Abstract
Agama agama, the agamid rainbow lizard, has been reported to serve as transport and reservoir host to several protozoan and helminth parasites. We randomly sampled 310 specimens between May and July, 2005, at Oyingbo, Lagos, Nigeria (6 degrees 34'60" N-3 degrees 19'59" E and 6 degrees 34'60" N-3 degrees 19'59" E).They harboured four species of nematodes: Strongyluris brevicaudata, Parapharyngodon awokoyai, Capillaria sp. and Oxyuris sp.; one of Cestoda, Oochoristica agamae; one of Trematoda, Mesocoelium monas; and one of Pentastomida, Raillietiella sp. Strongyluris brevicaudata had the highest prevalence of infection (82.3%), followed by P. awokoyai (74.5%), Raillietiella (10.3%), Capillaria sp. (8.4%) and O. agamae (7.4%). M. monas and Oxyuris sp. had low prevalences: 1.61% each. Raillietiella sp. and Capillaria sp. can cause localized inflammation and intestinal infections in humans. The prevalence of infection was higher in larger adult lizards. Prevalence in males was 97.6% (94.1% in females). In four of the helminth species, intensity of infection was higher in male lizards. Parasite intensity was highest in the rectum, followed by the intestine (p<0.05). Infection intensity was, to a large extent, dependent on the type of parasite, and age of lizard. During May, P. awokoyai had its highest mean intensities and prevalence. The prevalence and mean intensity of helminthes varied with the month of collection (both p<0.05). For the three months studied, prevalence and mean intensity of S. brevicaudata were highest in June (July for the other species).
Highlights
The agamid lizard Agama agama has been reported to serve as transport and reservoir host to several protozoan and helminth parasites (Wekhe and Olayinka 1999)
High diversity in helminth infra-communities was shown to be due to the large size, wideranging plant diet and exposure to helminthes with direct life cycles (Martin and Rocha 2004)
Helminth acquisition appears to be related with the diet of saurian reptiles (Sanchis et al 2000)
Summary
The agamid lizard Agama agama has been reported to serve as transport and reservoir host to several protozoan and helminth parasites (Wekhe and Olayinka 1999). About 22 % of wall geckos examined by Ameh and Ajayi (1996) were infected with gamonts of Lecudina, a gregarinid protozoan. Lecudina species were recovered from the gut of termites found in the geckoes (Ameh and Ajayi 1996). Some of these parasites pose a risk to man, who can act as intermediate host. By having their hands contaminated from the faeces or saliva of the reptile, and accidentally ingesting the eggs (Nash 2005). In the present sudy the use of ecological terms in parasitology follows Bush et al (1997)
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