Cockroaches as Mechanical Vectors of Intestinal Parasites in Sana’a City, Yemen

This study investigated the role of cockroaches, <i>Periplaneta americana</i>, and <i>Blattella germanica</i> species as mechanical vector hosts for intestinal parasites in Sana'a City, Yemen, from May to August 2022. Three hundred sixty-five cockroach samples were systematically collected from various sites, including markets, garbage disposal areas, and butcher shops in designated regions. These samples were accurately examined for parasites on their external surfaces. Out of the 365 samples, 198 (54.24%) were infected with a variety of parasites, including protozoa, eggs, and larvae of nematodes. This investigation revealed the presence of nine distinct parasite species on the external surfaces of cockroaches, including three species of protozoan cysts and six species of helminths. Specifically, the identified parasites were <i>Entamoeba coli</i> (69, 60%), <i>Entamoeba histolytica</i>/<i>dispar</i> (61, 58%), <i>Giardia lamblia</i> (56, 53%), <i>Ascaris lumbricoides</i> (45, 31%), <i>Hymenolepis nana</i> (42, 35%), <i>Enterobius vermicularis</i> (23, 17%), hookworm (9, 6%), <i>Trichuris trichiura</i> (7, 3%), and <i>Strongyloides stercoralis</i> (2, 1%) of <i>P. americana</i> and <i>B. germanica</i>. The dominant parasite among the samples was <i>E. coli</i> (69, 60.%), whereas <i>S. stercoralis</i> (2, 1%) exhibited the lowest prevalence among the cockroaches collected. Noqum and Assafi'yah zones showed the highest numbers of infected cockroaches, with 71% and 63%, respectively, while the lowest numbers were obtained from Al-Kuwait Hospital (5%). To improve understanding in this area, further investigations would be required to isolate and identify parasites from diverse cockroach specimens' internal (digestive tract) and external surfaces.