New analysis shows that disinfection is the most effective way to prevent viral contamination of restroom surfaces

Researchers find that closing the toilet lid before flushing does not reduce the spread of viral particles

Peer-Reviewed Publication

ASSOCIATION FOR PROFESSIONALS IN INFECTION CONTROL

Arlington, Va. — January 25, 2024 — A new study published today in the American Journal of Infection Control (AJIC) demonstrates that viral particles spread to many restroom surfaces during toilet flushing, regardless of whether the toilet lid is up or down. In this analysis, the only meaningful way of reducing viral particles was through disinfection of the toilet, toilet water, and nearby surfaces.

 

Scientists have long known that the process of toilet flushing can aerosolize pathogens expelled into the toilet bowl by an unhealthy individual. The aerosol plume created from the force of flushing can travel five feet or more, spreading pathogens to floors, walls, sinks, and other nearby surfaces in a bathroom.1 Prior studies have found that closing the toilet lid can help reduce the spread of bacterial pathogens, but until now, there has not been a report of whether the same is true for viral pathogens, which tend to be much smaller than their bacterial counterparts.

In this new study, scientists from the University of Arizona and research firm Reckitt Benckiser analyzed the spread of viral particles induced by toilet flushing, with toilet lids open and closed to determine any difference in outcome. Using a virus that is not pathogenic to humans as a proxy for more dangerous viruses, they seeded toilets with varying doses of the virus, flushed, and then collected samples from the toilet bowl water as well as surfaces on the toilet, floor, and walls. In a separate analysis of the effectiveness of cleaning the toilet with a disinfectant, samples were also collected from the toilet bowl brush and its caddy. The study included both household and public toilets; the impact of toilet lid closure could only be studied with the household toilet since public toilets typically do not have lids.

With the household toilet, researchers found that there was no statistical difference in the amount of virus collected from surfaces on the toilet or the nearby floor whether the toilet was flushed with the lid up or down. Viral contamination of the surrounding walls was minimal in both cases, while the toilet seat was the most contaminated surface. Similar patterns of contamination were observed with the public toilet.

The study also reviewed the effects of cleaning the toilet, both with and without disinfectant. Cleaning with only the brush left behind substantial contamination, but cleaning the toilet bowl with a disinfectant and brush significantly reduced the amount of virus found in the toilet. Results show that adding disinfectant to the toilet bowl before flushing or using disinfectant dispensers in the toilet tank were both effective ways to reduce contamination from flushing.

“In healthcare settings, any potential means of pathogen transmission must be addressed to keep all of our patients — including the most vulnerable, such as immunocompromised individuals — as healthy as possible,” said Charles P. Gerba, PhD, professor of virology at the University of Arizona and senior author of this study. “With results showing that closing toilet lids has no meaningful impact on preventing the spread of viral particles, our study highlights the importance of regular disinfection of toilets to reduce contamination and prevent the spread of viruses.”

Additional findings from the study include:

• Cleaning with a disinfectant and brush reduced viral contamination on the toilet by more than 99.99% and on the brush by 97.64%.
• Closing the toilet lid may alter the direction of the aerosol plume. In this study, floor surfaces in front of and to the left of the toilet were more contaminated after flushing with a closed lid than with an open lid, and floor surfaces to the right of the toilet were less contaminated.
• These findings extend to households. When one member of a household is sick, particularly with an infection that causes gastroenteritis, the regular incorporation of a disinfectant during cleaning or prior to flushing may help reduce the spread of infection to others in the household.

“This study helps establish a clearer understanding of how pathogens spread and the measures we can take to break those chains of transmission,” said Tania Bubb, PhD, RN, CIC, FAPIC, 2024 APIC president. “It also underscores the importance of regular disinfection of surfaces in healthcare settings for reducing the spread of viral infections.”

References

1. Crimaldi JP, True AC, Linden KG, Hernandez MT, Larsen LT, Pauls AK. Commercial toilets emit energetic and rapidly spreading aerosol plumes. Sci Rep. 2022;12:20493. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-24686-5.

