Page 10 - Parasites in pet reptiles

Rataj et al. Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica 2011, 53:33 Page 8 of 20
http://www.actavetscand.com/content/53/1/33

Table 6 Number and percentage of positive turtles in regard to infestation with different endoparasites
SCIENTIFIC NAME OF ENDOPARASITES NUMBER (%) OF POSITIVE SCIENTIFIC NAME (NUMBER OF TURTLES)
(eggs and/or adults)
Oxyurid nematoda Figure 45 459 (81.8) Testudo hermanni (258)
(Tachygonetria sp.) Testudo graeca (123)
Testudo horsfieldi (35)
Geochelone elegans (23)
Testudo marginata (12)
Geochelone radiata (4)
Emys orbicularis (1)
Malacochersus tornieri (1)
Pyxis arachnoides (1)
Trachemys scripta elegans (1)
Strongylid nematoda Figure 46 246 (43.7) Testudo hermanni (128)
(Camallanus sp. and others, unidentified species) Testudo graeca (77)
Geochelone elegans (21)
Testudo horsfieldi (10)
Testudo marginata (6)
Geochelone radiata (2)
Trachemys scripta elegans (1)
Emys orbicularis (1)
Balantidium sp. 147 (26.2) Testudo hermanni (109)
Testudo graeca (21)
Geochelone elegans (5)
Testudo marginata (5)
Testudo horsfieldi (4)
Malacochersus tornieri (2)
Testudo kleinmanni (1)
Ascarid nematoda 114 (20.3) Testudo graeca (82)
Figures 47, 48 and 49
Testudo hermanni (32)
(Angusticaecum sp.)
Trematod eggs 47 (8.4) Testudo graeca (38)
Testudo marginata (9)
Strongyloides sp. 21 (3.7) Testudo hermanni (12)
Testudo graeca (4)
Testudo marginata (3)
Testudo horsfieldi (2)
Nyctotherus sp. 9 (1.6) Geochelone elegans (5)
Geochelone radiata (2)
Malacochersus tornieri (2)
Cestoda eggs 3 (0.5) Testudo graeca (3)
Amblyomma sp. 5 Geochelone elegans (2)
Geochelone radiata (2)
Testudo hermanni (1)
Hyalomma sp. 4 Testudo graeca (4)
Calliphoridae 1 Testudo hermanni (1)
(Lucilia sp.)

pythonid and colubrid snakes. Ascarid nematoda is one In one Corn Snake a huge dilatation of stomach and
of the most important pathogen for snakes and infesta- diarrhoea was found. Modified Ziehl-Neelsen staining
tion can be fatal [25]. was positive for Cryptosporidium sp. This parasite can
In one Spotted Desert racer pinworm eggs were cause a serious health problem in snakes with hyper-
found. Klingenberg [24] described the same eggs in trophic gastritis, regurgitation, progressive wasting and
Ball Pythons. In our case pinworm eggs originated death [27]. The latest results indicate the potential zoo-
from eaten mice. We also detected some arthropod notic risk of cryptosporidium isolated from reptiles and
eggs of mice mites (Myocoptes musculinus, Myobia not only from mammals [28].
musculi) in snake intestines. We agree with Greiner The common snake mite, Ophionyssus natricis (Figure
andSchumacher[26]thatsomenottypicaleggs in 8) was found in one Boa constrictor. Schultz described
snake faeces can be found because snakes often feed this mite infestation in one pet python and transmission
with rodents. to human [14]. Reptiles suffer from anemia during heavy