title: Helminth communities in murid rodents from southern and northern localities in Lao PDR: the role of habitat and season.
abstract: The helminth communities of wild murid rodents were investigated in Luang Prabang and Champasak province, Lao PDR. Thirteen species of rodents (404 individuals) were infected by 19 species of parasites (2 trematode, 3 cestode, 14 nematode species). Four of the recorded helminth species (Echinostoma malayanum, Raillietina sp., Hymenolepis diminuta and H. nana) are known to cause potential zoonotic helminthiases of medical importance in the South-East Asian region. Individual helminth infection was significantly higher in the wet season. Habitat significantly influenced individual helminth species richness and individual helminth abudance, with a decrease of individual helminth species richness and individual helminth abundance from forest habitat to agricultural and human settlement habitats. The reduction of helminth diversity and abundance is discussed in relation to the ongoing increase of human influence on habitats in Lao PDR.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology,Faculty of Science, Mahasarakham University,Mahasarakham,Thailand.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pakdeenarong
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology,Faculty of Science, Mahasarakham University,Mahasarakham,Thailand.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Siribat
authors.affiliation: Department of Helminthology,Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University,Bangkok,Thailand.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chaisiri
authors.affiliation: National Agricultural Research Centre, National Agricultural and Forestry Research Institute,Vientiane,Lao PDR.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Douangboupha
authors.affiliation: Evolutionary Ecology Group, University of Antwerp,Groenenborgerlaan 171,B-2020Antwerpen,Belgium.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ribas
authors.affiliation: INRA, UMR 1062 CBGP,F-34988Montpellier sur Lez,France.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chaval
authors.affiliation: ESPACE-DEV, IRD - Université des Antilles et de la Guyane - Université de Montpellier 2 - Université de la Réunion,F-34093Montpellier,France.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Herbreteau
authors.affiliation: Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution, UMR CNRS-IRD-UM2, Université de Montpellier 2,F-34093Montpellier,France.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Morand
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild; D017753:Ecosystem; D005260:Female; D006374:Helminthiasis, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology*; D006376:Helminths / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007812:Laos; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009115:Muridae / Q000469:parasitology; D012376:Rodent Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology*; D012621:Seasons