Evaluation the Role of House Lizards (Hemidactylus frenatus) in Transmitting Parasitic and Bacterial Pathogens to Humans

Evaluation the Role of House Lizards (Hemidactylus frenatus) in Transmitting Parasitic and Bacterial Pathogens to Humans | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Evaluation the Role of House Lizards (Hemidactylus frenatus) in Transmitting Parasitic and Bacterial Pathogens to Humans Nabil M Mogalli This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8642487/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Published Journal Publication published 14 Mar, 2026 Read the published version in BMC Infectious Diseases → Version 1 posted 10 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Background The common house lizard ( Hemidactylus frenatus ) thrives in human dwellings in tropical regions, raising concerns about its role as a reservoir for zoonotic pathogens. This study aimed to assess the potential of these synanthropic reptiles in transmitting parasitic and bacterial infections to cohabiting humans in Hajjah Governorate, Yemen. Methods Biological samples were collected from 30 house lizards and 60 symptomatic human residents sharing the same households across six districts. Parasitological examination of fecal/stool samples was performed using direct smear and iodine staining. Bacterial culture, Gram staining, and biochemical profiling were used for pathogen identification. Statistical analysis employed Pearson's correlation coefficient to examine associations between pathogen prevalence in lizards and humans. Results Parasitological analysis revealed high prevalence of Entamoeba spp. (33.33%) and Giardia lamblia (26.39%) in lizards, with corresponding findings of Entamoeba histolytica (51.7%) and G. lamblia (21.7%) in humans. Bacterial cultures showed significant overlap, with Salmonella Typhi (21.15% in lizards, 18.33% in humans) and Shigella spp. (19.23% and 18.33%, respectively) being predominant. A strong positive correlation was found between parasite prevalence in lizards and humans (r = 0.824, p = 0.012) and for overall bacterial profiles (r = 0.79, p = 0.007). Conclusions The study demonstrates a significant overlap in enteric pathogens between house lizards and humans, with strong epidemiological correlations. This suggests that H. frenatus likely acts as a reservoir and potential vector for zoonotic transmission in domestic settings. Public health interventions should incorporate reptilian control and heightened hygiene awareness to mitigate this transmission route. Trial registration Not applicable. Hemidactylus frenatus Zoonosis Parasites Salmonella Public health Yemen Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Published Journal Publication published 14 Mar, 2026 Read the published version in BMC Infectious Diseases → Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 23 Feb, 2026 Reviews received at journal 19 Feb, 2026 Reviews received at journal 19 Feb, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 18 Feb, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 12 Feb, 2026 Reviewers invited by journal 11 Feb, 2026 Editor invited by journal 09 Feb, 2026 Editor assigned by journal 05 Feb, 2026 Submission checks completed at journal 04 Feb, 2026 First submitted to journal 04 Feb, 2026 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-8642487","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":591442866,"identity":"ded9169c-2b41-4938-8b4c-1ada06614962","order_by":0,"name":"Nabil M Mogalli","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA4klEQVRIiWNgGAWjYFACHoYDD0A0O3PDgQ8MDAnEaQErY2ZsODiDWC0MMC3MPMRoMWc/e/BAYo6NXX8zY+Nh2za7PH72BsYPH3Nwa7HsyUs4kLgtLXnGYcaGw7ltycWSPQeYJWduw63F4ECOAVDL4WQGiBbmxA03EtiYefFpOf8GokUepMWyrZ4ILTcgttgZgLQwth0mRss7sF8SDIFaDvacO544s+dgM36/nM89/OHjNht7uePNhz/8KKtO7GdvPggUwa0FBhIbQCQjG5hsIKweCOwh1B+iFI+CUTAKRsEIAwD0Sl9szpFk5wAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==","orcid":"","institution":"Hajjah University","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Nabil","middleName":"M","lastName":"Mogalli","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2026-01-19 19:08:28","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8642487/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8642487/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[{"content":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12879-026-13037-8","type":"published","date":"2026-03-14T15:57:52+00:00"}],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":104740969,"identity":"bb11a5fb-0433-4e8a-8854-c4414e5dab81","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-03-16 16:19:59","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":1125766,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"EvaluationtheRoleofHouseLizards2.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8642487/v1_covered_c18e1571-3b57-4f63-b277-9f1b8fee34a5.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Evaluation the Role of House Lizards (Hemidactylus frenatus) in Transmitting Parasitic and Bacterial Pathogens to Humans","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":true,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"bmc-infectious-diseases","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"infd","sideBox":"Learn more about [BMC Infectious Diseases](http://bmcinfectdis.biomedcentral.com/)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"https://www.editorialmanager.com/infd","title":"BMC Infectious Diseases","twitterHandle":"#bmcinfectdis","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"BMC Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Hemidactylus frenatus, Zoonosis, Parasites, Salmonella, Public health, Yemen","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8642487/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8642487/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003ch2\u003eBackground\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe common house lizard (\u003cem\u003eHemidactylus frenatus\u003c/em\u003e) thrives in human dwellings in tropical regions, raising concerns about its role as a reservoir for zoonotic pathogens. This study aimed to assess the potential of these synanthropic reptiles in transmitting parasitic and bacterial infections to cohabiting humans in Hajjah Governorate, Yemen.