Enteric Bacteria and Helminths in <i>Rattus rattus</i> in Tema Community One Market: Potential for Zoonotic Disease Transmission

E.  Abrefi; H.  Arthur; F. G.  Acheampong; J. E.  Futse; G.  Futagbi

E. Abrefi
H. Arthur
F. G. Acheampong
J. E. Futse
G. Futagbi

Keywords: Rat, helminth, parasite, enteric bacteria, zoonotic

Abstract

Rattus rattus is a significant pest in urban settings and also acts as reservoir host for zoonotic diseases, posing public health challenges. The abundance of R. rattus in the urban environment, due to ample food and availability of shelter, makes them significant potential reservoir hosts and vectors of diseases. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of enteric helminth and bacteria in R. rattus in Tema Community One market, Ghana, and to assess the potential for transmission of zoonotic diseases. Zinc Sulphate flotation method was used for the parasitological examination. Conventional technique of bacterial culture and standard biochemical tests were used for the identification and characterization of bacterial isolates. Out of the 30 rats examined, 93.3% (28/30) were infected with at least one helminth. Helminth genera identified were Hymenolepis, Strongyloides, Taenia, Moniezia, Toxocara, Enterobius, Ascaris, Capillaria, Fasciola, and Trichostrongyle-type. The most common helminth was Hymenolepis spp. (80%), including H. nana (33.3%) and H. diminuta (50.0%). Additionally, 76.7% (23/30) of the rats harboured three or more parasite genera, and 50.0% (15/30) were infected with at least four different parasite species. Generally, infections were of low to moderate intensity, except for Hymenolepis spp., which showed high (501-2000 EPG) to very high (> 2000 EPG) intensity in a significant proportion of the rats. The most common enteric bacterium identified in the rats was Escherichia coli (86.7%), followed by Serratia marcescens (83.3%), Proteus mirabilis (76.7%), and Salmonella spp. (66.6%). Variations in the frequency of helminth and bacterial infections were observed among the rats. The study highlights the significant prevalence of pathogenic enteric bacteria and helminths in R. rattus populations in the Tema Community One market and indicates a potential for zoonotic disease transmission.