The role of the Periplaneta americana (L.) in the transmission of parasitic pathogens in the hospitals and health centers of Al-Diwaniya City.

Abstract

Two hundred and fifty samples of adult American cockroach (Periplaneta
americana) were collected from hospital and health centers in the Al-Diwaniya
City during period between October 2010 and May 2011 in order to isolate and
diagnose pathogenic parasites from American cockroach, 238 of 250 sample
was infected with one or more species of Protozoa or worms (95.2%).
The study also appeared that the infection percentage with Protozoa
were 83.2% while the infection percentage with worms were 73.2%. Six
species parasites were Isolated from American cockroach which included tow
species of protozoa, Balantidium sp. and Nyctotherus ovalis (83.2% and 1.2%
respectively), and four species of worms were Thelastoma bulhoesi,
Blattellicola blattae first recorded in Iraq, Gordius robustus,
Hammerschmiditiella diesingi (48.8%, 32%, 17.2% and 7.2% respectively).
As well as the results of statistical analysis indicated that there was no
significant differences in the percentage of parasitic infections in hospitals and
health centers studied in Al-Diwaniya City, the highest infection rate was
recorded in Afak hospital (100%), while the lowest recorded was in clinic of
Alaskary quarter (83.3%).
The results also showed that secondary infection is the most common in
hospital and health centers (42%), while fourth infection showed lowest
recorded with (3.2%).
As well as the results showed the important role of American cockroach in
transmission some parasitic pathogen shared between human and animal was
Balantidium sp.