Abstract
Hepatic capillariasis is a rare and neglected zoonosis affecting wild and synanthropic small rodents. It is caused by infection with Calodium hepaticum in liver. Despite the worldwide distribution of the host Rattus norvegicus (brown or street rats) in the urban area, the epidemiological status of this parasitosis remains unknown. In the present study, we examined a total of 27 brown rats from the city centre and a garden (four km from the city centre) of Marseille, France. All rats were autopsied and 52% showed the presence of C. hepaticum eggs in the liver. This result draws general attention to public health risks, since street rats are living near the human population.
Highlights
The expansion of urbanisation phenomenon throughout the world leads to an extensive proliferation of rodents within human cities
C. hepaticum-infested livers revealed the presence of yellowish-white spots at the visual examination
Once the the reproductive reproductive function function has has been been fulfilled, fulfilled, the the adult adult parasite parasite dies dies and and gradually gradually inflammatory reactionchronic of the host graduallyreaction encapsulates the eggs in theencapsulates liver parenchyma
Summary
The expansion of urbanisation phenomenon throughout the world leads to an extensive proliferation of rodents within human cities. The brown rat (Rattus norvegicus) is a synanthropic species that has dominated urban rodent populations in large parts of the world for many centuries [2]. They live in groups and feed mainly at night on food waste. The first larval stage hatches in the digestive tract (in the small intestine or cecum), crosses the caecal barrier and migrates via the mesenteric and portal hepatic veins towards the liver where all moults occur It is the macro and microscopic observation of rat livers from the streets of Marseille that led us to highlight this parasitosis, potentially zoonotic
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