Some supplementary data on parasitic trematode of house rat (R. flavipectus) Nghe An, Ha Tinh provinces and describe to Centrocestus formosanus (Heterophyidae) which species the first time found from the rat in VietNam

Abstract

Many studies of rat parasites have been made in different parts of the world. Balfour (1922) in England, Fielding (1927) in Australia, Cram (1928) and Price and Chitwood (1931) in USA; Tubangui (1931) in Philippin; Wu (1930) and Chen (1933) in China; Ash (1962) in Hawaii and B. Seo (1964) in Korea…. Oldham (1931) compiled his work which gives an excellent summary of work on rat parasites in different parts of the world up to date. According to him, total number of helminthes reported in his paper from common rat is 109 species, comprised of 27 trematodes, 41 cestodes, 40 nematodes and 1 acanthocephalid. Out of 109 species, 69 species were found from Rattus norvegicus. In Vietnam, according to Nguyen Thi Le et al. (2007), total number of helminthes parasites from rodents is 72 species (6 cestodes, 23 trematodes, 40 nematodes and 3 acanthocephalid), out of 72 species, 44 species were found from Rattus flavipectus.

Total 31 house rats (Rattus flavipectus) were examined for helminthes in Ha Tinh and Nghe An provinces. The overall prevalence of helminthes infection was 48.39% (15/31). 6 trematodes species were found from the intestine, stomach of the house rat (Plagiorchis muris, Dictyonograptus vietnamensis, Echinostoma aegyptica, Notocotylus naviformis, Centrocestus formosanus, Prosthodendrium pushpai) with 1-1000 individuals per each rat. Describe to Centrocestus formosanus (Heterophyidae) which species the first time found from the rats in Vietnam. In 1993, Nguyen Thi Le and Do Duc Ngai found this species from the birds, poultries (such as chicken, duck) and freshwater fishes. In the world, this species were found from Amphibian in Thailand, Laos, Philippines and Hong Kong. This result also completes 2 parasitic trematodes species (Plagiorchis muris and Centrocestus formosanus) to new host of house rat.