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eMethods\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eBiological samples were collected from 30 house lizards and 60 symptomatic human residents sharing the same households across six districts. Parasitological examination of fecal/stool samples was performed using direct smear and iodine staining. Bacterial culture, Gram staining, and biochemical profiling were used for pathogen identification. Statistical analysis employed Pearson's correlation coefficient to examine associations between pathogen prevalence in lizards and humans.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eResults\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eParasitological analysis revealed high prevalence of \u003cem\u003eEntamoeba\u003c/em\u003e spp. (33.33%) and \u003cem\u003eGiardia lamblia\u003c/em\u003e (26.39%) in lizards, with corresponding findings of \u003cem\u003eEntamoeba histolytica\u003c/em\u003e (51.7%) and \u003cem\u003eG. lamblia\u003c/em\u003e (21.7%) in humans. Bacterial cultures showed significant overlap, with \u003cem\u003eSalmonella Typhi\u003c/em\u003e (21.15% in lizards, 18.33% in humans) and \u003cem\u003eShigella\u003c/em\u003e spp. (19.23% and 18.33%, respectively) being predominant. A strong positive correlation was found between parasite prevalence in lizards and humans (r\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.824, p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.012) and for overall bacterial profiles (r\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.79, p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.007).\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eConclusions\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe study demonstrates a significant overlap in enteric pathogens between house lizards and humans, with strong epidemiological correlations. This suggests that \u003cem\u003eH. frenatus\u003c/em\u003e likely acts as a reservoir and potential vector for zoonotic transmission in domestic settings. Public health interventions should incorporate reptilian control and heightened hygiene awareness to mitigate this transmission route.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eTrial registration\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eNot applicable.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Evaluation the Role of House Lizards (Hemidactylus frenatus) in Transmitting Parasitic and Bacterial Pathogens to Humans","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2026-02-17 11:30:30","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8642487/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"decision","content":"Revision requested","date":"2026-02-23T06:50:48+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-02-19T16:12:55+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-02-19T11:29:45+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"130183620560307817474675627169800460626","date":"2026-02-18T12:38:58+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"179212220984611403043096382064117556865","date":"2026-02-12T09:10:50+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2026-02-11T16:29:44+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvited","content":"","date":"2026-02-09T07:18:23+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2026-02-05T05:22:05+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2026-02-04T19:38:28+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"BMC Infectious Diseases","date":"2026-02-04T19:32:17+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"bmc-infectious-diseases","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"infd","sideBox":"Learn more about [BMC Infectious Diseases](http://bmcinfectdis.biomedcentral.com/)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"https://www.editorialmanager.com/infd","title":"BMC Infectious Diseases","twitterHandle":"#bmcinfectdis","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"BMC Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"ce715732-e88c-4b55-93af-c15e0809aec4","owner":[],"postedDate":"February 17th, 2026","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"published-in-journal","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-03-16T16:18:59+00:00","versionOfRecord":{"articleIdentity":"rs-8642487","link":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12879-026-13037-8","journal":{"identity":"bmc-infectious-diseases","isVorOnly":false,"title":"BMC Infectious Diseases"},"publishedOn":"2026-03-14 15:57:52","publishedOnDateReadable":"March 14th, 2026"},"versionCreatedAt":"2026-02-17 11:30:30","video":"","vorDoi":"10.1186/s12879-026-13037-8","vorDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12879-026-13037-8","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-8642487","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-8642487","identity":"rs-8642487","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}