Abstract
The nematode Calodium hepaticum and the cestode Taenia taeniaeformis are zoonotic helminths primarly found in the liver of common wild rats. Most reports on these helminth species with cosmopolitan distribution are from Asia, and there is paucity of data for Europe. Wild Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) from urban and suburban habitats of the Belgrade area were examined for the presence of Calodium hepaticum and Taenia taeniaeformis larvae liver infections. The presence of visible cysts and a histomorphology of parasite-related inflammatory liver responses were sought as signs of infection. The total prevalence of infection was 10.9% (C. hepaticum) and 29.9% (T. taeniaeformis), with no differences between the sexes. No difference in the annual prevalence of both helminth species was noted. Data obtained in this study provide new information relevant to wild Norway rats as sources of C. hepaticum and T. taeniaeformis liver infection in this geographic area, and, in a wider context, in Europe. .
Highlights
The Norway rat Rattus norvegicus (Berkenhout 1769) and the black rat Rattus rattus (Linnaeus 1758) are common rodent species with a wide distribution, mostly in urban and suburban habitats (Kataranovski, 1999)
The aim of this study is to explore the presence and characteristics of C. hepaticum and T. taeniaeformis liver infection in wild Norway rats from the Belgrade area, Serbia
Basic morphohistological characteristics of liver infection were employed in the evaluation/confirmation of the presence of C. hepaticum infection and in the description of host liver response to the presence of C. hepaticum and T. taeniaeformis
Summary
The Norway rat Rattus norvegicus (Berkenhout 1769) and the black rat Rattus rattus (Linnaeus 1758) are common rodent species with a wide distribution, mostly in urban and suburban habitats (Kataranovski, 1999) Because of their high ability to harbor many zoonotic agents (Bradshaw, 1999; Battersby et al, 2002; Easterbrook et al, 2007) wild rats play a significant role as definitive and/or intermediate hosts for vector-borne animal and human diseases. The worms die and the females free thousands of ova into the liver. These ova do not undergo development (they remain unembryonated) and remain in the liver until the death of the host
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