Parasite of Wall Gecko (Hemidactylus Frenatus) in Selected Areas of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria
Chapter One
Aims and Objectives of the Study
– To identify parasites of wall gecko.
– To determine the prevalence and intensity of infection in wall gecko (H. frenatus) in Uyo and Etinan Local Government Areas.
– To evaluate the parasitic risk of geckos to human beings in the study areas.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
Reptiles are used as animal models in biochemical research for studies involving cardiovascular physiology, environmental toxicology, evolutionary and reproductive biology, vector-borned diseases, and as sources of snake venoms important in human medicine (Baker, 2007). Reptiles are readily available through vendors in both the United State and Europe, all parts of the world and many originate through captive breeding programs or through capture of wild animals. While the former are often free of parasites, the later may harbor a wide range of commensal or parasitic organisms (Baker, 2007).
According to the author, people involved in the care or use of reptiles in biomedical research or teaching should be familiar with the parasitic fauna of these important animal models. Reptiles can be infected by different types of parasites. These parasites can be divided into enteric parasites and ectoparasites. Enteric parasites include; Protozoa, Flagellates, Ciliates, Opalinids, Amoebae and Coccidea. Also, they can be infected by bacteria from ectoparasites like mites, ticks, (Navarre, 2009).
Parasitism remains a neglected aspect of Sri Lankan reptile biology hence little is known about the parasites that infect geckos. The first report dates back to 1906 where Von Linstow described a Nematode, Oxyuris megaloon (currently known as Parapharyngodon spp.) from Hemidactylus Ieschenaultii. As part of a broader survey of the parasites of an endemic element of Sir Lankan vertebrates, Crusz (1984) carried out helminthes surveys of three gecko species; Hemidactylus brookii, H. triedruslankae, and Cnemaspis kandianus. He reported an Acanthocephalan. Acanthocephalus sterendibensis in Cnemaspis kandiana and later he found a Digenean, Paradistomum spp. subsequently, two more studies have been carried out; one on the golden gecko, Calodactylodes illingworthorum in habiting Nilgala fire savannah in Monaragala district (de Silva et al. 2004) and another on gecko of knuckles massif (de Silva et al., 2005).
Geckos in human habitations, though they check insect pests by feeding on them, have been found to be harmful to man (Obi et al., 2013). Parasites of the wall gecko show many morphological similarities to some parasites that infect man and domestic animals. These reptilian helminthes could therefore provide easy experimental insight into similar parasites in medical and veterinary parasitology researches. (Measures, L. N., 1988). Of particular importance includes such as studies in parasitic helminthology that may require post mortern examination of the host animal (Measures, L. N., 1988).
Indeed families of the helminthes of gecko which were identified in this report are not restricted to the reptiles. Some species of Proteocephalid flatworms are pharyngodonid oxyuroids to actually attack mammals (Agrawal, Pande, 1979; Petter, Quentin, 1976).
Experimental evidence had also shown specifically that helminthes of the gecko could develop in domestic mammals (Agrawal, and Pande, 1979). These indicate that parasites of the gecko are capable of development, atleast as a zoonosis or incidental infection of man and life stock. If it was established that the parasites of the gecko could infect man or livestock, then the co-existence of these vertebrates in their common domestic environment may enhance exposure of man and livestock to infection risk with the gecko parasites.
Some parasites of the wall gecko had been reported to occur in the gut of termites (Ameh and Ajay, 1995). It is therefore possible that termites ingested by the gecko, may act as a vector of transmission for the nematodes and even tapeworms seen in the reptile.
To determine the gastrointestinal parasite species of the fan – toed gecko, Ptyodactylus ragazzi, Sulieman et al. (2014) carried out a research in Shendi, a city in Sudan using 37 P. ragazzi. Four parasites species were identified; Two species of Nematodes, Spauligodon spp. (73%), Parapharyngodon spp. (5.4%) and two species of protozoans; Nyctotherus spp. (16.2%) and Eimeria spp. (2.7%). The overall prevalence of parasite infections was 81% and high prevalence of infections was in male geckos (88.7%) compared with females (75%).
CHAPTER THREE
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Area of Study
The study was conducted in Uyo Local Government Area and Etinan Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria between September to November 2015. Etinan L.G.A is made up of three wards; ward one, two and three and samples were collected in ward one located within the south Eastern part of Akwa Ibom State and lies between the latitude 050.1 North and longitude 540 East. Uyo is located within the south-south axis of Akwa Ibom State and lies between latitude 50. 05 North and longitude 800 East. The entire Local Government Areas lies in the tropical rainforest belts of West Africa, the areas experiences two distinct seasons, the rainy seasons (April to October) and dry seasons (November to March). The inhabitants are generally homogenous; they are mostly traders, farmers and civil servants. They depend on water wells, boreholes, rainwater, streams as their sources of drinking water. The vegetations are evergreen.
