RODENTS AS RESERVIORS OF BABESIOSIS IN URBAN AREAS OF LAHORE - M. S. Ahmad; A. Maqbool; M. Mahmood-ul-Hassan; M. Mushtaq-ul-Hassan; A. A. Anjum (Journal of Animal and Plant Sciences, 2011)
Babesiosis was recorded in 2.3 percent of the rodents in the Lahore - the second most populated city of Pakistan and the capital of Punjab. The highest prevalence was recorded during the August at all the four structures sampled for rats and mice. It was 8.7 percent at Residential houses (RH) 10.7 percent at flour mills (FM) and fruit/vegetable shops (F/VS), and 6.7 percent at departmental stores and grocery shops (DS/GS). Inter-structure variation in the prevalence rate was statistically non-significant. Rodents captured from November to April had no infection. Sex-wise infection rate was statistically different in all the structures. Infection rate was higher in mice (2.4 percent) than rats (2.3 percent) but the difference was non-significant. Findings suggest that infected rodents may become a general health hazard and suitable measures required to eradicate them.
Keywords: journal article; Babesia; house rat; house mouse; flourmills; Lahore; residential houses; zoonoses