Prevalence of Gastrointestinal Parasites of Laboratory Animals at Animal House

The prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites rabbit, mice and rats was studied during the year 2012 in the laboratory of parasitology. The results showed that prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites was 33.33% in rabbits, 30% in mice and 16.16% rats. Species-wise prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites in rabbits concluded that out of four infected rabbits, tow were infected with Trichostrongylus retortaeformis (50%), and the prevalence of Passalurus ambigus was observed in one rabbit out of four (25%) while the prevalence of Cittotaenia cteniodes was noted in one (25%) rabbit out of total infected four rabbits. It was observed that the prevalence of T. retortaeformis was markedly higher in gastrointestinal tract of rabbits as compared to P. ambigus and C. cteniodes. Sex-wise prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites in rats indicated that none of the male rats were found to be infected with gastrointestinal parasites and in female rats 33.33% were found to be infected with gastrointestinal parasites; the overall prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites in rats was 16.66%. In femal e rats, the prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites was higher than the male rats. The only one sample out of six rats  was found to be infected with Giardia lambia species of gastrointestinal parasite. Sex-wise prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites in male mice showed 20% prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites and in female mice 40% prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites was observed; overall prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites in mice was 30%. In female mice the prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites was higher than the male mice. The species-wise prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites in mice showed that all the 6 positive sample animals were found to be infected with G. lambia species of gastrointestinal parasites and the prevalence was 30%. In the present study it was found that the females had the highest prevalence ratio due to the fact that, lactation stress causes depressed immunity which result increased shedding of eggs through feces.