We investigated the helminth fauna of small mammals (Rodentia and Insectivora) in the mediterranean island of Elba (Italy). We first performed a survey of the parasitic helminths of Rattus rattus (L., 1758), Mus domesticus (Schwarz & Schwarz, 1943) (Rodentia, Murinae), Crocidura suaveolens (Pallas, 1811) (Insectivora, Soricidae) and Erinaceus europaeus L., 1758 (Insectivora, Erinaceidae). An expedition was undertaken in January 2002 making an helminth faunistic study of: 14 R. rattus; 11 M. domesticus; 2 C. suaveolens and 1 E. europaeus. A total of 28 animals were trapped at seven stations and nine helminth species were detected: Corrigia vitta Dujardin, 1845 (Dicrocoelidae), Brachylaima erinacei Blanchard, 1847 (Brachylaimidae) [Digenea]; Hymenolepis diminuta (Rudolphi, 1819); H. tiara (Dujardin, 1845) (Cestoda, Hymenolepididae); Aonchotheca erinacei Rudolphi, 1819; Capillaria hepatica Bancroft, 1893 (Trichuridae); Mastophorus muris (Gmelin, 1790) (Spirocercidae); Paracrenosoma kontrimavinchusi Guenov, 1978 (Metastrongylidae); Syphacia muris (Yamaguti, 1935) (Oxyuridae) [Nematoda]. The house mice were not infected by helminths. In the black rat, five species were detected: C. vitta, H. diminuta, C. hepaticum, M. muris and S. muris. Insectivores hosts were parasitised by B. erinacei, A. erinacei (E. europaeus), H. tiara and P. kontrimavinchusi (C. suaveolens). All species were identified by morphological characteristics and in the cases of H. diminuta and M. muris isozyme electrophoresis were used to compare with continental and insular samples. Helminths found in these hosts in Elba Island (apart of P. kontrimavinchusi) are the best colonisers of mediterranean islands. These species were found both near continental areas (Iberian Peninsula, France and Italian Peninsula) and mediterranean islands. Most of species found in the helminth faunas have an indirect life cycle except S. muris and C. hepaticum. This study was partially supported by the ?Comissionat per Recerca i Universitats de la Generalitat de Catalunya? 2001SGR00088.