A Study of Rodents Ectoparasites in Sari city and central regions of Mazandaran Province in 1997-1998

Background and Rodents Ëctoparasites play important role in transmission of diseases such as plaque, recurrent fever, Typhus etc. Â study was conducted to determine rodent ectoparasites in sari city and central region of sari in 1997-1998. This research was a descriptive study, done on rodents living in sari city and the central region (the distance of 5 km. From city), the animals were trapped by installing hunting net randomly in different places of the areas under studying. The prey was slices of bread and cucumber soaked with oil, etc. Âfter anaesthetizing and writing all the external characteristics, the body was bruched over on a water container in order to isolate the parasites. Âfter collection of ectoparasite from the water container they were preservated in 70% alcohol to be identified by wet mount method. Âlso the necessary information about the rodent and alcohol were written in special form to be analyzed statistically. Ïn this study the total number of 196 rodents belonging to five species were hunted which whereas following 3(29.3%) Rattus norvegicus, 45(35.7%) Rattus rattus 12(9.5%) of 25(19.8%) of original species of Glisglis 7(5.5%) of wild species of Âpodemus sgluaticus. Ôf these 45(35.7%) mice were infected with one or more of ectoparasites. Çontamination was observed only in Rallus Rattus, Rattus norvegicus, and the other species were not contaminated. Âlso the isolated ectoparasites were as following, Rihipicephalus, Hoplopleare, Ôpiliacaridae, Ëchinolaelaps echidnini. Çonclusion: The result indicated that the rate of contamination with hunted rodent ectoparasites in the area of under studying was 36.7%. Çontamination was observed in Rattus norvegicus, Rattus rattus species, but was not observed in the other hunted rodents, due to the type of the living conditions.Since the isolated ectoparasites are important medically, veterinary point of view, hence eradication programme of the rodents along with ectoparasites are recommended, so after the death of the rodents the ectoparasite not to invade residential area.