[Prevalence of protozoa infections in synanthropic rodents in Valdivia City, Chile].

In order to determine the prevalence of infection by blood and intestinal protozoa in 57 synanthropic rodents from Valdivia city, a study was carried out in the period march-september 1986. The group of rodents studied was constituted by 31 Mus musculus, 19 Rattus rattus and 7 Oryzomys longicaudattus, being 42 males and 15 females. Diagnostic forms of protozoa were found in 70.2% of the investigated animals. The presence of five species of enteroprotozoa and one species of hemoflagelate was detected. The number and the corresponding percentages of infected animals were the following: Giardia muris, 21 (36.8%), Hexamita muris, 22 (38.6%), Trichomonas muris, 27 (47.4%), Entamoeba muris 9 (15.8%), Eimeria sp. 15 (26.3%) and Trypanosoma lewisi 9 (15.8%). Not significant differences were observed when considering host or sex of the species found infected. Furthermore, the yielding of fecal examination considering direct examination, sugar solution flotation and SAFS were compared. The sugar solution flotation technique showed the highest percentage diagnosis of coccidia, whereas SAFS was more efficient for detecting G. muris and E. muris.