Detection of Parasites of Animal Health Importance Carried by Wild Rats Collected from Jeddah City, Saudi Arabia

Surveillance was conducted on the wild rats in Jeddah city, Saudi Arabia to explore the circulating parasites of animal health importance carried by it. A total 839 of three species of wild rodents, Brown rat (n. 742), Black rat (n. 94) and House mouse (n. 3) were live-captured. All received rats were euthanized and grossly examined. Dead rodents were carefully brushed to collect ectoparasites. The viscera were examined macroscopically and microscopically for any evidence of worms. The livers were examined for the presence of cysts. Concentration procedures were applied to separate parasites and its eggs from fecal debris. Blood on EDTA from the heart was stained with Giemsa and examined for the presence of blood flagellates. The Rattus norvegicus was the most predominant with 742 (88.44%) and followed by the Rattus rattus and Mus musculus with 94 (11.20%) and 3 (0.36%) respectively. The ectoparasites identified during the study were fleas 114 (13.59%), mites 43 (5.13%) and ticks 7 (0.83%). A total of 174 (20.74%) was assessed with positive of endoparasites. The Cysticercus fasciolaris, the larval form of Taenia taeniaeformis, cestode parasite of cats, was the predominant endoparasites identified with 115 (13.7%). Hymenolepis nana & Hymenolepis diminuta were found in 68 (8.1%) and 9 (1.07%) respectively in live-captured rodents. The overall infestation with Trypanosoma was 18.6%. There was a very high significance in Trypanosomiasis between males and females rats (p > 0.001).