A survey of mortality in hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) was carried out between July 1976 and November 1986. Most were from Norfolk. Of the 74 examined, 35 (47.3 per cent) were road casualties, one of which yielded Salmonella typhimurium phage type (PT) 104. Of the remaining 39, 13 (33.3 per cent) had salmonellosis due to S enteritidis PT 11. This organism, which appears to be common and widespread in hedgehogs in England was found in 10 separate incidents. The only other zoonosis was ringworm (Trichophyton erinacei infection). Other findings included ectoparasitic infestations with mange mites (Caparinia tripilis), fleas (Archaeopsylla erinacei) and ticks (Ixodes hexagonus). Helminths comprised Crenosoma striatum lungworms (associated with Bordetella bronchiseptica infection in one animal), intestinal nematodes (Capillaria species), cestodes (Rodentolepis erinacei), trematodes (Brachylaemus erinacei) and acanthocephalans (Prosthoryhnchus species). Metaldehyde poisoning was diagnosed in three animals. Over a 10 year period 370 carcases were counted on a stretch of 18 miles of road in Norfolk. The major causes of mortality are probably road casualties and hypothermia during the winter months. In December 1988 S enteritidis PT 11 was isolated from three of four carcases examined in Berkshire and the zoonosis pseudotuberculosis (Yersinia pseudotuberculosis infection) was diagnosed in two of them.

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A description is given of the topography, type of farming carried out, and the living conditions of the agricultural community of a district in South Wales where a survey was made of the infection rate of rats with Leptospira icterohaemorrhagiae.Leptospires were seen in stained sections of the kidneys of eighty-two of the 357 rats examined (23%). With a single exception, all the infected rats were adult, but no difference in sex-incidence was found.Weil's disease occurs in this area, but no cases in man or cattle had been reported from this particular locality. Blood samples taken from six persons living on two heavily infested farms contained no anti-leptospiral agglutinins.