ABSTRACT
There is a dearth of information on the parasitic infections of bush cats (Civet cats) in Nigeria. Therefore, an investigation of the parasitic fauna of Civeticttis civetta (African Civet cat) and Nandinia binotata (Palm Civet) from Odigue-tue and Uhiere (Ovia North-East LGA) and Ugbogui (Ovia South-West LGA), locations in the rainforest biotope of Edo State, Nigeria was undertaken from November, 2019 to June, 2021. The study was conducted to determine the species of civet cats endemic in the study areas and to examine them for their parasitic infections, comparing them with findings from previous studies in Nigeria and elsewhere. The cats investigated in this study were purchased from local hunters after which they were transported to the laboratory to determine their parasite fauna.
The cats were examined for ectoparasites and then dissected with a pair of scissors giving access to the internal organs and the gastrointestinal tract. The different parts of the gastro-intestinal tract (stomach, small intestine, large intestine and rectum) were each transferred into petri dishes, cut open in 0.72% saline solution and examined under a dissecting microscope for parasites. The heart, liver and lungs were also examined for infection. The tick recovered was preserved in 70% alcohol. Cestodes recovered were fixed with hot 70% Ethanol and preserved in 5% formol-saline. Nematodes recovered were fixed in hot 70% alcohol and preserved in fresh 70% alcohol. The cestodes were stained with acetocarmine, dehydrated in alcohol series and permanently mounted in Canada balsam; nematodes were examined as temporary mounts in lactophenol before examination and identification. Photomicrographs of parasites were taken using a digital camera (DFK MKU 130-10×22, Imaging Source, Germany) attached to a research microscope.
Of the six civet cats examined, five of them were infected. A total of five helminth parasite species were recovered from the two genera of civet cats examined. The parasites belonged to two helminth classes, namely, Cestoda: Joyeuxiella sp., Diplopylidium triseriale and Taenia parva; Nematoda: Ancylostoma sp. and an unidentified heartworm. Overall prevalence of helminth parasitic infections was 83%; prevalence of infection was greater in Nandinia binotata (100%) than in Civeticttis civetta (75%). Civeticttis civetta and N. binotata are new host records for Taenia parva. This study represents the first study on the helminth infections of civet cats from rainforest biotope in Nigeria.
