See PDF file of the article.Vaya al archivo pdf del artí­culo.L\u27auteur a étudié les helminthes du rat de Gambie au Nigéria du nord, aucune observation n\u27ayant été rapportée jusqu\u27alors. Les oeufs d\u27helminthes ont été recherchés dans les échantillons de fèces de 29 rats de Gambie capturés à Zaria, et les vers chez 14 autres rats autopsiés. 100 p. 100 des animaux étaient atteints. Des oeufs d\u27Heligmonina thamnomysi, Heterakis spumosa, Trichuris muris, Aspiculuris tetraptera, des oocystes de coccidies et un nématode non identifié ont été mis en évidence respectivement dans les fèces de 79, 31, 89, 66, 10, 35, 3, 45, 58, 62 et 10, 35 p. 100 des 29 rats examinés. H. thamnomysi, H. spumosa, T. muris, Inermicapsifer congolensis et Meggittina baeri ont été trouvés respectivement chez 13, 13, 1, 11 et 4 des 4 rats autopsié

Aliu, Y.

Ibrahim, Muhammad A.

Nwude, N.

Ogunsusi, R.A.

English

CIRAD Revela Revues en libre accès

Rev. Elev. Méd. vét. Pays trop., 1984, 37 (3) : 304-307. Helminths of the African giant rat (Cricetomys gambianus Waterhouse) in Zaria, Nigeria by M. A. IBRAHIM, R. A. OGUNSUSI, N. NWUDE and Y. ALIU * Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria. HÉSUMÉ IBRAHIM (M. A.), OGUNSUSI (R. A.), NWUDE (N.) et ALIU (Y. 0.). - Helminthes du rat de Gambie (Crr- cetomys gambianus Waterhouse) à Zaria, Nigéria. Rev. Elev. Méd. vét. Pays trop., 1984, 37 (3) : 304-307. L’auteur a étudié les helminthes du rat de Gambie au Nigéria du nord, aucune observation n’ayant été rap- portée jusqu’alors. Les oeufs d’helminthes ont été recherchés dans les échan- tillons de fèces de 29 rats de Gambie capturés à Zaria, et les vers chez 14 autres rats autopsiés. 100 p. 100 des ani- maux étaient atteints. Des oeufs d’Heligmonina tham- nomysi, Heterakis spumosa, Trichuris muris, Aspiculuris tetraptera, des oocystes de coccidies et un nématode non identifié ont été mis en évidence respectivement dans les fèces de 79,31, 89,66, 10,35, 3,45, 58,62 et 10,35 p. 100 des 29 rats examinés. H. thamnomysi, H. spumosa, T. muris, Inermicapsifer congolensis et Meggittina baeri ont été trouvés respectivement chez 13, 13, 1, 11 et 4 des 4 rats autopsiés. Mots clds : Helminthes - Rat de Gambie - Nigéria. INTRODUCTION The African giant rat was successfully domesticated for its meat in Nigeria (1). Since then the Nigeria National Wildlife conserva- tion Committee has recommended its domesti- cation and breeding to supplement meat protein available to the populace (11). The giant rat has also got great potential for use as a laboratory animal (1, 5), and has been shown to be a good host for the laboratory passage of Schistosoma mansoni (13) and Trypanosoma evansi (5). Extensive study of the diseases and pathologies of the giant rat, both in the wild and in captivity is, however, a necessary pre- SUMMARY IBRAHIM (M. A.), OGUNSUSI (R. A.), NWUDE (N.), ALIU (Y. 0.). - Helminths of the african giant rat (Cri- cetomys gambianus Waterhouse) in Zaria, Nigeria. Rev. Elev. vét. Pays trop., 1984, 37 (3) : 304-307. There has been no report on the helminths of the Afri- cari giant rat in northern Nigeria. Faecal samples from 29 wild giant rats caught in Zaria were examined qualita- tively for helminths ova, and 14 other giant rats were autopsied and ‘examined for worms. The incidence of helminthiasis in the giant rat in Zaria was 100 %. The ova of Heligmonina thamnomysi, Heterakis spumosa, Tri- churis muris, Aspiculuris tetraptera, coccidia oocyst and an unidentified nematode were recovered from the faeces of 79.31, 89.66, 10.35, 3.45, 58.62 and 10.35 percent respectively of the 29 giant rats examined. H. thamnomysi, H. spumosa, T. muris. Inermicapstfer congolensis and