Short Communication
A Study on Ectoparasites Associated on the White Bellied Rat, Rattus rattus frugivorus Captured from the Houses at Sohag Region, Sohag Governorate, Egypt
Abd El-Aleem Saad Soliman Desoky*
Plant protection Department (Agricultural Zoology), Faculty of Agriculture, Sohag University, Egypt
Received Date: 02/05/2020; Published Date: 11/05/2020
*Corresponding author: Abd El-Aleem Saad Soliman Desoky, Plant protection Department (Agricultural Zoology), Faculty of Agriculture, Sohag University, Egypt
DOI: 10.46718/JBGSR.2020.01.000010
Cite this article: Abd El-Aleem Saad Soliman Desoky, A Study on Ectoparasites Associated on the White Bellied Rat, Rattus rattus frugivorus Captured from the Houses at Sohag Region, Sohag Governorate, Egypt. Op Acc J Bio Sci & Res 1(2)-2020.
Abstract
The present study was carried out to study ectoparasites infesting the white bellied rat, Rattus rattus frugivorus captured from the houses at Sohag region, Sohag Governorate, Egypt. The results showed that found two species of mites Ornithonyssus bacoti & Dermanyssus sp., infested the white bellied rat which captured from the study area. Also, the study of ectoparasites from insects show that two species of fleas were Xenopsylla cheopis & Pulex irritans and two of lice was polyplax spinulosa & Haplopleura oenonydis infested the captured rats.
Keywords: Rattus r frugivorus; Dermanyssus sp; Ornithonyssius bacoti; Xenopsylla cheopis; polyplax spinulosa
Introduction
Rodents play an important role in disease transmission by their urine, feces, bite, and ectoparasites. Different disease agents of bacteria, rickettsia, viruses, protozoa and helminthes can be transmitted by rodents to human and animals. Some examples of such diseases are plague, leptospirosis, salmonellosis, rat-bite fever, leishmaniasis, Chagas' disease, Omsk hemorrhagic fever, murine typhus and Lassa fever [1]. The close association of commensal rodents with human and domestic animals is a risk factor for transmission of these diseases. Rodent is considered as the main reservoir host of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis and plague. Knowledge on reservoir host and their ectoparasites will provide a clue for control planning of diseases in a given areas. There are a few documented papers on ectoparasites of rodent different regions [2].The aim of this study was to identify for external parasite species on Rattus r. frugivorus captured from the houses.
Materials and Methods
Rodents play an important role in disease transmission by their urine, feces, bite, and ectoparasites. Different disease agents of bacteria, rickettsia, viruses, protozoa and helminthes can be transmitted by rodents to human and animals. Some examples of such diseases are plague, leptospirosis, salmonellosis, rat-bite fever, leishmaniasis, Chagas' disease, Omsk hemorrhagic fever, murine typhus and Lassa fever [1]. The close association of commensal rodents with human and domestic animals is a risk factor for transmission of these diseases. Rodent is considered as the main reservoir host of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis and plague. Knowledge on reservoir host and their ectoparasites will provide a clue for control planning of diseases in a given areas. There are a few documented papers on ectoparasites of rodent different regions [2].The aim of this study was to identify for external parasite species on Rattus r. frugivorus captured from the houses.
Study Area
The present study was carried out to study ectoparasites infesting the white bellied rat, Rattus rattus frugivorus captured from the houses at Sohag region, Sohag Governorate, Egypt.
Rat Capturing and Classification
The method of [3] was adopted by using locally made metal traps (live trap) to capture the rats. Traps were baited with Vegetables, bread. Traps were placed in rodent activity areas such as kitchens, corridors, etc. The rats were transported to the laboratory in perforated metal boxes to provide good ventilation and allow conducive environment for the animals in transit. Rats were identified and classified to specie level using the method of [4]. The study was carried out using fifty rats (Ratus rattus frugivorus) during 2019 from February till October. It is the period of rodent activity during the year.
Survey for Ectoparasites
The ectoparasites study was carried out using the method of [3].Captured rodents were subjected to euthanasia under diethyl ether anesthesia. The unconscious rats were placed on a clean white tile. Starting from the head to the neck, trunk and the tail, ectoparasites were dislodged from the rats body by brushing with the aid of hand brush onto cotton wool soaked in formalin. Visible ectoparasites such as ticks that could easily be removed without brushing were removed with a pair of forceps. The ectoparasites recovered were preserved in specimen bottles containing 70% alcohol, the parasites were sorted and transferred to the microscope slide for identification. Identification of mites and ticks was done using different keys constructed by Hoogstraal and Kaiser, Zaher & Evans [5-8].
Results and Discussion
Data in Table 1 showed that found two species of mites Ornithonyssus bacoti & Dermanyssus sp., infested the white bellied rat which captured from the study area. Also, the study of ectoparasites from insects show that two species of fleas were Xenopsylla cheopis & Pulex irritans and two of lice was polyplax spinulosa & Haplopleura oenonydis infested the captured rats. Results similar with Vatandoost & Telmadarraiy [9,10]. Found that Most medically important rodents belong to the families of muridae and the cricetidae. Rodents play a role in many diseases, such as plague, transmitted by the rat flea Xenopsylla cheopis and Weil's disease, a severe form of leptospirosis transmitted via infected rat urine. Dada [11] showed that This study has shown that infestation of rodents by ectoparasites is of serious zoonotic importance. Rodent and rodent-borne parasites may become more serious in human population, zoonotic transmission of these rat-borne parasites are exacerbated in communities where standards of environmental and personal hygiene are not maintained.
Table 1: Types of external parasites identified on Rattus rattus frugivorus.
Conclusion
Infestation of the white bellied rat, Rattus rattus frugivorus with various types of external parasites (lice, fleas and mites). These parasites may transmit some common diseases to humans or animals. From these results, an integrated control program for the white bellied rat must be established inside the houses.
References
1. Bell JC, Plamer SR, Payne JM (1988) The zoonosis: infection transmitted from animal to man. Edward Arnold Press, London UK.
4. Meerburg BG, Singleton GR, Kijlstra A (2009) Rodent-borne diseases and their risks for public health. Crit Rev Microbiol 35(3): 221-270.
7. Zaher MA (1986) Survey and ecological studies on phytophagous, predaceous and soil mites in Egypt. III: Mites of Sinai p. 36.
8. Evans GO (1992) Principles of Acarology. C.A.B. International Walling Ford, pp. 522.
9. Vatandoost H, Ghaderi A, Javadian E, Zahirnia AH, Yassi A, et al. (2003) Distribution of soft ticks and their infection with Borrelia in Hamadan Province, Iran. Iranian J Publ Health 32(1): 22-24.
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