First Morphological Identification ofspp. andspp. in Different Wild Rodent Species from Central and Northwest Iran.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Wild rodents act as important hosts and reservoirs for both zoonotic and non-zoonotic pathogens, playing a key role in maintaining and transmitting infectious agents in nature. Their presence can lead to contamination of food and water sources, affecting both humans and animals. METHODS: This study examined 138 dead rodents from six species (, and) collected from three regions in Iran. Fecal samples were analyzed forspp. andspp. using potassium dichromate cultivation and sugar flotation for, and modified Ziehl-Neelsen staining for. RESULTS: The infection rate forspp. was 5.79%, and the identified species included, and. Forspp., a 4.34% infection rate was observed. Whileinfections were limited to three rodent species,was detected in all six. CONCLUSION: This study presents the first morphological identification ofspecies in rodents in Iran, with findings consistent with host-parasite relationships reported globally. Additionally, the widespread presence ofspp. in multiple rodent species emphasizes the epidemiological importance of these animals as potential reservoirs of zoonotic pathogens. These results contribute to a better understanding of protozoan diversity and distribution in rodent populations of Iran.