Prevalence of Parasitic Intestinal Infections in livestock in Kalat, Iran

Abstract

Introduction: Rodents are the largest group of mammals and act as a reservoir for many common human diseases, leading to societal health and economic problems. Due to the different prevalence rates of rodent-borne parasitic infections in various regions, this study was conducted to determine the prevalence of intestinal parasites in wild and domestic rodents in Kalat County, located in the north of Khorasan Razavi Province, Iran, in 2016. Materials and methods: The study was performed using a descriptive method on 86 mountainous and domestic rodents randomly caught using live traps. After anesthesia and species identification, the gastrointestinal tract was dissected, and the digestive system worms were separated and preserved in 10% formalin until identification. The nematodes were clarified with lactophenol and stained with carmine acid. All worms were identified using diagnostic keys, and the results were presented using descriptive statistics. Results: The prevalence of gastrointestinal worm infections in rodents in the study area was 75.5%. The captured rodents in this area included Microtus 46 (53.4%), Mus musculus 15 (17.4%), Pikas 13 (15.1%), Apodemus agrarius 11 (12.7%), and Allactaga elater 1 (1.1%). Six species of nematodes and one cestode species were identified in this study. The prevalence of parasitic infections shared between humans and rodents included Syphacia obvelata (83%), Aspicularis tetraptera (18.5%), Trichuris fossor (16.9%), Hymenolepis nana (6.1%), Heligmosomoides polygyrus (10.7%), and Nipostrongylus braziliensis (1.5%). Capillaria spp were found in 1.5% of rodents. Conclusion: The results revealed a high prevalence of gastrointestinal worm infections in rodents, with an overall prevalence rate of 75.5% in Kalat, Iran. These findings highlight the potential health risks associated with rodent-borne parasitic infections in the study area and emphasize the importance of implementing effective control and prevention measures to mitigate the impact on human health and the local economy.