Natural Cysticercus fasciolaris infection in rodents from a rural area in Yucatan, Mexico

Abstract

Cysticercus fasciolaris is the larval stage of Taenia taeniaeformis, a parasite that predominantly affects felines. It, however, has zoonotic significance since humans can be accidental hosts. Rodents and lagomorphs act as Intermediate hosts in this parasite’s life cycle. The aim of this study was to determine the natural occurrence of infection with Cysticercus fasciolaris in rodents from a rural area in Yucatan, Mexico. Rodents were captured in 40 dwellings and two neighboring areas of low deciduous forest. A total of 153 individuals of seven different species were captured: 65 Rattus rattus (42.5%), 44 Mus musculus (28.8%), 22 Heteromys gaumeri (14.4%), 11 Ototylomys phyllotis (7.2%), 9 Peromyscus yucatanicus (5.9%), 1 Peromyscus leucopus (0.6%), and 1 Sigmodon hispidus (0.6%). All animals were examined for evidence of parasitic liver infection. Rattus rattus was the only species to present positive Cysticercus fasciolaris infection (18.5%, 12/65). We thus concluded that there was no evidence of a transmission cycle with wild rodent species.