About APIC

Founded in 1972, the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) is the leading association for infection preventionists and epidemiologists. With more than 15,000 members, APIC advances the science and practice of infection prevention and control. APIC carries out its mission through research, advocacy, and patient safety; education, credentialing, and certification; and fostering development of the infection prevention and control workforce of the future. Together with our members and partners, we are working toward a safer world through the prevention of infection. Join us and learn more at apic.org.

About AJIC

As the official peer-reviewed journal of APIC, The American Journal of Infection Control (AJIC) is the foremost resource on infection control, epidemiology, infectious diseases, quality management, occupational health, and disease prevention. Published by Elsevier, AJIC also publishes infection control guidelines from APIC and the CDC. AJIC is included in Index Medicus and CINAHL. Visit AJIC at ajicjournal.org.

NOTES FOR EDITORS

“Impacts of lid closure during toilet flushing and of toilet bowl cleaning on viral contamination of surfaces in United States restrooms,” by Madison P. Goforth, Stephanie A. Boone, Justin Clark, Priscilla B. Valenzuela, Julie McKinney, M. Khalid Ijaz, and Charles P. Gerba, was published online in AJIC on January 25, 2024. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajic.2023.11.020

AUTHORS

Charles P. Gerba, PhD (Corresponding author: gerba@arizona.edu), University of Arizona

Madison P. Goforth, PhD, University of Arizona

Stephanie A. Boone, PhD, University of Arizona

Justin Clark, MS, University of Arizona

Priscilla B. Valenzuela, MS, University of Arizona

Julie McKinney, PhD, Reckitt Benckiser LLC

M. Khalid Ijaz, DVM, MSc (Honors), PhD, FRSPH, Reckitt Benckiser LLC

 

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JOURNAL

American Journal of Infection Control

DOI

10.1016/j.ajic.2023.11.020 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Experimental study

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Not applicable

ARTICLE TITLE

Impacts of lid closure during toilet flushing and of toilet bowl cleaning on viral contamination of surfaces in United States restrooms

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

25-Jan-2024

COI STATEMENT

Drs. Julie McKinney and M. Khalid Ijaz are engaged in R&D at Reckitt Benckiser LLC. The other authors declare no competing interests. Funding/support: This study was funded by a grant to the University of Arizona from Reckitt Benckiser.

 

79% of Canadians support the therapeutic use of psilocybin for people at the end of life

Peer-Reviewed Publication

UNIVERSITÉ LAVAL

Québec City, January 23, 2024—Nearly 4 out of 5 Canadians believe that the use of psilocybin, the active ingredient in hallucinogenic mushrooms, is an acceptable medical approach to treat existential distress in patients suffering from a serious and incurable disease. This is the main conclusion of an online survey of 2,800 people conducted by a research team led by Michel Dorval, professor at Université Laval's Faculty of Pharmacy and researcher at the CHU de Québec-Université Laval Research Center. The results have just been published in the journal Palliative Medicine.

The main objective of the survey was to measure the degree of social acceptability of this intervention when delivered by healthcare professionals. “Studies have already shown that psilocybin, combined with psychotherapy, produces rapid, robust and lasting anxiolytic and antidepressant effects in patients suffering from advanced cancer, reminds Professor Dorval. This substance can bring about a profound awareness that leads the patient to view existence from a different perspective. Treatment with psilocybin, combined with psychotherapy, can produce relief for up to six months.”

Canadian law currently prohibits the production, sale or possession of psilocybin. Since January 2022, however, a special access program has made it possible to obtain an exemption from Health Canada for medical or scientific reasons. A doctor can apply on behalf of a patient if psychotherapy, antidepressants or anxiolytics have failed, or if the patient's condition requires urgent intervention.

Researchers surveyed 1,000 residents of Québec and 1,800 residents of Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia to find out their opinion on the potential easing of rules surrounding the medical use of psilocybin. Analysis of their answers shows that 79% of respondents consider psilocybin-assisted therapy a reasonable medical choice to treat existential distress in patients at the end of life.

“Our results seem to indicate that the social acceptability of this intervention is high in the Canadian population," comments Professor Dorval. If we consider only Québec respondents, the acceptability rate is similar to the national average.”

Support for psilocybin is higher among respondents who have already been exposed to palliative care. "Having been close to loved ones at the end of life, or having witnessed their distress, could explain this openness to new approaches designed to help people at this stage of their life," suggests Dorval.