Meggittina baeri were recovered from 13, 13, 1, 11 and 4 respectively out of the 14 autopsied giant rats. Key words : Helminths - African giant rat - Nigeria, requisite to its domestication in order to determine the veterinary and public health implications (1). Some work has been done on the parasites of giant rats caught in Ibadan, southern Nigeria. Hymenolepis diminuta, H. nana, Heterakis spumosa and Aspiculuris tetraptera were recovered from 14 autopsied giant rats in Ibadan (4). Among 22 necropsied giant rats born in captivity or captured and held in captivity for up to one year in Ibadan, 3 had H. diminuta; H. nana and enteric coccidiosis while one showed hepatic capillariasis (11). Hitherto a11 studies on the helminthoses of the giant rat ‘in Nigeria havè been conducted in - 304 - Retour au menuthe southern part. This paper reports on the gastro-intestinal helminths of wild giant rats in the Zaria area of northern Nigeria. MATERIAL AND METHODS Giant rats The 29 African giant rats used in this study were captured during the rainy season (May to October, 1981) from Bomo village and from the Main Campus of the Ahmadu Bello Uni- versity, Zaria. They were housed seperately in locally constructed wooden cages whose floor and ceiling were made of wire mesh. The cages were raised on wooden legs and were kept in the animal room of the Department of Veter- inary Physiology & Pharmacology, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. Commercial mice cubes (*) and water were supplied ad libitum. They were identified by marks on their tails and cages. Faecal sampling Fresh faecal pellets from each of 29 giant rats were obtained by squeezing them out of the rectum into labelled plastic tubes. The samples were collected and examined within 24 hours after capture and once a week sub- sequently for a month. Recovery of helminth ova was done by floatation using 33 p. cent zinc sulphate at a specific gravity of 1.180. Recovery of helminths Fourteen wild giant rats were sacrificed by severing the jugular vein after mechanical stunning. The stomach, small intestine, caecum and large intestine were removed and placed in seperate petri dishes. Worms were collected from the lumen and mucosae using a dissecting microscope (*) at x 10 magnification. Heminth specimens were fixed in either 70 p. 100 alcohol or 3 p. 100 formalin. RESULTS Faecal examination Twenty-three (79.31 p. 100) of the 29 giant rats examined shed thinshelled, ellipsoidal Heligmonina eggs, while 26 (89.66 p. 100) shed the eggs of Heterakis. One giant rat 3.45 p. 100) shed Aspiculuris eggs, while 3 (10.35 p. 100) shed Trichuris eggs. Three giant rats shed tiny, thinshelled embryonated eggs which were not identified. Seventeen of the giant rat (58.62 p. 100) shed coccidia oocysts.- Worm recovery The results are presented in table 1. TABLE l-Castro-intestinal helminths recovered from Cricetomys gombionus in &Ma, Nigeria Serial NO Nematodes Heligmonino thomnomysi Heterakis spumoso ~ Trichuris muris (Small intestine) (Cecum and Colon) (Cecum) Cestodes Inermicopsifer sp. Meggittino boeri (Small intestine) (Small intestine) 1 + 2 + 3 + ,; ~1 : ~1 + - 4 + + 1 + 5 + + 6 t + 7 + + + 8 + + 9 + + 10 + + 11 /I : + !  + 12 + + I + + + 13 + + + 14 + + + Icidence 92.86 p.100 92.86 p.100 7.14 p.100 78.57 p.100 28.57 p.100 Legend : + = harboured worms ; - = No worms recovered. (*) American Optical Company, Instruments Division, (*) Pfizer Livestock Feeds Limited, Kaduna, Nigeria. Bufallo, N.Y. 14215. ~ - 305 - Retour au menuNematodes Heligmonina thamnomysi were recovered from the anterior 4th of the small intestine of 13 out of 14 giant rats. Trichuris muris was recovered from the caecum of one giant rat, while 13 of the giant rats showed Heterakis spurnosa in their caeca and colon. Cestodes Inermicapsifer species, probably I. congo- lensis and Meggittina baeri were found in the small intestine of 11 and 4 respectively of the 14 giant rats examined. DISCUSSION The results of this study indicate that the incidence of helminthiasis in wild Cricetomys gambianus in the rainy season in Zaria is 100 p. 100. The helminths involved are Heligmonina thamnomysi, Heterakis spumosa, Trichuris muris, Aspiculuris tetraptera, Inermicapsifer congolensis, Meggittina baeri and an unidentified nematode, probably a lungworm or a Strongyloides species. Heligmonina thamnomysi was originally reported from C. gambianus and from Tham- nomys rutilans from the Central African Republic (6) and has been reported from C. gambianus in Tanzania (12) and from Thamnomys rutilans and Graphiurus hueti in the Central African Republic (8). Nigeria is a new geographical record for Heligmonina. Meggittina baeri (Syn. Catenotaenia baeri, Skrjabinotaenia baeri) was originally described from the ‘house rat’ and from ‘native granary rat’ in Zimbabwe (14). It has been reported from Thamnomys rutilans in the Central African Republic (8). A related cestode, Skrja- binotaenia cricetomydis, was described from C. gambianus in Nigeria (10). Nigeria is a new geographical record and C. gambianus a new host record ‘for M. baeri. We have corne across no reports on the occurrence of Inermicapsifer in Nigeria, but the genus occurs widely among rodents in Africa. Human infections with I. madagascariensis have been reported from Reunion (3), Zim- babwe (7), South Africa (16), Zambia (19) and Tanzania (2). Inermicapsifer sp. was reported from a 2 year old boy in Kenya (18) and I. cubensis was reported from a Young woman in Cuba (17). The genus is also of veterinary importance. 1. hyracis was reported from a Guinea-fowl and Inermicapsifer sp from a wild dog (15). Differences appear to exist in the helminths of giant rats and their importance in southern and northern Nigeria. DIPEOLU and AJAYI (4) and IKEDE and AJAYI (11) did not report Inermicapsifer, Meggittina, Heligmonina and Trichuris among giant rats in Ibadan, while Hymenolopis does not appear to occur in the same host in Zaria. Heterakis spumosa is important in both locations while Aspiculuris occurs more in giant rats in Ibadan. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT We are grateful to Drs. ARLENE JONES and LYNDA GIBBONS, of the Common- wealth Institute of Parasitology, St. Albans, United Kingdom, for their assistance in ident- ifying some of the helminths. This study was part of a search of the local rodent population for a suitable nematode for use as a laboratory model, and was funded by the International Livestock Centre for Africa (I.L.C.A.) Sub-Humid Programme, Kaduna, Nigeria, and I.L.C.A. Training, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. RESUMEN IBRAHIM (M. A.), OGUNSUSI (R. A.), NWUDE (N.), ALIU (Y. 0.). - Helmintos de la rata de Gambia animales tenian helmintosis. Se evidenciaroni huevos de Heligmonina thamnomysi, Heterakis spumosa, Trichuris (Cricetomys gambianus Waterhouse) en Zaria, Nigeria. muris, Aspiculuris tetraptera, oocistos de coccidias y un Rev. Elev. A&d. vét. Pays trop., 1984, 31 (3) : 304-307. nemktodo no identificado en las heces de 79,31, 89,66, 10,35, 3,45, 58,62 y 10,3.5 p. 100 respectivamente de las 29 El autor estudio 10s helmintos de la rata gigante de ratas examinadas. Africa en el norte de Nigeria, no se habiendo notado Se encontraron respectivamente H. thamnomysi, H. ninguna observation hasta ahi. spumosa, T. muris, Inermicapsifer congolensis y Meg- BUS~~ 10s huevos de helmintos en las muestras de heces gittina baeri en 13, 13, 1, 11 y 4 de las rats autopsiadas. de 29 ratas gigantes salvajes cogidas en Zaria, y 10s Palabras claves : Helmintos - Rata gigante de Africa - helmintos en 14 otras ratas autopsiadas. 