The Role of the Norway Rat, <i>Rattus norvegicus</i>, as a Reservoir of Zoonotic Helminth Species in the City of Barcelona (Spain)
Synanthropic rodents are involved in the transmission of several parasitic zoonoses to humans, such as helminth parasites. As part of a multidisciplinary study concerning the rodent population in Barcelona (Spain), 300 specimens of the Norway rat, <i>Rattus norvegicus</i>, were analyzed...
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2025-01-01
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| author | Màrius Vicent Fuentes Pablo Puchades-Colera Carla Gosálvez Sandra Sáez-Durán Maria Cholvi-Simó Santiago Ruvira Joan Sanxis-Furió Jordi Pascual Rubén Bueno-Marí Sandra Franco Víctor Peracho Tomás Montalvo María Trelis Ángela L. Debenedetti María Teresa Galán-Puchades |
| author_facet | Màrius Vicent Fuentes Pablo Puchades-Colera Carla Gosálvez Sandra Sáez-Durán Maria Cholvi-Simó Santiago Ruvira Joan Sanxis-Furió Jordi Pascual Rubén Bueno-Marí Sandra Franco Víctor Peracho Tomás Montalvo María Trelis Ángela L. Debenedetti María Teresa Galán-Puchades |
| author_sort | Màrius Vicent Fuentes |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Synanthropic rodents are involved in the transmission of several parasitic zoonoses to humans, such as helminth parasites. As part of a multidisciplinary study concerning the rodent population in Barcelona (Spain), 300 specimens of the Norway rat, <i>Rattus norvegicus</i>, were analyzed to elucidate their helminth community, mainly species with a zoonotic potential. The sample included 263 specimens from the sewage system and 37 from public gardens. A total of 253 (84.3%) rats were found to be parasitized, and 206 (68.7%) harbored zoonotic species. Adult rats were found to be more heavily parasitized with zoonotic helminths than juveniles, but the sex and site of capture had no influence. Six zoonotic helminths were identified: <i>Hydatigera taeniaeformis</i> larvae (1.7%), <i>Rodentolepis nana</i> (8.0%), <i>Hymenolepis diminuta</i> (21.3%), <i>Calodium hepaticum</i> (46.3%), <i>Gongylonema neoplasticum</i> (36.7%), and <i>Moniliformis moniliformis</i> (2.3%). Human zoonotic helminth infections often go unreported, so that the role of <i>R. norvegicus</i> in their transmission is unknown. According to our results, it is advisable to monitor and control rodent populations in deprived settlements close to cities and in cities themselves, and to promote good hygienic and sanitary practices, especially among vulnerable populations and workers with high exposure such as sewage workers. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-5b3d4f371cea4cc3b34a13469fd83cce |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
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| spelling | doaj-art-5b3d4f371cea4cc3b34a13469fd83cce2025-08-20T03:12:32ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152025-01-0115329810.3390/ani15030298The Role of the Norway Rat, <i>Rattus norvegicus</i>, as a Reservoir of Zoonotic Helminth Species in the City of Barcelona (Spain)Màrius Vicent Fuentes0Pablo Puchades-Colera1Carla Gosálvez2Sandra Sáez-Durán3Maria Cholvi-Simó4Santiago Ruvira5Joan Sanxis-Furió6Jordi Pascual7Rubén Bueno-Marí8Sandra Franco9Víctor Peracho10Tomás Montalvo11María Trelis12Ángela L. Debenedetti13María Teresa Galán-Puchades14Parasites and Health Research Group, Department of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Technology and Parasitology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, University of Valencia, 46100 Burjassot, Valencia, SpainParasites and Health Research Group, Department of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Technology and Parasitology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, University of Valencia, 46100 Burjassot, Valencia, SpainParasites and Health Research Group, Department of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Technology and Parasitology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, University of Valencia, 46100 Burjassot, Valencia, SpainParasites and Health Research Group, Department of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Technology and Parasitology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, University of Valencia, 46100 Burjassot, Valencia, SpainParasites and Health Research Group, Department of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Technology and Parasitology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, University of Valencia, 46100 Burjassot, Valencia, SpainParasites and Health Research Group, Department of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Technology and Parasitology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, University of Valencia, 46100 Burjassot, Valencia, SpainParasites