The isolation of human intestinal parasites from American cockroach: A preliminary study

Nur Athirah Hashim; Azlinda Abu Bakar.

Transactions on Science and Technology, 10(3), 170 - 174.

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ABSTRACT
Human intestinal parasitic infection results from the invasion of the human gastrointestinal system by intestinal helminths and protozoan parasites, often facilitated by factors such as mechanical transmission by household insect pests, notably American cockroaches. This study is aimed at isolating parasitic pathogens responsible for human intestinal parasites from the external surfaces of cockroaches collected from both commercial and residential areas in Perak. The findings indicate a higher prevalence of parasitic infections in American cockroaches from residential areas, with a rate of 75%, as compared to commercial areas where the rate was 40%. The isolation process revealed the presence of eggs and cysts of various parasites, including cestodes, nematodes, and protozoans. Predominantly, Ascaris sp. and Entamoeba sp. were the most common parasites found on the external surfaces of cockroaches in both residential and commercial areas. Our statistical analysis revealed that, there were no significant correlation (P>0.01) between local weather conditions (temperature r=-0.68; P=0.32; rainfall r=0.77; P=0.23) and the number of isolated parasites in the study areas. this suggest that weather factors do not significantly influence the infectivity rate of these parasites on American cockroaches in the study area.

KEYWORDS: American cockroach; vector host; mechanical transmission; human intestinal parasites.



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