Prevalence of parasitic infections of mice and rats in research centers of Tabriz universities

The development of many biological assays relies on the usage of various laboratory animals. Extensive utilization of these animals in biomedical researches necessitated high quality hygienic and breeding conditions in animal houses. Moreover, many zoonotic diseases including parasitic, bacterial and viral infections are transferred from the laboratory animals to humans. This study investigated the prevalence of parasitic infections of some laboratory animals that were conventionally maintained in animal houses of research centers in Tabriz universities. Blood, fecal and cutaneous samples were collected from 70 laboratory animals (35 mice and 35 rats).The fecal samples were stained with Trichrome, Modified Zeil-Nelson Staining and observed by direct method. All blood samples (100%) were negative. Fecal examinations revealed the cyst of Giardia muris (57%), eggs of Ascaris (spp.) (17%), Oxyuris muris (93%), Syphacia muris (4%), Aspicularis tetraptera (2%), and Hymenolepis nana (9%). In cutaneous examinations Polyplax serrata (21%) and lice nit (55%) were observed. The present study indicated that the examined laboratory animals were infected with different enteric and cutaneous parasites. Thus, we suggest that the staff and researchers working in this area need to be aware of the risk of these infections. Moreover, the monitoring of animal houses is indispensable.