Occurrence of multiple infections of rodents with parasites and bacteria in the Sibang Arboretum, Libreville, Gabon.

Background And Aim: Rodents are carriers or reservoirs of various bacteria, protozoa, viruses, and ectoparasites. Given the proximity of various rodent species and humans, there is a potential for the transmission of pathogens. Data on ecto- and endo-parasite prevalence in rodent populations in Gabon are limited. To fill this gap, we conducted a study in Libreville to investigate the occurrence of ecto- and endo-parasites in rodents.

Materials And Methods: We captured and euthanized 68 rodents belonging to the genus and examined their ecto- and endo-parasite fauna, dissected their gastrointestinal tract for helminths, and prepared blood smears to examine blood-borne pathogens.

Results: Our analyses identified three pathogen taxa: helminths ( spp., spp., and spp.), protozoa ( spp.), bacteria ( spp.), and arthropods ( and ). Overall, 91.2% of the rodents were infected with at least one pathogen and ectoparasite, with helminth occurrence rate of 63.2% and ectoparasite occurrence at 44.1%. Protozoan infections ( spp.) were found in 10.3% of the rodents, whereas bacteria ( spp.) had an occurrence rate of 39.7%.

Conclusion: Native rodents in Libreville harbor various infectious agents, ecto- andendo-parasites. These findings highlight the potential health risks associated with rodents for the transmission of various diseases to human population in Gabon and emphasize the need for investigation of rodents for their role as disease carriers.