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Abstract
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Rodents are important reservoirs for several zoonotic parasites however, there is shortage of knowledge about helminths fauna of these small mammals in west of Iran. This study aimed to investigate the endoparasites of urban and rural rodents in Nahavand county, West of Iran. From May to November 2022, 61 rodents belonging to seven species i.e. Arvicola amphibius (n=23), Mus musculus (n=18), Microtus socialis (n=8), Apodemus sylvaticus (n=7), Talpa davidiana (n=3), Apodemus witherbyi (n=1) and Rattus norvegicus (n=1) were captured using Sherman wire traps in six villages of Nahavand county. Gastrointestinal tracts of the animals were collected in Petri dishes and searched for helminths under the stereomicroscope and for protozoan parasites under the light microscope. In total, 54 animals (88.5%) were infected with at least one helminth (1413 nematodes, 510 trematodes, 6 cestodes) or protozoa. Syphacia spp. was the most common helminth in the examined population (n=9, 14.7%) followed by Aspiculuris spp. (n=5, 8.2%), Trichuris spp. (n=4, 6.5%), Nippostrongylus spp. (n=3, 4.9%), Heligmosomoides sp. (n=1, 1.6%), Capillaria sp. (n=1, 1.6%), Physocephalus sp. (n=1, 1.6%), Physaloptera sp. (n=1, 1.6%), Notocotylus malhamensis (n=3, 4.9%), Cysticercus fasciolaris (n=3, 4.9%) and Hymenolepis diminuta (n=1, 1.6%). Diagnosed intestinal protozoa included Cystoisospora spp. (n=22, 36.0%), Blastocystis spp. (n=18, 29.5%), Entamoeba spp. (n=3, 4.9%), Chilomastix sp. (n=2, 3.3%), Eimeria sp. (n=2, 3.3%), Trichomonas sp. (n=1, 1.6%), Endolimax sp. (n=1, 1.6%) and Giardia sp. (n=1, 1.6%). Herein we report Notocotylus malhamensis ex. Arvicola amphibius for the first time in Iran. Since some of the identified parasites in this study have a zoonotic potential improving health practices and establishment of a preventive attitude through education of the community is necessary to reduce the risks of rodent-borne diseases in areas where humans and rodents live in close proximity to each ot
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