Morphological and molecular identification of the metacestode parasitizing the liver of rodent hosts in bamboo growing areas of mizoram, northeast India

Abstract

In Mizoram (Northeast India), rodent outbreaks are known to occur periodically with the onset of bamboo flowering causing a tremendous destruction to food grains and as per the folk belief, often resulting in famine. In an exploratory survey of rodent pests in bamboo growing atreas for their helminth parasite spectrum, metacestodes of tapeworms were frequently encountered infecting the liver lobes and body cavity of the host. The morphological criteria were found to be closely consistent with the metacestode of Taenia species. In molecular characterization of the parasite, the ribosomal DNA (ITS1, ITS2) and mitochondrial COI were amplified and sequenced. Based upon both morphological data and molecular analysis using bioinformatic tools, the metacestode is identified as confirmed to be representing Cysticercus fasciolaris. The adult form of which (Taenia taeniaeformis) commonly occurs in felid and canid mammalian hosts.

A parasitological survey of zoonotic cestodes carried by house rats in Aswan, Egypt, reveals cryptic diversity at the molecular level

“…The morphological characteristics of the present H. taeniaeformis specimens are consistent with previous work in Egypt [29] and in India [37], who detected and described metacestode infection in R. rattus. We detected pseudosegmentation along the strobila and a small terminal bladder, correlating with [9,38], who reported H. taeniaeformis to be the only metacestode in which the scolex is not invaginated at the bladder but rather attached to it through strobilae.…”

Natural Cysticercus fasciolaris infection in rodents from a rural area in Yucatan, Mexico

“…Indeed, Theis and Schwab, 35 reported a 3.4% prevalence of T. taeniaeformis in Peromyscus maniculatus from California, and Wanas et al 19 found the parasite in Gerbillus gerbillus (33.3%), Acomys cahirinus (16.6%), and Arvicanthis niloticus (7.2%).Moreover, the presence of C. fasciolaris was established in R. rattus wild populations in bamboo forests from Mizoram, India. 20 None of the rodents captured from wild environments in this study were positive for C. fasciolaris infection. Absence of a wild transmission cycle that includes rodents may be due to the presence of five indigenous wild feline species that can act as final hosts: Herpailurus yagouaroundi, Leopardus pardalis, Leopardus wiedii, Puma concolor, and Panthera onca.…”

“…Metacestodes were stained with Semichon's acetic carmine, mounted on slides with Canada balsam medium and observed under a conventional stereoscope (OLYMPUS-SZ51, Tokyo, Japan). Characterization was performed according to morphological traits described by Bowman et al 33 and Malsawmtluangi et al 20…”

“…[12][13][14] Synanthropic species such as Rattus norvegicus, Rattus rattus, and Mus musculus are the main intermediate hosts of this parasite, with prevalence ranging from 4.3% 15 to 67.7%. 16 Cysticercus fasciolaris infection has been reported in urban and wild rodents from Brazil, 17 Korea, 18 Egypt, 19 India, 20 Malaysia, 21 Thailand, 22 and Mexico. [23][24][25] Rodents from the R. rattus and M. musculus species have been found infected with C. fasciolaris, in Yucatan.…”

Clinico-pathology, diagnosis and management of Cysticercus fasciolaris and Hymenolepis diminuta co-infection in wistar rats

“…It is recommended to practice depopulation of the infected colonies for the control of both parasites [ 3 ]. Both parasites had been reported from Mizoram [ 20 - 21 ].…”