Turning urban wildlife mortality into a surveillance tool: Detection of vector-borne pathogens in carcasses of hedgehogs, squirrels, and blackbirds.

ABSTRACT: Tick-borne zoonoses pose a major challenge to human and animal health, driving efforts to monitor the distribution, intensity, and diversity of their causative agents. Within the One Health framework, which links human, animal, and environmental health, integrated surveillance strategies are increasingly needed. However, most studies focus on tick vectors, while vertebrate reservoirs are often overlooked due to labour-intensive sampling, the need for specialized skills, and legislative or species protection constraints. This study evaluated whether carcasses of accidentally killed wildlife (primarily roadkill) can serve as a source of biological material for vector-borne pathogen surveillance, with a focus on urban habitats due to their public health relevance. Hedgehogs, squirrels, and bl

SUBMITTER: Volfova K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12856192 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature