Helminthes parasites of rodents caught around human habitats in Jos, Plateau state, Nigeria

Out of 112 rodents caught from three different locations in the University of Jos premises, 66(58.93%) were positive for helminth parasites. The prevalence rates of helminth parasites in the four species of rodents caught were 82.53% in Xerus erythropus (ground squirrel) 38.30% in Thryonomys swinderianus (cane rat) 70.00% in Rattus rattus (Black rat) and 75.00% in Cricetomys gambianus (Gambian giant rat). There was no significant difference (p>0.05) between the prevalence rates of the helminthes in the different rodent species. Four groups of helminthes, a trematode species, two species of cestodes, four species of nematodes and one species of an acanthocephalan were encountered in the rodents. The prevalence rates for the respective groups of helminthes were 11.61%, 25.00%, 33.93%, and 8.93%. The worm burdens per infected host were 1.85, 9.57, 10.47 and 8.90 for the trematode, cestodes, nematodes and acanthocephalan respectively. The prevalence rates of the different helminth parasites were 11.61, 15.18, 13.39, 18.75, 17.86, 16.96, 1.79 and 8.93% for Gastrodiscus, Hymenolepis nana, H. dimunita, Oesophagostomum, Cyathostomum, Trichuris, Ascaris and Macrocanthorhynchus respectively. Twenty (52.63%) of the 38 male rodents studied and 46(62.16%) of the 74 female rodents were infected by the helminth parasites whose prevalence rates in the male ranged from 0.00% to 15.97% and 2.70% to 22.97% in the female rodents. There was no significant difference (p>0.05) between the prevalence rates of the helminth parasites in both sexes of the rodents. The public health significance of the helminth parasites is discussed. Animal Production Research Avancees Vol. 3 (1) 2007: pp. 6-12