Support is also higher among respondents who have already used psilocybin. “There are still many prejudices against psychedelic substances, says the researcher. Familiarity with these substances probably helps to better understand their true effects as well as their therapeutic potential.”

This study was carried out as part of Louis Plourde's doctoral research at Université Laval's Faculty of Pharmacy. Researchers from McGill University, Université de Montréal and UQAR co-authored the article published in Palliative Medicine.
 

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JOURNAL

Palliative Medicine

DOI

10.1177/0269216323122243 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Survey

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

People

ARTICLE TITLE

Social acceptability of psilocybin-assisted therapy for existential distress at the end of life: A population-based survey

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

22-Jan-2024

European Union funds groundbreaking research into psychedelic therapy

Grant and Award Announcement

UNIVERSITAIR MEDISCH CENTRUM GRONINGEN

 

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PROFESSOR ROBERT SCHOEVERS AT A THERAPEUTIC SESSION

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CREDIT: UMCG

The randomised controlled trial (RCT) PsyPal, coordinated by the University Medical Centre Groningen in the Netherlands, and in collaboration with HumanKindLabs, marks the first-ever European grant to fund clinical research into psychedelic-assisted therapy. The trial will investigate whether psilocybin therapy can help ease psychological and existential distress in patients suffering from one of four different progressive diseases: the lung condition chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD), multiple sclerosis (MS), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, also known as MND), and atypical Parkinson’s disease (APD).

Commencing in early 2024, the PsyPal study will launch with the aim of treating over one hundred patients across four distinct clinical sites where each focuses on a specific condition: COPD at the University Medical Centre Groningen (UMCG) in the Netherlands, APD at the Champalimaud Foundation in Portugal, MS at the National Institute of Mental Health in the Czech Republic, and ALS, jointly at the University of Copenhagen and the Bispebjerg Hospital in Denmark. Participants will undergo two therapy sessions, receiving psilocybin (the active ingredient in psychedelic or ‘magic’ mushrooms) or a placebo. Previous pilot studies have shown substantial reduction in depressed mood and anxiety in people living with a terminal cancer diagnosis, with sometimes persistent benefits. PsyPal marks the first clinical trial studying the safety and effects of psilocybin in non-oncology palliative care patients. Robert Schoevers, head of psychiatry at the UMCG and principal investigator of PsyPal notes: “We are eager to see if we can ease the suffering of these patients whilst also examining longer-term patient and family outcomes of this treatment, something that often gets overlooked but that is of enormous importance.”

European funding

This first-of-its-kind clinical trial is fully funded by Horizon Europe, the European Union's key funding program for research and innovation. Horizon Europe aims to foster collaboration, bolster the impact of research and innovation, and address global challenges through the facilitation of EU policies. Schoevers says, "We are absolutely thrilled that the EU is supporting this ambitious collaborative study. There is growing recognition that psychedelic treatments may help patients for whom alternatives are not effective, and I am very glad we are receiving support from this highly prestigious funding program. It really helps to strengthen the collaboration between researchers from different countries and disciplines, focusing on potentially transformative interventions for severe, currently treatment-resistant mental disorders.

Psychological and existential distress

All four diseases are incurable and profoundly life-altering, leading to a loss of autonomy and severe psychological distress. Studies indicate that depression and anxiety symptoms affect 34% to 80% of individuals across these conditions, emphasising the pressing need for innovative interventions. The impact of life-limiting or life-threatening illnesses on one's physical, emotional, social, and spiritual well-being is profound. While some experience personal growth, others are confronted with a multitude of existential struggles, such as loss of hope and meaning, changes in family and societal roles, and feelings of burden. Consequently, depression, anxiety, demoralisation, and decreased quality of life are highly prevalent among these patients. Conventional interventions often fall short for these palliative care patients. This necessitates the need for innovative and effective treatments, such as psilocybin therapy.

