Rodents are reservoirs and hosts for many zoonotic infections. Rapid development of industry and agriculture as well as global climate change in, have led to change or increase in occurrence of rodent-borne infections. Considering wide occurrence of rodents in Iran, the aim of this review is to obtain the awareness regarding the occurrence of the infections among rodents of Iran. Result of this review indicated that So far 23 zoonotic infections were reported among rodents of Iran that all of them were bacterial and parasitic and none of them were viral. Also the results represented that Plague, Leishmaniasis and Hymenolepiasis were the most frequent diseases. Plague only was reported in northwestern and western provinces of Iran. Ten species of rodents in Iran were categorized with high index zoonotic infectious: Rattus norvegicus (16 diseases), Mus musculus (13 diseases), Rattus rattus (13 diseases), Meriones persicus (seven diseases), Apodemus spp. (five diseases), Tatera indica (four diseases), Meriones libycus, Rhombomys opimus and Cricetulus migratorius (three diseases each), and Nesokia indica (two diseases. Our results confirm importance of rodent in transmission of infectious diseases to human in Iran. Taking into account the notable diversity and extensive distribution of rodents throughout Iran, it is necessary to seriously consider their role in spreading of infectious diseases in Iran for their better control.

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