| Abstract: | Simple Summary
Ectoparasites such as ticks, mites, fleas, and lice are ubiquitous in nature and parasitise a plethora of species ranging from small rodents to large mammals and even humans. Besides their parasitic effects, they also act as vectors for various infectious agents affecting the hosts. Parasite-borne infectious diseases have been and remain a great concern for animal and human health. To better understand the risk of parasite-borne disease, it is imperative to have a good understanding of ectoparasite ecology. This study aimed to test the effects of host species characteristics and the features of the environment inhabited by the hosts on the prevalence and abundance of ectoparasites in rodents from a mostly traditional agricultural mosaic landscape. Results show that the sex, age, and body weight of the host affect the prevalence and abundance of ectoparasites. Contrary to other studies, in our study area, land use intensity had a negative effect on all parasite community parameters.
Abstract
Despite the large number of studies on rodent ectoparasites—most of them vectors of epidemiologically important pathogens—infestation patterns remain poorly understood in various ecological contexts, such as the highly patchy agricultural landscapes. We aimed to relate the infestation of rodents to temporal, habitat, and host variables. We assessed the difference in parasite prevalence and mean abundance depending on host sex, age, and body weight, season, and land use intensity. Furthermore, we analysed the effect of host species abundance and the differential responses of parasites in main and minor host species. The field survey was conducted in a rural landscape in southern Transylvania (Romania) between June and September 2010–2011. We live-trapped small mammals, collected the ticks and fleas, and recorded the presence of lice and mites. Overall, we found the same infestation patterns largely reported in the literature: higher prevalence and mean abundance in heavier adult males, significant seasonality and differences among host species, and evidence of the dilution effect. The uniqueness of our study system was the negative effect of the land use intensity on the prevalence and mean abundance of parasites, explained by the highly patchy mosaic landscape.
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