| Summary: | 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.
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