Prevalence and pathology of Hepatojarakus bandicoti Sood et Parshad, 1973 (Trichostrongylidae:Nematoda) in natural infections of rodents.

The prevalence and pathological changes in the liver and biliary system of field rodents due to Hepatojarakus bandicoti Sood et Parshad, 1973 have been worked out. Higher infection rates occurred in Tatera indica and Bandicota bengalensis than in other field rats and mice. In heavy infections, the liver became grossly enlarged, hard and pale, and showed the presence of white scars on its surface and in the parenchyma. White nodules are commonly seen on the bile ducts due to heavy infections. Histologically the liver showed a changed lobular structure, cellular infiltrations, pycnotic nuclei of the hepatic cells with deposition of haemosidirin granules. Hypermorphosis of the biliary epithelium with its denudation, resulting from the creeping action of the worm seemed to be a common tissue response.