Prevalence of zoonotic gastrointestinal helminths parasites of black rats (Rattus rattus) collected from residences in Ijebu Ode, Ogun State

Abstract

Black rats (Rattus rattus) are major human parasite reservoirs as they pose a threat to the public as they cohabit human homes and harbours a number of zoonotic parasites. Three major zoonotic helminths of public health importance that occur in house rats are Capillaria hepatica, Hymenoplesis spp and Trichinella spiralis. Eighty-seven (87) black rats were collected from residences in Ijebu Ode and were examined for the presence of zoonotic gastrointestinal helminths. Twenty-three (26.44%) of the total rats collected were infected with zoonotic gastrointestinal helminths. C. hepatica was the most prevalent (14.49%), while T. spiralis was the least prevalent (4.60%). The prevalence of H. diminuta and C. hepatica were statistically significant at p < 0.05, while T. spiralis was not statistically significant. Prevalence of zoonotic gastrointestinal helminths in black rats in residences in Ijebu Ode was statistically significant (p<0.05) and thus implied an important threat to public health in the area, most especially in relation to H. diminuta and C. hepatica. Therefore, the human-rodent-helminth interaction should be broken to prevent the continuous transmission of rodent-borne parasitic diseases to humans.