Infection of Afghan Pika (Ochotona rufescens) with Oxyurid Worms in Northeastern Iran

Introduction: The Afghan pika (Ochotona rufescens) is a small mammal in the family Ochotonidae. This small mammal occurs in Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, and Turkmenistan.  Here, we investigated the helminth infections among the Afghan pikas from northeastern Iran. Methods: Fourteen Afghan pikas were entrapped from Bojnord, Mashhad, Birjand, and Tandoureh in the northeast of Iran during 2013-2015. The animals were euthanized, dissected, and their gastrointestinal tracts were removed, which were then cut longitudinally, and inspected under a stereomicroscope for the presence of helminths. Also, using the formalin-ether concentration technique, the intestinal contents of the animals were examined microscopically for helminths eggs. Results: Out of 14 pikas examined, 11 (78%) harbored at least one helminth species and mixed infections with two helminths were observed in 3 (21%) animals. Four oxyurid species including Cephaluris chabaudi, Cephaluris akhtar, Fastigiuris prudhoei, and Dermatoxy schneider were identified. Also, the Oxyurid eggs were recovered from the intestinal contents of four pikas. No significant difference (P>0.05) was observed in infection rate between male and female animals and between the areas. Conclusion: Oxyurid worms were the only prevalent infection among the Afghan pikas in northeastern Iran. The absence of other helminthic infections in pikas of the study area might be attributed to various factors like the lack of hosts species, high-elevation, and adequate moisture which facilitate the life cycle of many helminths species.