Background: To determine the prevalence and intensity of helminths and their zoonotic importance in small rodents inhabiting in the suburban areas of Hamadan City,Iran.
Methods: The present survey was conducted on the helminth infections of two species of rodents Apodemus sylvaticus (n=60) and Mus musculus(n=72) in the suburban areas of Hamadan City during 2010-2012. Rodents were collected and examined for helminth in the different organs. The nematodes were collected in 5% formalin solution and cleared in lactophenol, cestodes and trematodes collected from intestine fixed in AFA solution and stained by acetocarmine, cleared in xylol for identification.
Results: Helminths found in A. sylvaticus and M. musculus and their prevalence for the first time in suburban areas of Hamadan City were as follows; In A. sylvaticus: Cysticercus fasciolaris(3.33%), Syphacia fredrici(26.67%), S. stroma(8.33%), Anoplocephalidae sp. (1.67%), Skrjabinotaenia lobata(5%), Plagiorchis muris(1.67%) and in M. musculus: Hymenolepis nana(16.67%), H. diminuta (5.55%), S. obvelata(30.56%), S. ohtarom (9.72%), Rodentolepis crassa(1.39%), C. fasciolaris (1.39%). Among 11 species in two rodents 4 species including S.obvelata, H. nana, H. diminuta, and P. muris have zoonotic importance. Statistically the relation between gender and their helminth infections was not significant in either M.musculus or A. sylvaticus (P>0.05).
Conclusion: This study reports 11 species of helminths and on the other hand 3species were identified for the first time in Iran and 5 species of them have potential health importance for public health and cat.