Efficiency of anthelmintic treatment and its effect on microparasite dynamics in wild Mastomys natalensis
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Date
2025
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife
Abstract
Co-infections between helminths and microparasites can modulate the host immune response and alter disease
dynamics, with potential implications for public health. However, identifying causal relationships in natural
populations is challenging due to the complexity of ecological interactions. Perturbation experiments, where a
specific parasite is selectively reduced, offers a powerful framework to directly test such interactions under
natural conditions. In this study, we investigated potential helminth-microparasite interactions in the multi
mammate mouse (Mastomys natalensis) in Tanzania by experimentally reducing helminth infections in both
captive and wild populations. We first confirmed that two anthelmintic treatments, ivermectin and pyrantel
pamoate, effectively reduced gastrointestinal nematode burdens in wild-caught individuals. We then assessed
whether helminth reduction influenced the prevalence of viral and bacterial infections in free-living populations.
Our results revealed no significant short-term effect of anthelmintic treatment on microparasitic infections. These
findings suggest that helminth-microparasite interactions in M. natalensis may be subtle, context-dependent, or
require longer timescales to become apparent
Description
Journal Article
Keywords
Helminth-microparasite interaction, Co-infection, Wild rodent population, Ivermectin Pyrantel pamoate, Morogoro virus, Bartonell
Citation
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijppaw.2025.101098