Domiciliary Cockroaches as Carriers of Human Intestinal Parasites in Lagos Metropolis, Southwest Nigeria: Implications for Public Health
<p><strong>Background:</strong> Domiciliary cockroaches are obnoxious pests of significant medical importance. We investigated the prevalence of human intestinal parasites in cockroaches and its attendant public health importance.<strong><br />Methods:</strong> Ov...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Tehran University of Medical Sciences
2018-06-01
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| Series: | Journal of Arthropod-Borne Diseases |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://jad.tums.ac.ir/index.php/jad/article/view/885 |
| Summary: | <p><strong>Background:</strong> Domiciliary cockroaches are obnoxious pests of significant medical importance. We investigated the prevalence of human intestinal parasites in cockroaches and its attendant public health importance.<strong><br />Methods:</strong> Overall, 749 cockroaches (<em>Periplaneta americana</em>, 509, <em>Blattella germanica</em>, 240) caught by trapping from 120 households comprising 3 different housing types in Somolu, Lagos metropolis, southwest Nigeria, in 2015 were screened for human intestinal parasites using standard parasitological techniques.<strong><br />Results:</strong> The prevalence of human intestinal parasites in cockroaches was 96.4%. There was no statistically significant difference (P> 0.05) in parasite prevalences between <em>P. americana</em> (95.7%) and <em>B. germanica</em> (97.9%). Parasite species identified and their prevalence were as follows: <em>Entamoeba histolytica/dispar</em> (44.1%), <em>E. coli</em> (37.8%), <em>Giardia lamblia</em> (18.7%), <em>Cryptosporidium</em> sp. (13.8%), <em>Ascaris lumbricoides</em> (61.3%), <em>Trichuris trichiura</em> (55.8%), hookworms (11.6%), <em>Strongyloides stercoralis</em> (11.7%), <em>Taenia/Echinococcus</em> spp. (10.5%), <em>Enterobius vermicularis</em> (17.2%) and <em>Hymenolepis nana</em> (11.6%). Parasite prevalence and burdens varied with housing type; the prevalence was significantly higher statistically (P< 0.05) in cockroaches from low-cost bungalow, LCB (100%) and low-cost, 2-storey, LC2-S (100%) houses than in medium-cost flats, MCF (81.3%). Parasite burdens were also significantly higher statistically (P< 0.05) in cockroaches from LCB or LC2-S than in cockroaches from MCF. Parasite prevalences between cockroach gut and body surfaces were not statistically significant (P> 0.05) but mean parasite burdens in gut were significantly higher statistically (P<<strong> </strong>0.05) than on body surfaces.<strong><br />Conclusion:</strong> Cockroaches types carry transmissive stages of human intestinal parasites and may act as reservoirs and potential mechanical vectors for disease transmission.</p> |
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| ISSN: | 1735-7179 2322-2271 |