{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]],"date-time":"2025-10-11T00:35:54Z","timestamp":1760142954353,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":47,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,1,21]],"date-time":"2024-01-21T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1705795200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Funda\u00e7\u00e3o para Ci\u00eancia e Tecnologia (FCT)","award":["2021.09461.BD","2022.15408.BD","UIDB\/04750\/2020","LA\/P\/0064\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["2021.09461.BD","2022.15408.BD","UIDB\/04750\/2020","LA\/P\/0064\/2020"]}]},{"name":"FCT\u2014Funda\u00e7\u00e3o para a Ci\u00eancia e a Tecnologia","award":["2021.09461.BD","2022.15408.BD","UIDB\/04750\/2020","LA\/P\/0064\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["2021.09461.BD","2022.15408.BD","UIDB\/04750\/2020","LA\/P\/0064\/2020"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Animals"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Enteric protozoan parasites, such as Blastocystis sp., Balantioides coli, Cryptosporidium spp., and Giardia duodenalis, may have implications for both animal and human health.Transmitted through the fecal\u2013oral route, these parasites cause symptoms such as diarrhea, abdominal pain, and weight loss. This study investigated the presence of these enteric protozoan parasites and genetically characterized them in hedgehogs from Portugal. A total of 110 hedgehog stool samples were collected. Molecular detection methods showed an overall occurrence of protozoa in 1.82% (2\/110 95% CI: 0.22\u20136.41) of hedgehogs, with Blastocystis being found in one hedgehog and Cryptosporidium being found in another. No evidence for the presence of B. coli or G.\u00a0duodenalis was found. This study suggests that there is a need to stay aware of hedgehogs as potential hosts of enteric protozoa. Ongoing research and surveillance efforts are recommended to explore practical prevention and control strategies. The results contribute to the limited knowledge of these parasites in Portuguese hedgehog populations and underscore their potential relevance to both veterinary and public health.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ani14020326","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,1,22]],"date-time":"2024-01-22T06:49:31Z","timestamp":1705906171000},"page":"326","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":4,"title":["A Thorny Tale of Parasites: Screening for Enteric Protozoan Parasites in Hedgehogs from Portugal"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"14","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8374-3739","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sara","family":"Gomes-Gon\u00e7alves","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biology, Campus de Santiago, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9742-5643","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"S\u00e9rgio","family":"Santos-Silva","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS), University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0091-2013","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Andreia V. S.","family":"Cruz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS), University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Clarisse","family":"Rodrigues","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centro de Recupera\u00e7\u00e3o e Interpreta\u00e7\u00e3o do Ouri\u00e7o\u2014CRIDO, 4470-372 Maia, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Vanessa","family":"Soeiro","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Parque Biol\u00f3gico de Gaia, 4430-812 Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6954-1919","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Patr\u00edcia","family":"Barradas","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"1H-TOXRUN\u2014One Health Toxicology Research Unit, University Institute of Health Sciences, Cooperativa de Ensino Superior Polit\u00e9cnico e Universit\u00e1rio, CRL(CESPU, CRL), 4585-116 Gandra, Portugal"},{"name":"Epidemiology Research Unit (EPIUnit), Instituto de Sa\u00fade P\u00fablica da Universidade do Porto, 4050-600 Porto, Portugal"},{"name":"Laboratory for Integrative and Translational Research in Population Health (ITR), 4050-600 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8769-8103","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jo\u00e3o R.","family":"Mesquita","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS), University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal"},{"name":"Epidemiology Research Unit (EPIUnit), Instituto de Sa\u00fade P\u00fablica da Universidade do Porto, 4050-600 Porto, Portugal"},{"name":"Laboratory for Integrative and Translational Research in Population Health (ITR), 4050-600 Porto, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,1,21]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"223","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cvfa.2019.11.005","article-title":"Cryptosporidium and Giardia in Ruminants","volume":"36","author":"Santin","year":"2020","journal-title":"Vet. 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