R. rattus y R. norvegicus, como reservorio de endoparásitos zoonóticos en Ecuador

Objetivo. Recolectar información sobre la presencia de parasitosis intestinales en roedores, con énfasis en parásitos de importancia médica en humanos. Materiales y métodos. Se realizó un estudio parasitológico para detectar la presencia de helmintos en roedores en zonas urbanas y rurales de cinco provincias del Ecuador entre el 2014 y 2017. Los roedores fueron capturados y transportados al Centro Referencia Nacional de Parasitología del Instituto Nacional de Investigación en Salud Pública – Guayaquil, para su posterior análisis. Resultados. Se encontraron 125/211 (59.2%) ratas con endoparásitos, 13/20 (65%) R. rattus y 112/191 (58.6%) R. norvegicus. El nemátodo más prevalente fue Nippostrongylus brasiliensis (para ambas especies de roedores), y Heterakis spumosa, seguido por los cestodos: Hymenolepis diminuta, H. nana, Moniliformis moniliformis y Cysticercus fasciolaris. Conclusiones. La presencia de cuatro especies de cestodos zoonóticos en los roedores muestreados que viven cerca comunidades humanas, representan un riesgo potencial de infecciónpara los habitantes, especialmente en el caso de R. norvegicus (presento mayor diversidad de especies parasitarias).Por lo tanto, el control de la población de roedores en las áreas residenciales y las recomendaciones a la población local sobre el riesgo de transmisión de enfermedades a través de roedores parece ser totalmente necesario.

FIRST FINDING OF THE PROBOSCIS WORM MONILIFORMIS MONILIFORMIS (ACANTHOCEPHALA, MONILIFORMIDAE) IN BELARUS AND ITS MEDICAL SIGNIFICANCE

Data on the detection of the proboscis worm Moniliformis moniliformis (Bremser, 1811) as the result of the helminthological investigation in 2015–2020 of 535 specimens of small rodents of 8 species inhabiting the banks of drainage channels in the south-west part of Belarus are presented. A brief description of this parasite is given, the owner of which is a stripped field mouse. The first case of finding this helminth in Belarus (Malorita district) indicated. Special attention paid to its medical significance. Key words: proboscis worm, Moniliformis moniliformis, striped field mouse, Malorita district, south-west part of Belarus

Endo-parasites of public-health importance recovered from rodents in the Durban metropolitan area, South Africa

Background: Parasite infections of public health importance carried by Rattus spp. on the African continent (excluding toxoplasmosis) have not been adequately researched. The aim of this study was to investigate endoparasites of public health importance, particularly those associated with R. norvegicus, at different locations and seasons within the port-city, Durban.Methods: Four hundred rodents (379 R. norvegicus, 10 R. rattus and 11 Mastomys natalensis) were live-trapped at 60 sites in four locations, during wet and dry seasons in 2009. Rats were humanely euthanased, cardiac blood drawn (for blood smears and serology), ectoparasites removed and dissected. Each organ was separately processed to collect parasites. Binary logistic regression and four-way ANOVAs were used to test for the effects of location, season, rodent age and gender on parasite prevalence, richness and abundance.Results: Eight parasites of public health importance were detected: Gongylonema sp. (25.3%), Trypanosoma lewisi (22.8%), Hymenolepis diminuta (17.2%), Angiostrongylus cantonensis (15.3%), Toxoplasma gondii (11.2%), Moniliformis moniliformis (9.5%), Calodium hepaticum (2.6%) and H. nana (0.8%). Ascaris spp. (probably A. lumbricoides) ova, assumed to have been acquired from consuming infected human faeces were found in rat faeces (4.8%). Parasite species richness was positively associated with location, season and rodent age. Location, season, rat age and gender differentially affected prevalence and worm abundance of parasite species.Conclusions: These occurrence data of parasites of public health importance provide valuable information to local and provincial organisations and medical practitioners for diagnoses of possible zoonoses, and a reference point for further studies in metropolitan areas of Africa.

Research Note. Occurrence of gastrointestinal helminths in commensal rodents from Tabasco, Mexico

Summary The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and species composition of helminths in commensal rodents captured inside private residences in the city of Villahermosa in Tabasco, Mexico. Trapping was performed at each house for three consecutive nights from October to December 2015. Fifty commensal rodents were captured: 23 Rattus norvegicus, 16 Mus musculus and 11 Rattus rattus. Rodents were transported alive to the laboratory and held in cages until they defecated. Feces were analyzed for helminth eggs using the Sheather’s flotation technique. The overall prevalence of helminths in rodents was 60 %: R. norvegicus was more likely to be parasitized (87.0 %) than R. rattus (63.6 %) and M. musculus (18.8 %). Eggs from at least 13 species of helminths were identified: Hymenolepis diminuta, Rodentolepis nana, Moniliformis moniliformis, Heligmosomoides polygyrus, Heterakis spumosa, Mastophorus muris, Nippostrongylus brasiliensis, Strongyloides ratti, Syphacia obvelata, Syphacia muris, Toxocara sp., Trichosomoides crassicauda, and Trichuris muris. This is the first study to report the presence of H. polygyrus, S. ratti and T. crassicauda in commensal rodents in Mexico. In conclusion, our results suggest that helminths commonly infect commensal rodents in Villahermosa and therefore rodents present a health risk to inhabitants in this region.

Helmintofauna Gastrointestinal de Importancia Zoonótica y sus Aspectos Patológicos en Roedores (Rattus spp) en Tres Medioambientes

El objetivo del estudio fue identificar y determinar la prevalencia de helmintos gastrointestinales de importancia zoonótica presentes en roedores (Rattus spp) en tres medioambientes (granjas porcinas, zoológico y mercados de abastos) de Lima, Perú, así como estimar la asociación entre presencia de helmintos y las variables lugar de procedencia, especie, edad y sexo. Se capturaron 245 (Rattus rattus y Rattus norvergicus) roedores mediante el uso de trampas de captura viva. Cráneos, piel, carta dentaria y parámetros morfométricos se utilizaron para la clasificación taxonómica de las especies. Se colectó el estómago e intestino delgado y grueso. Los helmintos se colocaron en alcohol 70% y los tejidos fueron preservados en formol 10%. La prevalencia de helmintos gastrointestinales fue de 72.2% en tanto que la prevalencia de helmintos zoonóticos fue de 46.5%. Se hallaron cuatro especies de importancia zoonótica: Raillietina demerariensis, Gongylonema neoplasticum, Hymenolepis diminuta y Moniliformis moniliformis; estos dos últimos de mayor frecuencia en los tres ecosistemas. Otros helmintos identificados fueron Mastophorus muris, Heterakis spumosa, Aspicularis tetrapera, Syphacia muris, Trichuris muris, Capillaria sp y Vampirolepis fraterna. Los hallazgos histopatológicos mostraron disminución del tamaño de las vellosidades intestinales, desprendimiento de células epiteliales, aumento del número de células caliciformes y enterocitos con presencia de eosinófilos, linfocitos, plasmocitos y macrófagos asociados a H. diminuta, M. moniliformis y R. demerariensis.