Temporal Changes in the Parasite Fauna of the Large Japanese Field Mouse Apodemus speciosus in the Radioactive Contaminated Zone of Fukushima

Abstract

We assessed the temporal changes in the parasite fauna of the large Japanese field mouse Apodemus speciosus, which served as a model to evaluate the biological effects of radioactive materials released upon the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident. Parasites were collected from 30 mice trapped before (1992) and after (2012 and 2014) the accident. Five species of parasites were identified; among these, Heterakis spumosa (Nematoda) was detected only before the accident and Raillietina coreensis (Cestoda) was detected only after the accident. This phenomenon may reflect accident-induced environmental changes affecting the abundance of paratenic and intermediate parasitic hosts. Regarding morphology, no malformations were observed in any of the isolated parasites.