<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p> 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.</p></abstract>

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.

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

Helminthologia

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

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...

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

Published Online: May 17, 2017

Page range: 170 - 173

Received: Oct 18, 2016

Accepted: Feb 22, 2017

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/helm-2017-0014

Keywords
Helminths, Mus musculus, Rattus rattus, Rattus norvegicus, Tabasco, Mexico

© 2017

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

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

Published Online: May 17, 2017

Page range: 170 - 173

Received: Oct 18, 2016

Accepted: Feb 22, 2017

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/helm-2017-0014

KeywordsHelminths, Mus musculus, Rattus rattus, Rattus norvegicus, Tabasco, Mexico

© 2017

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Keywords
Helminths, Mus musculus, Rattus rattus, Rattus norvegicus, Tabasco, Mexico