Zoonotic helminth infections in rodents and shrews from southern Philippines: Unforeseen One Health hazards

Rodents are known as reservoirs of different zoonotic parasites. This study aimed to determine the occurrence of zoonotic helminths in rodents from different habitats in selected municipalities in Cotabato Province. A total of 120 rodents and shrews were collected using live traps from two habitats (i.e., agricultural and residential areas) in the municipalities of Kabacan and Matalam. Of these, 98 out of 120 (81.67%) were infected with zoonotic helminths using Formalin Ethyl Acetate Concentration Technique (FEACT). Nine parasitic helminths were identified: six species were nematodes (Ascaris spp., Gonglyonema spp., Nippostrongylus brasiliensis, Strongyloides spp., Angiostrongylus cantonensis, and Capillaria spp.); two species were trematodes (Echinostoma spp. and Schistosoma japonicum); and one cestode species (Hymenolepis spp). This is the first report of rodent gongyglonemiasis and schistosomiasis in the southern Philippines. Rats and shrews from agricultural areas had higher diversity of infecting helminths but infection rates were significantly higher in those captured from residential areas. This study confirmed that rats and shrews from the two municipalities are infected with varying zoonotic helminths which pose a significant but overlooked One Health threat to people, other animals, and their shared environment.