Detection of a pneumonia virus of mice (PVM) in an African hedgehog (Atelerix arbiventris) with suspected wobbly hedgehog syndrome (WHS)

- The hedgehog had an encephalitis with vacuolization of the white matter.
- The brain samples yielded RNA reads highly homogeneous to PVM strain 15.
- PVM antigen was detected in the brain and the lungs immunohistochemically.
- A PVM was strongly suggested as a causative agent of encephalitis of a hedgehog.
- This is a first report of PVM infection in hedgehogs.

A pneumonia virus of mice (PVM) from an African hedgehog (Atelerix arbiventris) with suspected wobbly hedgehog syndrome (WHS) was detected and genetically characterized. The affected hedgehog had a nonsuppurative encephalitis with vacuolization of the white matter, and the brain samples yielded RNA reads highly homogeneous to PVM strain 15 (96.5% of full genomic sequence homology by analysis of next generation sequencing). PVM antigen was also detected in the brain and the lungs immunohistochemically. A PVM was strongly suggested as a causative agent of encephalitis of a hedgehog with suspected WHS. This is a first report of PVM infection in hedgehogs.