helminth infections of meriones persicus (persian jird), mus musculus (house mice) and cricetulus migratorius (grey hamster): a cross-sectional study in meshkin-shahr district, northwest iran

background: rodents have important role as reservoirs of different parasites. the aim of this study was to determine helminth parasites of abundant rodents in meshkin-shahr, ardabil province northwest iran. methods: from april 2014 to march 2015; 205 rodents including 118 meriones persicus , 63 mus musculus and 24 cricetulus migratorius were collected, using live traps. all rodents were dissected and their different tissues examined for infectivity with helminth parasites. results: overall, 74.2% of rodents were infected with helminth parasites. the rate of infectivity in m. persicus , m. musculus and c. migratorius was 82.2%, 61.9%, 66.7%, respectively. in general, among all 205 rodents, the species and infection rates of helminthes were as follows: nematoda: trichuris sp. (46.8 %), capillaria hepatica ( 18.1%), syphacia frederici (14.2%), aspicularis tetraptera (3.4%), trichuris rhombomidis (2%), heligmosomom sp. (2%), streptopharagus kuntzi (0.5%), spiruridae gen. sp. (0.5%); cestoda: hymenolepis nana fraterna ( 16.6%) hymenolepis diminuta ( 7.3%) tetratiridium of mesocestoides sp. (1%), paranoplocephala sp. (0.5%) , cysticercus fasciolaris ( 0.5%) , taenia endothoracicus larva (0.5%), and acanthocephala: moniliformis moniliformis ( 18.5%). conclusions: variable species of helminthes circulate in the rodents of the study area. presence of several zoonotic species highlights the potential risk of infections for public health.