Rats and their helminth parasites: Potential zoonosis threats of land use change in the northeastern sub-watersheds of Mount Makiling, Laguna, Philippines

The continuous challenges of land use change have brought potential threats to biodiversity and the spread of zoonotic diseases. In this study, synanthropic rodents and their helminth parasites were used as sentinels to assess the potential impact of land use on zoonosis. Rats were collected in different ecosystems, namely agricultural, agroforest, and residential areas in the northeastern sub-watersheds of Mount Makiling, Laguna, Philippines. Three (3) species of rats were captured, namely, Rattus tanezumi, Rattus norvegicus, and Rattus exulans. Of the total 180 rats collected, 92.7 % were found infected with helminth parasites, namely Hymenolepis diminuta, Hymenolepis nana, Taenia pisiformis, and Strobilocercus fasciolaris (cestodes); Angiostrongylus cantonensis, Nippostrongylus brasiliensis, Strongyloides ratti, Capillaria hepatica, Trichuris muris, and Rictularia sp. (nematodes); and Echinostoma ilocanum (trematode). Of these 11 species, nine (9) were considered zoonotic. This study provides important information on the helminth parasites of rats in the northeastern sub-watersheds of Mount Makiling and the potential threat of zoonotic transmission due to increasing land use change and urbanization in the area. Moreover, urbanization can provide favorable eco-epidemiological conditions for rodent-borne pathogens, such as parasites, that are seriously threatening agricultural settings and human settlements in these areas.