Helminth composition and prevalence of indigenous and invasive synanthropic murid rodents in urban areas of Gauteng Province, South Africa

dc.contributor.authorJulius, Rolanda Sunayé
dc.contributor.authorSchwan, Ernst Volker
dc.contributor.authorChimimba, Christian Timothy
dc.contributor.emailrsjulius@zoology.up.ac.zaen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2019-02-22T06:59:56Z
dc.date.available2019-02-22T06:59:56Z
dc.date.issued2018-07
dc.description.abstractAlthough synanthropic rodents such as the indigenous species, Mastomys coucha, and the invasive species, Rattus norvegicus, R. rattus and R. tanezumi, are well-known to be hosts to various micro- and macroparasites, their helminth parasite fauna is poorly studied in South Africa. In an attempt to remedy the situation, the aim of the present study was to investigate the helminth fauna of these sympatric rodent species, which were obtained from the informal settlements of Alexandra, Tembisa, Diepsloot and residential suburbs of Pretoria and Hammanskraal, Gauteng Province, South Africa. Helminths were recovered from the urinary bladder, liver and gastrointestinal tract and were identified morphologically and molecularly. The recovered nematodes were all rodent-specific and included Aspiculuris tetraptera, Eucoleus sp., Heterakis spumosa, Mastophorus muris, Nippostrongylus brasiliensis, Protospirura sp., Strongyloides ratti, Syphacia obvelata, Syphacia muris, Trichuris sp. and Trichosomoides crassicauda. Syphacia obvelata, a commensal nematode of laboratory rodents, was recovered from indigenous M. coucha. Strobilar stages of cestodes recovered included Hymenolepis diminuta, Hymenolepis nana and Inermicapsifer madagascariensis. Recovered metacestodes were strobilocerci of Hydatigera taeniaeformis from all three invasive Rattus species and coenurostrobilocerci of Hydatigera parva from M. coucha. An acanthocephalan, Moniliformis moniliformis, was recovered from R. rattus only. All rodent species examined showed high helminth infection prevalence (≥70%) with equal or higher nematode than cestode prevalence. Mastomys coucha, however, showed significantly lower cestode prevalence than Rattus species where they co-occur. Interspecific transmission of helminths likely occurs between invasive and indigenous rodents, and these rodents harbour several helminths that have zoonotic implications.en_ZA
dc.description.departmentVeterinary Tropical Diseasesen_ZA
dc.description.departmentZoology and Entomologyen_ZA
dc.description.librarianhj2019en_ZA
dc.description.sponsorshipThe National Research Foundation (NRF) DNA sequencing facility of the University of Pretoria (NRF RISP grant 2001/2012; UID: 78566) and the DST-NRF Centre of Excellence for Invasion Biology (CIB).en_ZA
dc.description.urihttp://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayJournal?jid=JHLen_ZA
dc.identifier.citationJulius, R.S., Schwan, E.V. & Chimimba, C.T. 2018, 'Helminth composition and prevalence of indigenous and invasive synanthropic murid rodents in urban areas of Gauteng Province, South Africa', Journal of Helminthology, vol. 92, no. 4, pp. 445-454.en_ZA
dc.identifier.issn0022-149X (print)
dc.identifier.issn1475-2697 (online)
dc.identifier.issn10.1017/S0022149X17000761
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2263/68508
dc.language.isoenen_ZA
dc.publisherCambridge University Pressen_ZA
dc.rights© Cambridge University Press 2017en_ZA
dc.subjectRodentiaen_ZA
dc.subjectMastomysen_ZA
dc.subjectRattusen_ZA
dc.subjectHelminthsen_ZA
dc.subjectDiversityen_ZA
dc.subjectCommensalen_ZA
dc.subjectSouthern Africaen_ZA
dc.subjectRatsen_ZA
dc.subjectCestodaen_ZA
dc.subjectParasiteen_ZA
dc.subjectEvolutionen_ZA
dc.subjectNematodaen_ZA
dc.titleHelminth composition and prevalence of indigenous and invasive synanthropic murid rodents in urban areas of Gauteng Province, South Africaen_ZA
dc.typePostprint Articleen_ZA

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