Innovative therapeutic approach

Recent research in psychedelic science, particularly centred on psilocybin, has demonstrated promising therapeutic outcomes for individuals grappling with depression and spiritual distress due to incurable illnesses, such as cancer. Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy, which integrates the use of psilocybin in a secure setting alongside professional psychological support, is introducing an innovative therapeutic approach that addresses not just symptoms of depression and anxiety but also promotes spiritual well-being and quality of life in palliative care patients. PsyPal combines psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy to address these deep-seated human needs in these terminal conditions. Beyond immediate clinical outcomes, it targets sustained well-being for patients and their families post-psilocybin treatment. Using peer support and online tools, the project aims to enhance coping mechanisms and alleviate distress as people approach the end of their lives.

Collaborative and interdisciplinary consortium

This pioneering approach results in not just a clinical trial, but an interdisciplinary partnership consisting of 19 collaborating European organisations from 9 different countries. The consortium brings together a wide variety of specialists, including psychiatrists, palliative care physicians, psychologists, and experts in psilocybin therapy, alongside researchers focusing on spiritual care and representatives from religious institutions.

PsyPal Partners

The following organisations are part of the PsyPal consortium (listed alphabetically): 29k, A+ Science, Bispebjerg Hospital, Champalimaud Foundation, European Association for Palliative Care (EAPC), European Federation of Neurological Associations (EFNA), European Psychiatric Association (EPA), HumanKindLabs, IESE Business School, Lung Alliance Netherlands, Madopa, National Institute of Mental Health in the Czech Republic, Norrsken Mind, OPEN Foundation, University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG), University of Copenhagen, University of Groningen, University of Stockholm, Uppsala University. In addition, the PsyPal consortium will be also actively engaging with PAREA (the Psychedelic Access and Research Europe Alliance).

The partners in the research consortium are committed to upholding the highest ethical standards in clinical and research practices, as laid out in the Horizon Europe regulation. Furthermore, the consortium will adhere to any requirements or recommendations from ethics committees and the regulatory authorities.

 

Disclaimer - PsyPal is funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the Health and Digital Executive Agency. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

 

New coffee snake species discovered in Ecuador’s cloud forests

Peer-Reviewed Publication

PENSOFT PUBLISHERS

 

IMAGE: 

NINIA GUYTUDORI

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CREDIT: ALEJANDRO ARTEAGA

Researchers of Khamai Foundation and Liberty University have discovered a new species of coffee snake endemic to the cloud forests of northwestern Ecuador.

Biologist Alejandro Arteaga first found the snake in Ecuador’s Pichincha province, while looking for animals to include in a book on the Reptiles of Ecuador.

“This is species number 30 that I have discovered, out of a target of 100,” he says.

Like other coffee snakes, Tudors’s Coffee-Snake often inhabits coffee plantations, especially in areas where its cloud forest habitat has been destroyed. It is endemic to the Pacific slopes of the Andes in northwestern Ecuador, where it lives at elevations of between 1,000 and 1,500 m above sea level.

While it faces no major immediate extinction threats, some of its populations are likely to be declining due to deforestation by logging and large-scale mining.

The researchers hope that its discovery will highlight the importance of preserving the cloud forest ecosystem, and focus research attention on human-modified habitats that surround it such as coffee plantations and pastures.

The name of the new snake species honors Guy Tudor, “an all-around naturalist and scientific illustrator with a deep fondness for birds and all animals, in recognition of the impact he has had on the conservation of South America’s birds through his artistry,” the researchers write in their paper, which was recently published in Evolutionary Systematics.

“We are trying to raise funds for conservation through the naming of new species. This one helped us protect Buenaventura Reserve.

Original source:

Arteaga A, Harris KJ (2023) A new species of Ninia (Serpentes, Colubridae) from western Ecuador and revalidation of N. schmidti. Evolutionary Systematics 7(2): 317-334. https://doi.org/10.3897/evolsyst.7.112476

Ninia guytudori from Santa Lucía Cloud Forest Reserve, Pichincha province

Photographs of some specimens of Ninia guytudori: top, from Santa Lucía Cloud Forest Reserve, Pichincha province. Bottom, from Río Manduriacu Reserve, Imbabura province.

JOURNAL

Evolutionary Systematics

DOI

10.3897/evolsyst.7.112476 

ARTICLE TITLE

A new species of Ninia (Serpentes, Colubridae) from western Ecuador and revalidation of N. schmidti

 

Complex green organisms emerged a billion years ago

Research team led by Göttingen University investigates the emergence of multicellularity

Peer-Reviewed Publication

UNIVERSITY OF GÖTTINGEN

 

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LIQUID SAMPLES OF DIFFERENT ALGAL SPECIES INVESTIGATED IN THE STUDY, ALL STORED IN THE CULTURE COLLECTION OF ALGAE AT GÖTTINGEN UNIVERSITY.

