Sains Malaysiana 49(5)(2020): 1097-1106

http://dx.doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2020-4905-14

Incidental Findings of Heterakis spumosa and Chirodiscoides caviae with Pinworms in Sprague Dawley Rats

(Penemuan Kebetulan Heterakis spumosa dan Chirodiscoides caviae dengan Cacing Kerawit pada Tikus Sprague Dawley)

RASLAN AIN-FATIN¹, SAULOL HAMID NUR-FAZILA¹*, MD ISA NUR-MAHIZA¹, ABD RAHAMAN YASMIN², FAZIL MUHAMMAD-AZAM¹ & HAMKA NUR-KUAIN¹

¹Department of Veterinary Pathology and Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

²Department of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnostics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

Diserahkan: 28 Mac 2019/Diterima: 15 Januari 2020

ABSTRACT

Endoparasites and ectoparasites have been one of the most common problems influencing the health condition of laboratory animals. The animals have a higher possibility of getting infected and their vague microbial status may alter the results of research studies.  The objective of this study was to identify the presence of helminths and ectoparasites in Sprague Dawley (SD) rats and to determine the association between the type of helminths and ectoparasites infestation in two different conventionally-maintained animal facilities. A total of 60 SD rats were selected randomly. For helminths identification, perianal tape test and faecal floatation were used while ectoparasites were identified by fur pluck test. The data was analysed statistically by SPSS using the Pearson Chi-square test. In this study, pinworms; Syphacia muris and Aspiculuris tetraptera were identified in both Premise 1 and Premise 2. Out of 30 animals of each facility, 26 and 23 rats were found to be positive for helminths at each premise, respectively. Surprisingly, Heterakis spumosa that is commonly found in wild rats were identified at Premise 2. Additionally, 22 out of 30 SD rats at Premise 2 were infested heavily with Chirodiscoides caviae mites which are common in guinea pigs. The high burden of C. caviae infestation was most likely due to cross-contamination during transportation. Statistically, there was an association between the type of helminths and ectoparasites infestation in SD rats at different animal facilities (p-value=0.009). In conclusion, different practise of conventionally-maintained animal facilities influence the evidence of uncommon parasites infestation without affecting the presence of common pinworms in laboratory rats.

Keywords: Chirodiscoides caviae; ectoparasites; helminths; Heterakis spumosa; laboratory rats

ABSTRAK

Endoparasit dan ektoparasit telah menjadi salah satu masalah umum yang mempengaruhi keadaan kesihatan haiwan makmal. Haiwan-haiwan ini mempunyai kemungkinan yang tinggi untuk mendapat jangkitan dan status mikrob mereka yang tidak jelas boleh mengubah hasil kajian penyelidikan. Objektif kajian ini adalah untuk mengenal pasti kehadiran helmint dan ektoparasit pada tikus Sprague-Dawley (SD) dan untuk menentukan hubungan antara jenis helminth dan ektoparasit di dua fasiliti haiwan makmal yang dikendalikan secara konvensional. Sejumlah 60 tikus SD telah dipilih secara rawak. Untuk mengenal pasti helmint, ujian pita perianal dan pengapungan tinja dijalankan sementara ektoparasit dikenal pasti dengan ujian cabutan bulu. Data dianalisis secara statistik oleh SPSS menggunakan ujian Pearson Chi-square. Dalam kajian ini, cacing kerawit; Syphacia muris dan Aspiculuris tetraptera telah dikenal pasti dalam kedua-dua Premis 1 dan Premis 2. Daripada 30 haiwan di setiap kemudahan, 26 dan 23 tikus didapati positif untuk helmint. Yang mengejutkan, Heterakis spumosa yang kebiasaannya dijumpai pada tikus liar dan jarang dilaporkan dalam tikus makmal juga telah dikenal pasti di Premis 2. Selain itu, 22 daripada 30 tikus SD di Premis 2 juga mempunyai infestasi tinggi oleh Chirodiscoides caviae hama yang kebiasaannya dijumpai dalam tikus belanda. Beban tinggi C. caviae berkemungkinan besar disebabkan oleh jangkitan semasa pengangkutan. Secara statistik, terdapat hubungan antara jenis helmint dan serangan ektoparasit pada tikus SD di fasiliti haiwan makmal yang berbeza (p-value = 0.009). Sebagai kesimpulan, pengurusan yang berbeza antara fasiliti haiwan makmal yang dikendalikan secara konvensional akan mempengaruhi serangan parasit yang jarang berlaku tanpa menjejaskan kehadiran cacing kerawit dalam tikus makmal.

Kata kunci: Chirodiscoides caviae; ektoparasit; helmint; Heterakis spumosa; tikus makmal

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*Pengarang untuk surat-menyurat; email: nurfazila@upm.edu.my