RESEARCH FOR 3 PARASITIC INFECTIONS WITHI N A POPULATION OF RATS TRAPPED IN MARSEILLES - EVALUATION OF THE ZOONOTIC RISK

A cross sectional survey was carried out on a population of 82 rats (R attus norvegicus and Rattus rattus alexandrinus) trapped in Marseille. The main histopathological finding was the presence of adults or eggs of Capillaria hepatica in 44 % of the animals. 21 % were found with f leas (Xenopsylla cheopis). There was no evidence of trichinosis in any of the rats examined Hepatic capillariasis is a zoonosis seldom descr ibed in human beings. About 30 human cases have been reported in the w orld. Human infestation occurs first by consumption of raw rat liver c ontaining un-embryonated eggs causing only pseudo-parasitism without d isease. The genuine mode of infestation is the consumption of sullied soil with rats feces containing embryonated eggs. Therefore parasites provoke, true as in rat inflammatory lesions, necrosis and fibrosis of the liver. The treatment associates antiparasitic drugs such as iverm ectin, disophenol or pyrantel tartrate. The presence of a large popula tion of infested synanthropic rats requires epidemiological monitoring and extermination of rats. All physician must be informed of this pot ential risk.