Parasitic Infections of Bicoloured White-toothed Shrew () from Dasht-e-Razan, Western Iran.

BACKGROUND

The prevalence and intensity of endo and ectoparasites in shrews inhabiting in the Dasht-e Razan of Hamedan Province, Iran, were determined in this study.

METHODS

By live traps, 64 shrews belong to species bicoloured white-toothed shrews () were trapped during 2010-2012. Captured animals were euthanized and their gender recorded. The blood thick and thin smears were stained with Geimsa and examined for protozoan parasites. Then, ectoparasites were collected and preserved in 70% ethanol and after necropsies; different organs were examined for helminthes.

RESULTS

The prevalence of collected helminthes of were; (18.7%) (26.5%), sp (15.6%), (45.3%) and its ectoparasites were; Nymphs of three species of ticks; sp (32.8%), sp (23.4%), sp (9.4%), one species of louse, (18.7%) and one species of flea sp (39.1%). Among the collected parasites, all helminthes and one sucking louse, are reported for the first time in Iran. Statistically analysis with the Chi-square test did not show any significant relation between gender and endoparasites (>0.05), but the ectoparasites had significant differences with gender (<0.05). No significant correlation was found between the altitude and the parasite species richness (Spearman's test: >0.05).

CONCLUSION

This study reports 9 species of parasites and 5 species of them were identified for the first time in Iran and some of them are vectors of several important zoonoses agents.