Nematodes and cestodes of rodents in South Africa: baseline data on diversity and geographic distribution

Abstract

Currently, descriptive information on the host range and geographic distribution of helminth parasites associated with naturally occurring rodents in South and southern Africa is scant. Therefore, we embarked on a countrywide study to: (1) identify gastrointestinal helminths and their host range, and (2) provide baseline data on the geographic distribution of helminths across the country. Altogether, 55 helminth taxa were recovered from at least 13 rodent species (n = 1030) at 26 localities across South Africa. The helminth taxa represented 25 genera (15 nematodes, nine cestodes and one acanthocephalan). Monoxenous nematodes were the most abundant and prevalent group, while the occurrence of heteroxenous nematodes and cestodes was generally lower. The study recorded several novel helminth–host associations. Single-host-species infections were common, although multiple-host-species infections by helminth species were also recorded. Monoxenous nematodes and some cestodes were recovered countrywide, whereas heteroxenous nematodes were restricted to the eastern regions of South Africa. The study highlights the as yet unexplored diversity of helminth species associated with naturally occurring rodent species and provides initial data on their geographical distribution in South Africa.

Linking Behavior, Co-infection Patterns, and Viral Infection Risk With the Whole Gastrointestinal Helminth Community Structure in Mastomys natalensis

“…These three nematodes have a direct life cycle, meaning that they do not need a secondary host in their development. These results are in contrast with other work in Senegal and South Africa, where helminths with a direct life cycle were the most dominant species (52,100). This may be explained by differences in environmental conditions, which are known to play a key role in the survival of helminths during their free-living stages (5)(6)(7)(8).…”

Association between temporal patterns in helminth assemblages and successful range expansion of exotic Mus musculus domesticus in Senegal

“…Europe : Murai 1974;Asia: Kalyankar and Deshmukh 1980) as well as in (non-invaded) African rodent communities (e.g. South Africa: Spickett et al 2019). The first evidence of this cestode in exotic rodents in Africa was recently published by Diagne et al (2016) in North Senegal, and was supported by new data collected here.…”

Luna Virus and Helminths in Wild Mastomys natalensis in Two Contrasting Habitats in Zambia: Risk Factors and Evidence of Virus Dissemination in Semen

“…Besides the immunological assumptions about helminth-LUAV interactions, it is remarkable that Hymenolepis microstoma, Caenorhabditis inopinata, Aonchotheca paranalis, Calodium hepaticum, Trichnella spiralis, Trichulis ovis, and Pearsonema plica were detected for the first time in rodents in Zambia. We did not find evidence of these helminths in other mammals across Africa in the literature except Calodium hepaticum, which is widespread in rodents in Africa, Trichulis ovis in sheep in South Africa, and Hymenolepis microstoma in rodents in South Africa and Nigeria [48][49][50]. Calodium hepaticum, Trichnella spiralis, and Trichulis ovis are established zoonoses, while Hymenolepis microstoma was detected for the first time in humans recently [51].…”