Giardia survey in live-trapped small domestic and wild mammals in four regions in the southwest region of the state of Säo Paulo, Brazil

RESUMO

For the first time, a survey on Giardia in the live-trapped small domestic and wild mammals was perfomed in four regions of state of the Säo Paulo, Brazil, with special attention to the parasitism of Rattus rattus rattus by Giardia. This species was found infected in all studied sites Botucatu (15.4 por cento), Conchas (28.5 por cento), Itaporanga (38.7 por cento) and Säo Roque (100 por cento). Two new hosts and their frequency of infection were described for Giardia in Nectomys squamipes, an aquatic rodent and in Bolomys lasiurus, a forest rodent (100 por cento and 14.3 por cento, respectively). Both G. muris and G. duodenalis groups were found in scrapings of intestinal mucosa of those rodents. Mixed infection was observed in some animals. It is important to emphasize the infection by G. duodenalis in the black rat as this species lives as a comensal with man and in N. squamipes as it may contaminate small streams used for domestic consumption. Therefore, further investigation will be necessary to elucidate the potential of these rodents to act as reservoirs of Giardia for man.