Browsing by Author "Ngalameno,Mungo Kisinza"

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Cestodes fauna of silvery mole rats (Heliophobius Argentiocinereus Emini) in Morogoro region, Tanzania
(Journal of Ideas in Health, 2024) Shija,Debora Elias; Nzalawahe,Jahashi Saidi; Ngalameno,Mungo Kisinza; Mafie,Eliakunda M
Background: Silvery mole rat (Heliophobius Argentiocinereus) is a subterranean rodent widely distributed throughout Sub-Saharan Africa. They have been reported to host several gastrointestinal parasites, however, the status of parasites from these rats in Tanzania has not been widely studied. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of cestodes parasites in silvery mole rats from the Morogoro region. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the Mlali and Mji mkuu wards of the Mvomero and Morogoro urban districts in Tanzania, from March to June 2023. Silvery mole rats were collected through manual excavation of their burrows in agri-ecological areas. The captured rats were euthanized using Diethyl Ether and dissected to remove the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). GIT contents were gathered. Adult worms were collected and preserved in 70.0% ethanol. A flotation and aceto-carmine staining techniques were employed to process gastrointestinal contents and adult tapeworms respectively. Both cestode eggs and adult tapeworms were identified based on general morphological features using taxonomic keys. The prevalence of cestodes was computed, and a chi-square test was applied to assess association, a p-value≤ 0.05 was considered significant. Results: One hundred thirty-seven silvery mole rats were collected, adult females 65% (89/137) were dominant among collected rats. One species of gastrointestinal cestode was detected with an overall prevalence of 20.44% (28/137) and identified as Hymenolepis diminuta. A total of 392 adult worms and 1450 eggs per gram (EPG) for H. diminuta were collected from the gastrointestinal tract. A significant association was shown between cestodes infection with both host age and reproductive category (p< 0.05). Conclusion: This study has established that Hymenolepidae (H. diminuta) is prevalent in silvery mole rats of the Morogoro region, suggesting that this animal could be among the sources of hymenolepiasis disease in the community. Therefore, further studies are needed to investigate cestodes fauna in community members of the respective study area.
Ectoparasites and hemoparasites of the Emini Silvery Mole rats (Heliophobius Argentiocinereus Emini) in Morogoro region, Tanzania Essau Elly Mwalukasa
(Journal of Ideas in Health, 2025) Shija,Debora Elias; Ngalameno,Mungo Kisinza; Nzalawahe,Jahashi Said
Background: The silvery mole rat (Heliophobius Argentiocinereus Emini) is a subterranean rodent widely distributed across Sub-Saharan Africa and exploited as a protein source in some communities. Despite this, limited data exist on ectoparasite and hemoparasite infections in this species in Tanzania. This study aims to determine the prevalence of hemoparasites in silvery mole rats and to identify their potential arthropod vectors in the Morogoro region of Tanzania. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Mvomero and Morogoro districts, Tanzania, between March and June 2023. A total of 137 silvery mole rats were captured through manual excavation. Ectoparasites were collected from animal fur and identified morphologically using taxonomic keys. Blood samples were obtained directly from the heart, and smears were prepared, stained with Giemsa, and microscopically examined for hemoparasites. Statistical analysis was performed to assess associations between host factors, ectoparasite infestation, and hemoparasite infection. Results: Of the 137 captured mole rats, 65% (n=89) were females and 86.7% (n=120) were adults. The overall prevalence of ectoparasitism was 71.5% (98/137). A total of 1,503 ectoparasites were recovered, dominated by Androlaelaps spp. (93.15%, n=1400), followed by Echinolaelaps echidinus (6.19%, n=93), and Haemaphysalis spp. ticks (0.67%, n=10). Hemoparasites were detected in 29.2% (40/137) of hosts, including Anaplasma spp. (25.5%) and Babesia spp. (16.8%). Coinfections with both parasites occurred in 13.1% of individuals. Adult mole rats had significantly higher odds of hemoparasite infection (OR = 3.23, 95% CI: 1.15–9.11, p = 0.04). Tick infestation was strongly associated with Babesia spp. (χ² = 11.91, OR = 15.56, p < 0.001) and Anaplasma spp. (χ² = 5.82, OR = 8.3, p = 0.01). Conclusion: This study demonstrates a high prevalence of ectoparasites and hemoparasites among silvery mole rats in the Morogoro region. The dominance of mite infestations and significant associations between ticks and blood parasites highlight the potential role of mole rats as reservoirs of zoonotic pathogens. Further molecular studies are warranted to characterize these parasites and evaluate their public health implications.
Prevalence of Gastrointestinal Nematodes in Silvery Mole-Rats in the Morogoro Region, Tanzania
(Journal of Applied Veterinary Science and Technology, 2025) Shija,Debora Elias; Nzalawahe,Jahashi S; Ngalameno,Mungo Kisinza; Mafie,Eliakunda M
Exploring the nematode diversity in silvery mole rats opens up a fascinating avenue for understanding the intricate relationships between underground-dwelling mammals and their parasites. It is intriguing to consider the potential transmission of parasitic zoonotic between humans, livestock, and silvery mole rats due to the notable interactions of these animals. This study aims to acquire crucial information about the nematode fauna in silvery mole rats in the Morogoro region, Tanzania. A survey of nematode parasites in silvery mole rats was conducted in the Morogoro region, from March to June 2023. Collected rats were euthanized using Diethyl Ether, and dissected to remove the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). Adult worms were collected and preserved in 70% ethanol. A flotation method and lactophenol mounting techniques were employed to process gastrointestinal contents and adult roundworms. The prevalence of nematodes was computed, and a chi-square test was applied to assess the relationship, a p-value< 0.05 was considered significant. The examination of the gastrointestinal tract contents revealed two nematode taxa; Physaloptera spp. and Strongyloides spp. The overall prevalence of nematode infection was 38.69% (53/137), with Physaloptera species being the most prevalent (37.22%). Adult rats had a lower infection risk than sub-adult rats. Female silvery mole rats were at higher risk of being infected compared to males. The study established two nematodes in silvery mole rats of Morogoro region, Tanzania, which are Physaloptera spp. and Strongyloides spp.