A Survey of Nematode Parasites of Small Mammals in Tunisia, North Africa: Diversity of Species and Zoonotic Implications
International audience The presence of nematodes was investigated in 84 small mammals belonging to 10 species living in arid wildhabitats from Central Tunisia. Hosts were infected with a total of 7 species of nematodes. The dominant parasite species wasGongylonema neoplasticum, which was found in th...
Published in: | Comparative Parasitology |
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Main Authors: | , , , |
Other Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
HAL CCSD
2015
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Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://hal.umontpellier.fr/hal-03038967 https://doi.org/10.1654/4767.1 |
Summary: | International audience The presence of nematodes was investigated in 84 small mammals belonging to 10 species living in arid wildhabitats from Central Tunisia. Hosts were infected with a total of 7 species of nematodes. The dominant parasite species wasGongylonema neoplasticum, which was found in the stomach of 7 host species with prevalences varying from 15.4% inGerbillus campestris to 50% in Meriones shawi. Several nematodes, such as Syphacia obvelata, Acanthocheilonema viteae,Trichuris gerbilli, and G. neoplasticum, are potential zoonotic parasites. These latter species were collected from M. shawi,Meriones libycus, Mus musculus, Mus spretus, Rattus rattus, G. campestris, Psammomys obesus, and Ctenodactylus goundi,raising concern that these rodents and their associated rodent-borne helminths could be of potential concern for public healthin this region. |
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