A preliminary survey on incidence of helminthic and protozoal diseases in rats

A total of 78 rats including 50 laboratory rats (LRs) and 28 free living wild rats (WRs) were examined for detailed parasitic and protozoal infections. Of these 36/50 (72%) LRs and 9/28 (32.14%) WRs were found to be infected with helminthic parasitic infections. Out of these 12 (24 %), 7 (14 %) and 17 (21.79%) LRs and 3 (10.71 %), 6 (21.42 %) and 0 (0%) WRs were found positive for Hymenolepis diminuta, Cysticercus fasciolaris and Trichosmoides crassicauda infections, respectively. Sex-wise distribution of helminthic parasite revealed that Hymenolepis diminuta and Trichosmoides crassicauda infections were more in male rats while Cysticercus fasciolaris infection was found slightly higher in females than male rats. In addition, mix parasitic infection of above parasites along with Hepatozoan muris (Hm) protozoan infection was also diagnosed in 10 % LRs and 14.28 % WRs while 18.05% serum samples tested by direct agglutination test (DAT) were positive for antibodies against T. gondii. These helminthic and protozoan parasites were prevalent in rats without causing any apparent clinical symptoms.