and Health Research Group, Department of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Technology and Parasitology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, University of Valencia, 46100 Burjassot, Valencia, SpainPest Surveillance and Control, Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona (ASPB), 08023 Barcelona, SpainParasites and Health Research Group, Department of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Technology and Parasitology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, University of Valencia, 46100 Burjassot, Valencia, SpainPest Surveillance and Control, Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona (ASPB), 08023 Barcelona, SpainPest Surveillance and Control, Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona (ASPB), 08023 Barcelona, SpainPest Surveillance and Control, Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona (ASPB), 08023 Barcelona, SpainParasites and Health Research Group, Department of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Technology and Parasitology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, University of Valencia, 46100 Burjassot, Valencia, SpainParasites and Health Research Group, Department of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Technology and Parasitology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, University of Valencia, 46100 Burjassot, Valencia, SpainParasites and Health Research Group, Department of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Technology and Parasitology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, University of Valencia, 46100 Burjassot, Valencia, SpainSynanthropic rodents are involved in the transmission of several parasitic zoonoses to humans, such as helminth parasites. As part of a multidisciplinary study concerning the rodent population in Barcelona (Spain), 300 specimens of the Norway rat, <i>Rattus norvegicus</i>, were analyzed to elucidate their helminth community, mainly species with a zoonotic potential. The sample included 263 specimens from the sewage system and 37 from public gardens. A total of 253 (84.3%) rats were found to be parasitized, and 206 (68.7%) harbored zoonotic species. Adult rats were found to be more heavily parasitized with zoonotic helminths than juveniles, but the sex and site of capture had no influence. Six zoonotic helminths were identified: <i>Hydatigera taeniaeformis</i> larvae (1.7%), <i>Rodentolepis nana</i> (8.0%), <i>Hymenolepis diminuta</i> (21.3%), <i>Calodium hepaticum</i> (46.3%), <i>Gongylonema neoplasticum</i> (36.7%), and <i>Moniliformis moniliformis</i> (2.3%). Human zoonotic helminth infections often go unreported, so that the role of <i>R. norvegicus</i> in their transmission is unknown. According to our results, it is advisable to monitor and control rodent populations in deprived settlements close to cities and in cities themselves, and to promote good hygienic and sanitary practices, especially among vulnerable populations and workers with high exposure such as sewage workers.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/3/298<i>Rattus norvegicus</i>reservoirhelminthszoonosesBarcelonaSpain |
| spellingShingle | Màrius Vicent Fuentes Pablo Puchades-Colera Carla Gosálvez Sandra Sáez-Durán Maria Cholvi-Simó Santiago Ruvira Joan Sanxis-Furió Jordi Pascual Rubén Bueno-Marí Sandra Franco Víctor Peracho Tomás Montalvo María Trelis Ángela L. Debenedetti María Teresa Galán-Puchades The Role of the Norway Rat, <i>Rattus norvegicus</i>, as a Reservoir of Zoonotic Helminth Species in the City of Barcelona (Spain) Animals <i>Rattus norvegicus</i> reservoir helminths zoonoses Barcelona Spain |
| title | The Role of the Norway Rat, <i>Rattus norvegicus</i>, as a Reservoir of Zoonotic Helminth Species in the City of Barcelona (Spain) |
| title_full | The Role of the Norway Rat, <i>Rattus norvegicus</i>, as a Reservoir of Zoonotic Helminth Species in the City of Barcelona (Spain) |
| title_fullStr | The Role of the Norway Rat, <i>Rattus norvegicus</i>, as a Reservoir of Zoonotic Helminth Species in the City of Barcelona (Spain) |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Role of the Norway Rat, <i>Rattus norvegicus</i>, as a Reservoir of Zoonotic Helminth Species in the City of Barcelona (Spain) |
| title_short | The Role of the Norway Rat, <i>Rattus norvegicus</i>, as a Reservoir of Zoonotic Helminth Species in the City of Barcelona (Spain) |
| title_sort | role of the norway rat i rattus norvegicus i as a reservoir of zoonotic helminth species in the city of barcelona spain |
| topic | <i>Rattus norvegicus</i> reservoir helminths zoonoses Barcelona Spain |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/3/298 |
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