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CREDIT: TATYANA DARIENKO

Of all the organisms that photosynthesize, land plants have the most complex bodies. How did this morphology emerge? A team of scientists led by the University of Göttingen has taken a deep dive into the evolutionary history of morphological complexity in streptophytes, which include land plants and many green algae. Their research allowed them to go back in time to investigate lineages that emerged long before land plants existed. Their results revise the understanding of the relationships of a group of filamentous algal land colonizers much older than land plants. Using modern gene sequencing data, researchers pinpoint the emergence of multicellularity to almost a billion years ago. The results were published in the journal Current Biology.

 

The study focused on Klebsormidiophyceae, a class of green algae known for its ability to colonize diverse habitats worldwide. The team of researchers conducted extensive sampling, investigating habitats ranging from streams, rivers, and lake shores to bogs, soil, natural rocks, tree bark, acidic post-mining sites, sand dunes, urban walls, and building façades. "It's really fascinating that these tiny robust little organisms have such a high diversity in their morphology and also are extremely well adapted to live in sometimes very harsh environments,” says Dr Tatyana Darienko, University of Göttingen’s Institute for Microbiology and Genetics. This comprehensive sampling aimed to create a global distribution map for Klebsormidiophyceae, emphasizing their adaptability, ecological significance, and hidden diversity. Based on genetic data calibrated by fossils, the researchers performed “molecular clock analyses”.

While delving into the complex evolutionary history of Klebsormidiophyceae, the researchers faced challenges in resolving phylogenetic relationships using traditional markers. To overcome this, they employed hundreds of genes obtained from the transcriptomes of 24 isolates from different continents and habitats. “Our approach, known as phylogenomics, was to reconstruct the evolutionary history taking into account whole genomes or large fractions of genomes,” explains Dr Iker Irisarri, Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change. “This extremely powerful method can reconstruct evolutionary relationships with very high precision.”

Their research revealed a new phylogenomic tree of life for Klebsormidiophyceae which is divided into three orders. “This deep dive into the phylogenomic framework and our molecular clock unveiled Klebsormidiophyceae’s ancient ancestor – a multicellular entity thriving millions of years ago whose descendants began to split into three distinct branches over 800 million years ago,” says Maaike Bierenbroodspot, PhD researcher in Applied Bioinformatics, University of Göttingen. These results were used to explore the evolutionary history of multicellularity within streptophytes. The study showed that an ancient common ancestor of land plants, other streptophyte algae, and Klebsormidiophyceae was already multicellular. Professor Jan de Vries, Göttingen University’s Institute for Microbiology and Genetics, concludes: “This finding sheds light on the genetic potential for multicellularity among streptophytes, indicating an ancient origin for this crucial trait almost a billion years ago.”

 

Original publication: Bierenbroodspot et al. “Phylogenomic insights into the first multicellular streptophyte”, Current Biology (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.12.070

 

Microscope image of the filamentous alga Klebsormidium crenulatum, a land-dwelling alga that is very dessication resistant due to its thick cell wall. (scale is 10 µm, corresponding to 0.01 mm)

Microscope image of the multicellular alga Streptosarcina arenaria, another terrestrial alga, which inhabits dry and tropical areas. (scale is 10 µm, corresponding to 0.01 mm)

CREDIT

Tatyana Darienko

 

Gulls swap natural for urban habitats, machine-learning study finds

Peer-Reviewed Publication

UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA FAIRBANKS

A recent study published in Ecological Informatics by a team of University of Alaska Fairbanks researchers has used artificial intelligence to further illuminate a habitat swap among short-billed gulls.

Typically gulls live along coastlines and near water sources such as rivers. They feed on bugs and other small mammals, fish or birds.

The team found that from May-August, short-billed gulls occupied areas that have typically been the haunts of scavenging ravens. Those include supermarket and fast-food restaurant parking lots and other human-made structures, such as industrial gravel pads and garbage dumpsters.

