00000ctmaa22000001a 4500 UP-1685675941123958208 Buklod 20180816160031.0 aa rb |||1 u| ta 180816s xx d r |||| u| (iLib)UPTAC-00019010328 UPVTC eng LG 993.5 2018 B5 T56 Tingkingco, Gimelle Junica L. Prevalence of Schistosoma japonicum infection among field rats captured in San Miguel, Leyte, Philippines. Gimelle Junica L. Tingkingco 2018 vii, 29 leaves illustrations. A research paper (B.S. Biology) -- University of the Philippines, Tacloban. Schistosomiasis is a parasitic disease caused by blood flukes of genus Schistosoma. Over 6.8 million people in the Philippines are currently infected with schistosomiasis. As per reports from the Department of Health (2015), records show that twenty-eight (28) out of eighty-one (81) provinces nationwide are endemic to the said disease. In 2015, Leyte ranked first among all the endemic provinces in Region VIII. Furthermore, San Miguel with a schistosomiasis prevalence rate of 18% is one of the highest ranking endemic municipalities in Leyte. Unlike other schistosome species, Schistosoma japonicum has a natural infection occirring in nonhuman mammals like dogs, pigs, water buffaloes, and field rats. They serve as reservoir hosts of schistosomes. In this study, twenty-seven (27) field rats were collected from the three (3) barangays in the municipality of San Miguel, Leyte through the use of rat traps with dried fish as baits from March to May 2018. The captured field rats were characterized, dissected, and were examined for presence of S. japonicum adult flukes. Characterization showed that the captured field rats have body weights ranging from 61.4-234.25g, body lengths of 111-194cm, and have brownish-grey to black tails that were almost the same length of the head and body. Their pelage were greyish-brown to brownish-chestnut dorsally and creamy-white to dirty-grey ventrally. Results of this study showed that captured field rats from Brgy. Impo had the highest prevalence rate (40%) of schistosoma infection followed by those from Brgy. Santol (37.50%), and from Brgy. Guiciaman (33.33%). Varona, Gracia F. adviser. FI UP UPTAC UPTAC LG 993.5 2018 B5 T56 Thesis