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Writer's pictureHedgehog Sanctuary

Novel Arterivirus (HhAV-1) Outbreak of Fatal Encephalitis in European Hedgehogs, England 2019 Report

The British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS) have been funding research in to a previously unidentified virus with a report written by Tim Partridge at Vale’s Vet. The research had been held up due to the Covid-19 outbreak but the research was carried out during 2019-2020 season. We had been notified of this report as we are a registered rehabilitation centre.


The British Hedgehog Preservation Society stresses that as Tim says, “It is likely that the prevalence of this virus in the hedgehog population in this country is very low.” The BHPS also note that "it is “MUCH more likely” that a hedgehog coming into care with symptoms of this virus actually has another far more common ailment." The BHPS mention that we are unlikely to ever see a case of it.

HhAV-1

Looking through notes and the report written by Tim (which relates to Hedgehogs!), he mentions that this is "a viral infection which can cause neurological symptoms and mortality". If you would like to know more, we highly suggest you read the full report (links below) on this HhAV-1 viral infection as Tim does mention "avoiding and perpetuating unhelpful and misguided inferences".




Hornbeam Wood Hedgehog Sanctuary (http://www.hwhs.org.uk)


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