100 p. 100 de 10s Nigeria. - 306 - Retour au menu1. 2. REFERENCES AJAYI (S. S.). Domestication of the african giant rat. 10. HOCKLEY (A. R.). On Skrjabinotaenia cricetomydis Ibadan, Department of Forest Resources Manage- n. sp. (Cestoda : Anoplocephalata) from the gambian ment. University of Ibadan, 1975. pouched rat, Nigeria. Helminthol. Abstr., 1962, 31 (3) BAER (J. G.). Un nouveau cas de parasitisme d’un : 392. enfant en Afrique orientale par le cestode Inermicap- sifer arvicanthidis. Helminthol. Abstr., 1955, 24 (2) : 11. IKEDE (B. 0.) and AJAYI (S. S.). Pathological con- FA ditions of the giant rat (Cricetomys gambianus Water- 3U. 3. BAILENGER (J.) and CARCENAC (F.). Une nou- velle localisation géographique d’lnermicapsifer mada- gascariensis (Davaine, 1970), Baer 1956 : La Réunion. Helminthol. Abstr., 1971, 40 (2) : 287. 4. DIPEOLU (0. 0.) and AJAYI (S. S.). Parasites of the african giant rat (Cricetomys gambianus Water- house) in Ibadan, Nigeria. Helminthol. Abstr., 1977, 46 (10) : 85-89. 5. DIPEOLU (0. O.), AKINBOADE (0. A.) and OGUNJI (F.). Observations on african giant rats (Cricetomys gambianus Waterhouse) experimentally infected with salivarian trypanosomes. Bull. Anim. Hlth. Prod. Afr., 1981, 29 (4) : 393-397. 6. DURETTE-DESSET (M. C.). Les systèmes d’arêtes cuticulaires chez les nématodes heligmosomes. II. Etude de cina Loneistriata, oarasites des rongeurs africains. Helminthoï. Abstr., 1968, 34 (4) : 3671 7. GOLDSMID (J. M.) and MUIR (M.). Znermicapsifer madagascariensis (Davaine, 1870); Baer 1956 (Platy- 16. ORTLEPP (R. J.). A record of three cases of human helminthes : Cestoda) as a parasite of man in Rhode- infection in southern Africa with a common tapeworm sia. Helminthol. Abstr., 1973, 42 (5) : 336. of rats. Helminthol. Abstr., 1961, 31 (4) : 435. 8. GRABER (M.). Endoparasites in domestic and wild 17. PEURTAS (F. N.), FIGUEREDO (L. R.), ATIEN- animals of the Central African Republic (C.A.R.). ZAR (C. E.), RODRIQUEZ (R. M.) and ALVA- Bull. Anim. Hlth. Prod. Afr., 1981, 29 (1) : 25-47. REZ (A. S.). Inermicapsiferiasis. Reporte de un caso. 9. HIRA (P. R.). Human and rodent infection with the Helminthol. Abstr., 1974, 43 (7) : 543. cestode Znermicapsifer madagascariensis (Davaine, 18. RIDLEY (R. S.) and WISE (M. J.). Some para- 1970), Baer 1956 in Zambia. Helminthol. Abstr., sitological curiosities. Helminthol. Abstr., 1964, 33 1976, 45 (5) : 398. (1) : 114. house) in captivity. J. Nig. Vet. Med. A~S., 1976, 5 (1) : 63-65. 12. KHALIL (L. F.). Characostomum howelli n. sp. (Nematoda : Strongylidae) from the giant african rat Cricetomys gambianus and other helminths from Tanzania. J. Helminth., 1973, 47 (3) : 283-287. 13. LARIVIERE (M.) and BUTTNER (A.). Cricetomvs gambianus (Waterhouse). Hôte experimental de Schis- tosoma mansoni. Helminthol. Abstr., 1961, 31 (4) : 427. 14. LYNSDALE (J. A.). On a remarkable new cestode, Meggittina baeri gen. et SD. nov. (Anoplocephalinae) from rodents in-southern Rhodesia. J. Helminth., 1953, 27 (3-4) : 129-142. 15. METTRIC (D. F.). Contributions to the helminth fauna of Central Africa. III. Host specificiry in the genus Inermicapsifer Janicki 1910. Helminthol. Abstr., 1963, 32 (1) : 99. - 307 - Retour au menu

Helminths of the African giant rat (Cricetomys gambianus Waterhouse) in Zaria, Nigeria

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Helminths of the African giant rat (Cricetomys gambianus Waterhouse) in Zaria, Nigeria

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