SURVEY OF ECTO AND GASTROINTESTINAL PARASITES OF THE CANE RAT (Thryonomys swinderianus) IN IFEDORE LGA OF ONDO STATE

Abstract

A total of thirty wild cane rats (Thryonomys swinderianus) were investigated for the presence of ecto and gastrointestinal parasitic infection across six different communities in Ifedore Local Government Area of Ondo State. Ectoparasites were retrieved by brushing the fur of the cane rats into a white calico bottle using a hand brush which were subsequently preserved in 70% alcohol and examined microscopically using the X10 objective lens of the microscope. Longitudinal incisions were made through the gastrointestinal tract of the cane rat. Adult parasites were screened using wet mounts while the sedimentation technique was used for the qualitative study of faecal egg and oocyst count. All the cane rats examined were infested with ectoparasites comprising of only hard ticks (Ixodes ticks) with an overall prevalence of 100%. Cane rats from Isarun haboured the highest ectoparasite burden with a mean intensity of 10.6 while those from Igbara Oke had the least ectoparasite burden with a mean intensity of 4.6. Based on predilection sites of infection, the ear had the highest ectoparsite burden with a mean intensity of 2.4 while the leg had the least ectoparasite burden with a mean intensity of 0.5. There was no significant difference (P˃0.05) in the prevalence of ectoparasites based on sex, predilection sites and study locations. On examination of the gastrointestinal tract of the cane rats investigated, twenty six out of the thirty cane rats investigated were infected with one or more types of parasites representing 86.7%. Three different species of gastrointestinal parasites were encountered in the course of the study namely: Ascaris sp, Trichuris sp and Trichostrongylus sp. 19 out of the 30 cane rats were infected with Ascaris sp with a prevalence of 63.3% and a mean intensity of 2.9 and 18 out of the 30 cane rats investigated were infected with Trichuris sp with a prevalence of 60.0% and a mean intensity of 2.5 while Trichostrongylus sp was the least encountered with 7 out of 30 infected with a prevalence of 23.3% and a mean intensity of 0.7. vii Based on predilection sites of infection, more parasites were encountered in the large intestine with a mean intensity of 2.7 while the oesophagus presented the least intensity of infection with a mean intensity of 0.17. Statistical analysis showed no statistical difference (P˃0.05) in the number of those infected based on study locations whereas there was statistical significant difference (p˂0.05) in the prevalence of infection based on sexes, species of parasites retrieved as well as the predilection sites of infection. The present study is novel in Ifedore Local Government Area and confirmed the presence of ecto and gastrointestinal parasites among cane rats in the wild in the study areas. This is of fundamental importance as a reference point for those who would go into cane rat domestication in the study area. This is because as at the time the research was conducted, there were no reported place(s) where cane rats were being domesticated in the study area.