Identification of gastrointestinal parasites in lab rats

Abstract

In order to identify endoparasite infections in rat colonies of six laboratory animal facilities, a descriptive research was carried out, in Montevideo, Uruguay, during the first semester of 1998. A sample of 120 rats was selected at random by conglomerate. Each box containing five rats, was considered a conglomerate. 120 faecal samples were studied using Ritchie, Willis and direct methods. The prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites was 56.6%. The main species were PROTOZOA (41%): Giardia muris and Trichomonas muris; ROUNDWORMS (56.6%); Syphacia muris and Aspuculuris teraptera; TAPEWORMS (16.6%): Hymenolepis nana. Of the parasited rats 100% were infected with roundworms, 20% of this presented only one kind of parasites, 51% were infected with both: rpundworm and protozoa and 29% presented roundworms, tapeworms and protozoa altogether.