The study is the first of its kind to compile a three-year dataset using a citizen science-based, opportunistic research method to include a large sample of gulls and other sub-Arctic birds in urban Alaska. The study provides a current snapshot of the habitat shift to an urban landscape.

UAF professor Falk Huettmann, first author on the paper, and his team used artificial intelligence modeling that was given predictors — environmental variables for specific locations — to extrapolate information about the gull occurrences. A similar, earlier study analyzed the distribution of the great gray owl.

In this study, researchers used U.S. census data as well as urban municipality data, such as distances to roads, restaurants, waterways and waste transfer stations.  

“Using socioeconomic datasets like the U.S. census is a real game-changer,” said Moriz Steiner, a graduate student in Huettmann’s lab. “It allows us to mirror the real-world environment and simulate a situation as true to nature as possible by including them as variables in the models.”

The findings indicate that the gulls’ transition from natural habitats to a more urban landscape is spurred by the availability of human food, as well as industrial changes.

“They are exploiting the waste opportunity left behind by humans,” said Huettmann, who is associated with UAF’s Institute of Arctic Biology.

Short-billed gulls, known as mew gulls until 2021, are omnivorous and highly adaptable. While gulls can find more food in garbage dumps and gravel pits, the food is often bad for longevity and can even cause death. Easily available food from avian “dumpster diving,” especially at fast-food restaurants, can prove lethal to the birds due to high quantities of salt, fat, sugar, grease and contaminants.

Gulls are also good indicators of disease in an ecosystem.

The team found an increase of disease hosts where the gulls congregate, sometimes up to 200 birds at each locale, in summer. Gulls spread infectious diseases such as avian influenza and salmonella, which can be transferred to humans. According to an unrelated Bione.org study , the first recorded outbreak of gull-linked salmonella occurred in 1959  and was recorded in North America in Ketchikan.

“Gulls are known as the leading vectors of diseases. They suffer overwhelmingly from bird influenza. What we demonstrate in the maps are essentially disease reservoirs which happen to coincide with human development,” said Huettmann, who also has an appointment in the UAF College of Natural Science and Mathematics.

For Huettmann, these studies are just further indication that what is referred to as “wildlife” is changing.

“This kind of information is providing a more holistic picture of how man-made influence on the environment is changing what we otherwise know as natural. Using machine learning will help us, hopefully, to advocate for improved wildlife conservation,” Huettmann said.

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JOURNAL

Ecological Informatics

DOI

10.1016/j.ecoinf.2023.102364 

ARTICLE TITLE

Model-based prediction of a vacant summer niche in a subarctic urbanscape: A multi-year open access data analysis of a ‘niche swap’ by short-billed Gulls

 

New research into hedgehogs injured by robotic lawn mowers discovers a significant but solvable animal welfare and conservation problem

Peer-Reviewed Publication

LEIBNIZ INSTITUTE FOR ZOO AND WILDLIFE RESEARCH (IZW)

 

IMAGE: 

HEDGEHOG WITH CUT INJURIES FOUND IN A GERMAN PRIVATE GARDEN. 

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CREDIT: PHOTO BY EDITHA SCHNEIDER

Scientists from the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (Leibniz-IZW) analysed 370 documented cases of hedgehogs being injured (cut) by electric gardening tools in Germany. Almost half of the hedgehogs found between June 2022 and September 2023 did not survive the injuries. The data reveal a serious animal welfare and conservation issue for these specially protected animals, as most hedgehogs were only found hours or even days after the accidents. In two further studies, an international team of scientists analysed how hedgehogs behaviourally respond to an approaching robotic lawn mower. The observed behavioural responses were used to develop a scientifically sound, standardised safety test to protect hedgehogs for robotic devices. The three scientific papers are published in the special issue “Applied Hedgehog Conservation Research” of the scientific journal “Animals”.

Since September 2022, the Leibniz-IZW has collected reports of hedgehogs with injuries caused by cuts from electric gardening tools via a closed Facebook page in collaboration with hedgehog rescue centres. The cases are becoming more frequent, placing an enormous burden on many hedgehog rescue centres and tying up important resources, as the injured hedgehogs often require an above-average amount of care and treatment. Almost half of the animals found and reported (at 47%) did not survive the injury, but had to be euthanised or died during care.