Collection of Samples
A total of 55 wall geckos were caught in selected households within Uyo and Etinan. These were done under bright electric bulbs using sweep net at night, at the back of calendars on the walls during the day time. They were put in white transparent plastic bucket with old newspaper at the base to provide a new similar environment for the wall gecko. The lid and body of the bucket was finely perforated for ventilation. This was transported to laboratory of zoology, University of Uyo for examination.
Method of Examination
For ectoparsite examination, the geckos were thoroughly examined with the help of hand lens, and endoparasites examination was done using floatation method. All data were analyzed using chi-square distribution.
Ectoparasite Examination
The skin was gently scraped with scalpel and placed in a petri-dish container bottom filled with saturated salt. The scraps were gradually collected by bits on a clean slide and viewed at X10 objectives.
CHAPTER FOUR
RESULTS
Out of 60 wall geckos (Hemidactylus frenatus) examined, 33 (55%) were positive for ectoparasite infestation and 39 (65%) were positive for endoparasite. In ectoparasite, Ixodes sp. recorded the highest prevalence of 21 (63.6%) followed by Trombicula sp. 12 (36. 4%). In endoparasite, Parapharyngodon sp. had the highest prevalence 33(84.6%) followed by Oochoristica sp. 6(15.4%). The prevalence of ectoparasite infection is shown in Table 1.
CHAPTER FIVE
DISCUSSION
As captured in the table depicting the result, both ectoparasites and endoparasites were isolated from the geckos but the parasites showed differences in their preferences in Uyo and Etinan Local Government Areas respectively. This is in line with the work of Domrow and Kennedy, (1980); Rogner, (1992); Callaway et al., (2011); Wilson, (2006).
The prevalence of endoparasites isolated was 65% and was greater than that of the ectoparasites, (55%). This was believed to be due to the feeding habits of the geckos which involved insect vectors of these parasites; the species adaptive features of the endoparasites and the balance in temperature compared to the harsh fluctuations of temperature which may hamper the survival of the ectoparasites. This agrees with the report of Wilson, (2006).
In ectoparasite, Ixodes sp. showed the highest prevalence (63.6%) while Parapharyngodon sp. recorded the highest prevalence (84.6%) in endoparasite, all as a result of better adaptive to their respective environments. (Obi et al., 2013).
The male recorded higher prevalence (63.3%) than the females (18.2%) in the study; this is likely that the older male geckos occupy more favourable areas where they come in contact with the parasites and their vectors. Moreover, it has been reported that male lizards are more susceptible to parasite infections probably due to the immune suppressive effects of testosterone during the reproductive period (Sulieman et al., 2014 and Ameh and Ajayi, 2005).
When compared the prevalence of the parasites in the two study areas, it was found that Uyo L.G.A had higher prevalence of both ectoparasite 24 (68.6%) and endoparasite 24 (68.6%) compared to the prevalence of that of Etinan L.G.A which had the total prevalence of (36%) ectoparasites and 15 (60%) endoparasites respectively. The higher prevalence in Uyo must have been due to degree of pollution of the environments through refuse and sewages, smoke and other pollutants which will harness the growth of these parasites in the Uyo study area compared to Etinan study area. It is also believed that the increased parasitic load in Uyo study area also stemmed from the rural-urban drift and inadequate sanitary practices (Greer, 2006).
Conclusion
Following the results, it can be concluded that geckos (Hemidactylus frenatus) are susceptible to parasitism in their niche; infested by ticks, mites, and helmithes such as nematodes (roundworms); Apicomplexans, (protozoans); Cestodes, (tapeworms); Pentastomes, (tongue worms); Trematodes, (flukes). Hence, geckos in human habitations though they check insect pests by feeding on them clearly represent a substantial risk to human health. This therefore calls for health awareness campaign for war against geckos in human habitation.
Recommendations
- Government should come up with sensitization programmes in order to create awareness on the helminthes parasites of geckos on man.
- More research should be encouraged on other related topics on geckos in other Local Government Areas in the State, such as method of parasite transmission to man, scientific method of eradicating in human habitation.
- More research should be carried out on geckos in Nigeria to add to the existing literature.
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