Synanthropic rodents are important urban pests that frequently carry hematophagous ectoparasites. These blood-sucking pests are capable of transmitting epizootic and zoonotic pathogens by landing on one host after feeding on an infected animal. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of ectoparasites carried by synanthropic rodents and discuss the pathogens that are associated with these external parasites. We searched relevant literatures using predefined criteria in the following databases: EMBASE, PUBMED, Web of Science and Scopus from January 2000 to June 2020. Quality of studies was evaluated using Newcastle-Ottawa scale (NOS). Of 35 included studies from 15 countries in Africa, America, Asia, Europe and Oceania, black rats (R. rattus), brown rats (R. norvegicus), pacific rats (R. exulans) and house mice (Mus musculus) were common synanthropic rodents. Mites (Mesostigmata, Sarcoptiformes and Trombidiformes) were the most prevalent (42.6%, 95% CI 26–59.2), followed by ticks (Ixodida) (21.5%, 95% CI 10.5–32.6), lice (Phthiraptera) (17.8%, 95% CI 7.7–27.9) and fleas (Siphonaptera) (14.1%, 95% CI 10.1–18.1). Heterogeneity (I²>96%) across studies was statistically significant. The ectoparasitic fauna was shared considerably by different urban rodent species and appeared to be more diverse in R. rattus and R. norvegicus. Nonetheless, pathogens carried by these ectoparasites were rarely investigated. In conclusion, ectoparasites are ubiquitous in urban-dwelling rodents but our understanding of the epidemiology and the associated pathogens of these parasites remains limited. Further studies are warranted to unravel the pathogen landscape found in rodent-associated ectoparasites.

同生啮齿动物是重要的城市害虫，经常携带食血性体外寄生虫。这些吸血害虫在捕食受感染的动物后，能够通过落在宿主身上来传播动物流行病和人畜共患病原体。本研究旨在估计共生啮齿动物携带的体外寄生虫的流行率，并讨论与这些体外寄生虫相关的病原体。我们使用以下数据库中的预定义标准检索了相关文献：2000 年 1 月至 2020 年 6 月的 EMBASE、PUBMED、Web of Science 和 Scopus。研究质量使用纽卡斯尔-渥太华量表 (NOS) 进行评估。在来自非洲、美洲、亚洲、欧洲和大洋洲 15 个国家的 35 项研究中，黑鼠 ( R.rattus )、褐鼠 ( R.norvegicus )、太平洋鼠 ( R.exulans ) 和家鼠 ( Mus musculus ) 很常见共生啮齿动物。螨类（Mesostigmata、Sarcoptiformes 和 Trombidiformes）最常见（42.6%，95% CI 26–59.2），其次是蜱（Ixodida）（21.5%，95% CI 10.5–32.6）、虱子（Phthiraptera）（17.8%， 95% CI 7.7–27.9) 和跳蚤 (Siphonaptera) (14.1%, 95% CI 10.1–18.1)。研究之间的异质性（I ² >96%）具有统计学意义。不同城市啮齿类动物的外寄生动物群在很大程度上是相同的，并且在家鼠和褐家鼠中似乎更加多样化。尽管如此，这些体外寄生虫携带的病原体却很少被研究。总之，外寄生虫在城市啮齿动物中普遍存在，但我们对这些寄生虫的流行病学和相关病原体的了解仍然有限。 需要进一步的研究来揭示啮齿动物相关体外寄生虫中发现的病原体景观。