“The analysis of the 370 cases reported across Germany showed that there is not a single day of the week on which hedgehogs suffer cuts particularly rarely or particularly often. This is a clear indication that robotic lawn mowers – whose sales figures are increasing year on year – are often the cause of these injuries, as these devices are the only ones that can legally be used on a Sunday”, says Dr Anne Berger from the Leibniz-IZW, who led the scientific study. The rescue centres also report a steady increase in the number of cases of injured hedgehogs, which indicates a growing conservation problem in the context of declining hedgehog populations in Germany. “On the one hand, we suspect that a high number of cases of injured or deceased hedgehogs are not even found or unreported”, says Berger. “On the other hand, the analysis of the reported cases demonstrates a considerable animal welfare problem, as at least 60 per cent of hedgehogs with cuts were only found days or in some cases even weeks after the accident and therefore had to endure considerable suffering, pain and harm over a long period of time. Such suffering of animals is prohibited by law, provided there are alternatives that do not cause suffering.”

Together with international colleagues, Berger carried out two further research projects that could advance the development of alternatives to current robotic tools and solve the animal welfare and conservation problem. Earlier scientific investigations had already shown that – contrary to the claims of many manufacturers – robotic lawn mowers are unable to recognise small animals such as hedgehogs and usually cause serious injuries. A key factor in this process is therefore, among other things, how the hedgehogs themselves behaviourally respond to the robotic mowers. “Hedgehogs are shy and live hidden from us, but they are often also curious. We wanted to investigate this in more detail and carried out experiments with a total of 50 hedgehogs and a robotic mower with the cutting blades removed, which was never allowed to come into direct contact with the hedgehogs”, says Sophie Lund Rasmussen from WildCRU, University of Oxford and Aalborg University, who led this study. The hedgehogs showed seven different behavioural and positioning patterns during encounters and could be classified into “shy” and “bold” hedgehogs. “Adult hedgehogs tended to react more shyly. Also, the tested hedgehogs generally behaved less boldly when they encountered a robotic lawn mower for a second time”, says Rasmussen.

These findings were incorporated into the concept for a standardised hedgehog safety test for robotic mowers, which was developed by Rasmussen, Berger and the team. They analysed how 19 commercially available robotic mowers reacted to hedgehog carcasses. “Our results show that some models can injure hedgehogs, while others are harmless to them. Apart from one single incident, all robotic mowers had to physically touch a hedgehog carcass to detect it”, summarise Rasmussen and Berger. Smaller hedgehogs proved to be considerably more vulnerable. Based on these and other findings from the experiments, the team developed a test protocol that should eventually lead to the production and approval of hedgehog-friendly robotic lawn mowers that pose no hazards to the animals. The team advocates the mandatory introduction of such a test protocol at the European level by the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardisation (CENELEC), thus reducing the chance of injuries of hedgehogs and enabling evidence-based consumer education.

According to the scientists, this research shows that alternatives to the use of current robotic mowers are technically feasible that do not entail animal suffering. In addition, political measures such as a ban on night-time operation for the devices should be implemented and more educational work carried out. This is because, in contrast to other electric lawn mowers, robotic mowers are allowed to be also used at night, on Sundays and on public holidays because of their low noise emissions. Unsupervised operation at night is particularly dangerous for hedgehogs, as they are nocturnal and do not run away from danger, but remain stationary and as quiet as possible. If they are run over and injured by the robots, they will – if they still can – silently seek the protection of hedges and bushes so as not to attract the attention of predators, for whom they would then be easy prey. Unfortunately, even minor cuts can later lead to severe inflammation or the laying of fly eggs in the wounds and thus, if left untreated, to death.

The population of hedgehogs – more precisely the European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus), also known as the Western European hedgehog or common hedgehog – is declining. The hedgehog was placed on the early warning list of the German Red List in 2020. In 2024, the hedgehog was named Wild Animal of the Year by the German Wildlife Foundation.

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JOURNAL

Animals

DOI

10.3390/ani14010057 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Data/statistical analysis

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Animals

ARTICLE TITLE

Occurrence and Characteristics of Cut Injuries in Hedgehogs in Germany: A Collection of Individual Cases