Molecular detection of Coxiella burnetii in long-eared hedgehogs (Hemiechinus auritus) and related ticks, Iraq.

Although the long-eared hedgehog (Hemiechinus auritus) may act as a reservoir for zoonotic tick-borne pathogens at the animal-human interface, little is known about the role of this wildlife in the epidemiology of Coxiella burnetti and Borrelia spp. Therefore, this study investigated the presence of these agents in live hedgehogs and related ticks at rescue centers in the Sulaymaniyah province (northeastern Iraq) between July 2024 and August 2025. Ticks and blood samples from hedgehogs were screened by Nested-PCR plus Sanger sequencing targeting genes and plasmids of C. burnetii (IS1111, icd, QpH1, QpRS, QpDV, QpDG) and Borrelia spp. (16S rRNA, 5-23S rRNA, ospA, QpRS and QpDV), as well. Out of 60 hedgehogs, 6 (10.0 %) tested positive for C. burnetii, showing an apparent good health status. All the hedgehogs were infested by ticks, with a total of 150 specimens morphologically identified as adults of Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato (20 females, 30 males), Hyalomma aegyptium (25 females, 25 males), and Rhipicephalus turanicus (22 females, 28 males). Among these, 4 (2.7 %) were positive for C. burnetii, being 2 R. sanguineus s. l. engorged females and 2 H. aegyptium. All sequence types displayed ≥ 99 % nucleotide identity and close phylogenetic relationship with those in GenBank. No difference in prevalence based on the gender of hedgehogs and ticks was found (p > 0.05). No samples were positive for Borrelia spp. The ability of H. auritus to harbor a nonnegligible prevalence of C. burnetii infections and anthropophilic ticks make these animals a potential reservoir of infection for animals and humans.