Survey of Hymenolepis spp. in pet rodents in Italy.
We carried out the first survey of Hymenolepis spp. infection in pet rodents in Italy. Fresh fecal samples were collected from 172 pet rodents as follows: guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus; n = 60), squirrels (Callosciurus finlaysonii, Callosciurus prevosti, Tamias striatus, Tamias sibiricus, Sciurus calorinensis; n = 52), hamsters (Phodopus campbelli, Mesocricetus auratus; n = 30), chinchillas (Chinchilla lanigera; n = 13), rats (Rattus norvegicus; n = 10), and mice (Mus minutoides; n = 7). These animals were housed either in pet shops or in private houses. All fecal samples were processed using the FLOTAC pellet technique to assess the number of eggs per gram (EPG) of feces. Eggs of Hymenolepis nana were found in 24 out of 172 (13.9 %; 95 % confidence interval = 9.3-20.2 %) pet rodents. Of those rodents, 41.6 % (10/24) were rats (mean EPG = 55.7; range = 2-200), 29.2 % (7/24) mice (mean EPG = 64.5; range = 32-120), 25.0 % (6/24) were chinchillas (mean EPG = 25.5; range = 10-50), and 4.2 % (1/24) hamsters (P. campbelli) (EPG = 86.0). In addition, Hymenolepis diminuta eggs were found in 2 out of 172 (1.2 %; 95 % confidence interval = 0.2-4.6 %) rodents examined, both of which (100 %; 2/2) were pet squirrels (C. prevosti) (mean EPG = 10; range = 4-16). To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of a natural infection of H. diminuta in pet squirrels.
Private practitioner, Naples, Italy.
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D
d'Ovidio
Private practitioner, Naples, Italy.
Emilio
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Noviello
Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, University of Naples Federico II, CREMOPAR Regione Campania, Via Della Veterinaria 1, 80137, Naples, Italy.
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P
Pepe
Private practitioner, Naples, Italy.
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L
Del Prete
Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, University of Naples Federico II, CREMOPAR Regione Campania, Via Della Veterinaria 1, 80137, Naples, Italy.
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G
Cringoli
Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, University of Naples Federico II, CREMOPAR Regione Campania, Via Della Veterinaria 1, 80137, Naples, Italy. lrinaldi@unina.it.
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L
Rinaldi
D000818:Animals; D006224:Cricetinae / Q000469:parasitology; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D006168:Guinea Pigs / Q000469:parasitology; D006925:Hymenolepiasis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D006926:Hymenolepis / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007558:Italy; D051379:Mice / Q000469:parasitology; D057805:Pets / Q000469:parasitology*; D051381:Rats / Q000469:parasitology; D012589:Sciuridae / Q000469:parasitology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
Chinchillas; FLOTAC; Hymenolepis diminuta; Hymenolepis nana; Mice; Pet rodents; Rats; Squirrels