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

<p>Rodents play an important role in the transmission of zoonotic diseases since they serve as reservoirs of these infections. A survey of ecto and intestinal parasites of the African giant rat (<italic>Cricetomys gambianus</italic>) was carried out between January and May, 2018 in Il-orin to access their potential as reservoirs of zoonoses. A total of 60 African giant rats were caught live using single catch rat traps which were set around bushes, near human habitation. The giant rats were euthanized with chloroform and thoroughly examined for ectoparasites. The giant rats were dissected and the alimentary canal removed. Direct smear floatation and sedimentation methods were used to detect endoparasites in the animals. The prevalence of different types of endoparasites were: <italic>Hymenolepis nana</italic> (33.3 %), <italic>Hymenolepis diminuta</italic> (25.0 %), <italic>Aspicularis tetraptera</italic> (29.2 %), and <italic>Acanthocephala</italic> spp. (12.5 %), while the ectoparasites were: <italic>Ixodes rasus</italic> (37.9 %), <italic>Xenopsylla cheopis</italic> (44.8 %) and <italic>Ornithonyssus bacoti</italic> (17.2 %). African giant rats harbour quite a number of infections that can be spread to humans especially in developing countries where most communities are economically disadvantaged, thus the need to properly enlighten the populace.</p>
</abstract>

Rodents play an important role in the transmission of zoonotic diseases since they serve as reservoirs of these infections. A survey of ecto and intestinal parasites of the African giant rat (Cricetomys gambianus) was carried out between January and May, 2018 in Il-orin to access their potential as reservoirs of zoonoses. A total of 60 African giant rats were caught live using single catch rat traps which were set around bushes, near human habitation. The giant rats were euthanized with chloroform and thoroughly examined for ectoparasites. The giant rats were dissected and the alimentary canal removed. Direct smear floatation and sedimentation methods were used to detect endoparasites in the animals. The prevalence of different types of endoparasites were: Hymenolepis nana (33.3 %), Hymenolepis diminuta (25.0 %), Aspicularis tetraptera (29.2 %), and Acanthocephala spp. (12.5 %), while the ectoparasites were: Ixodes rasus (37.9 %), Xenopsylla cheopis (44.8 %) and Ornithonyssus bacoti (17.2 %). African giant rats harbour quite a number of infections that can be spread to humans especially in developing countries where most communities are economically disadvantaged, thus the need to properly enlighten the populace.

Occurrence and Prevalence of Macroparasites of African Giant Rats (<italic>Cricetomys Gambianus</italic>) in a Savanna Region of Nigeria

Department of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences

Department of Animal and Environmental Biology

Folia Veterinaria

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

Occurrence and Prevalence of Macroparasites of African Giant Rats () in a Savanna Region of Nigeria

Rodents play an important role in the transmission of zoonotic diseases since they serve as reservoirs of these infections. A survey of ecto and intestinal...

Occurrence and Prevalence of Macroparasites of African Giant Rats (Cricetomys Gambianus) in a Savanna Region of Nigeria

Published Online: Jul 12, 2021

Page range: 36 - 41

Received: Jan 04, 2021

Accepted: Apr 29, 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/fv-2021-0015

Keywords
macroparasites, occurrence, rodents, savanna, zoonoses

© 2021 E. C. Amaechi et al., published by Sciendo

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

Occurrence and Prevalence of Macroparasites of African Giant Rats (Cricetomys Gambianus) in a Savanna Region of Nigeria

Published Online: Jul 12, 2021

Page range: 36 - 41

Received: Jan 04, 2021

Accepted: Apr 29, 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/fv-2021-0015

Keywordsmacroparasites, occurrence, rodents, savanna, zoonoses

© 2021 E. C. Amaechi et al., published by Sciendo

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

Keywords
macroparasites, occurrence, rodents, savanna, zoonoses