The role of naturally infected wild rodents in the epidemiology of schistosomiasis in the Eastern Transvaal

Abstract

After numerous postmortem examinations of wild rodents taken from several sites in the Eastern Transvaal Lowveld with different epidemiological conditions, but common high S. mansoni, S. haematobium and S. mattheei infection rates amongst the human beings and cattle, and after several laboratory investigations, it was concluded, for reasons which are discussed, that rodents play no part in the epidemiology of schistosomiasis. The fact that wild rodents have been found infected in Nature with schisostomes is of academic interest only and should not be taken into account in any potential control scheme.