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Microbiology and Parasitology/Parasitology; Lynx; Lynx lynx lynx
• Online Access: https://hal.science/hal-04634354

International audience In the context of the reinforcement program of the French National Action Plan for the protection of the common hamster (Cricetus cricetus) and the lowland biodiversity in Alsace (2019-2028), a study was conducted by the CNRS DEPE and the OFB from 2021 to 2023 to follow captive-born individuals released into the wild. In 2022, numerous wild and reintroduced hamsters with skin lesions were identified on camera traps and during trapping sessions. Skin analysis revealed the presence of Trichophyton mentagrophytes, a major cause ringworm in rodents. This zoonotic disease can be responsible of thermoregulation impairment, malnutrition, stunted growth, and reduced feed conversion rate or even death of infected animals. Also, adult individuals are often asymptomatic carriers, and hence, the dissemination of this fungal infection in reintroduced animals may hamper the repopulation results achieved by the program.To confirm the presence and the distribution of ringworm in hamster’s populations, 18 wild hamsters with and 38 without skin lesions were sampled. 61% of samples were positive. The molecular characterisation of fungal isolates is being performed. Hamsters from breeding colonies will be further sampled in order to determine their fungal health status. Furthermore, as ringworm lesions have been clearly noticed in pictures, we will analyse all graphical data gathered during a 10-year period by means of camera traps located in the vicinity of hamster burrows, using a screening method already standardised in lynx (Lynx lynx) populations. We will identify visible affections including skin lesions and we will build a guide, easy to use, that will enable any biologist studying hamsters to spot detect diseases using camera trap pictures, and therefore obtain an indicator of the global health state of their population.