Occurrence of the lungworms Capillaria and Crenosoma spp. in British hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus).

Fifty-three dead hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) were investigated histologically for evidence of lungworm infestation. The faeces of forty-two were examined microscopically for nematode eggs. Thirty-five animals showed parasitic lesions--fourteen Crenosoma only, five Capillaria only and sixteen both. Infestations were characterized by inflammatory changes in the trachea and lung and the presence of worms in other organs. There was some correlation between the finding of parasites in histological sections and the detection of eggs in faeces but, neither method appears completely reliable.