Page 9 - Parasites in pet reptiles

Rataj et al. Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica 2011, 53:33 Page 7 of 20
http://www.actavetscand.com/content/53/1/33

Table 5 Number and percentage of positive lizards in regard to infestation with different endoparasites (Continued)
Isospora sp. Figure 42 3 (0.9) Pogona vitticeps (1)
Basilicus plumifrons (1)
Iguana iguana (1)
Eimeria sp. Figure 43 2 (0.6) Phelsuma dubia (1)
Gekko gecko (1)
Trichomonadidae 2 (0.6) Phelsuma dubia (1)
(Tetratrichomonas sp.) Physignathus cocincinus (1)
Capillaria sp. 1 (0.3) Pogona vitticeps (1)
Heterakidae 1 (0.3) Corucia zebrata (1)
(Strongyluris sp.)
Strongyloides sp. 1 (0.3) Varanus bengalensis (1)
Trombiculid mites Figure 44 2 Gekko gecko (2)
(Geckobia sp.)

At necropsy of Hermann’s Tortoises we frequently (up Snakes
to 90%) found adult forms of Oxyurid nematodes The most frequent parasites found in snakes (Table 4)
(Tachygonetria sp.) in digestive tract and Ascarid nema- were Strongylid nematoda (Kalicephalus sp.) in 20.4%.
todes (Angusticaecum sp.) in intestines in approximately Among eleven snakes (6 different species), four had
10%. Strongylid eggs while others had also adults in their
In Spur-thighed Tortoise we frequently (up to 80%) intestines. Kalicephalus sp. is a hookworm from the
found Oxyurid nematodes (Tachygonetria sp.) in diges- order Strongylida, family Diaphanocephalidae. Parasites
tive tract and adult forms of Ascarid nematodes (Angu- have a big and deep buccal cavity with milling plates
sticaecum sp.) in intestines in more than 50% of Spur- and denticles. The muscularized oesophagus is thick
thighed Tortoise. In the lungs of some juvenile round- and has bulbous ends (Figure 1). Some morphologic
worms were also detected. characteristics of Kalicephalus sp. are well described by
Telford [19].
Discussion Other frequently found parasites were pentastomes.
There is an extremely wide range of different animal Reptiles periodically eliminate eggs of parasites to the
species from different parts of the world and a wide surrounding. Pentastomes do carry zoonotic potential,
range ofpathogens,ofwhich some are known and fre- but among those parasitizing reptiles only Armillifer
quently found while others arerareand completely and, more recently, Porocephalus (Figure 2) have been
uninvestigated. Their close cohabitation with reptiles unquestionably associated with accidental human infec-
demands deep investigation regarding the influence of tions. However, precautions should always be taken
these species and their microflora on people and auto- when managing any animals with pentastomiasis. Treat-
chthonous animal species. The origin of pet reptiles in ment is very difficult and unsuccessful [20-22]. We
trade is often unknown; they could be bred in captivity, detected different forms (four different species) of pen-
offspring of wild-caught parents or taken directly from tastomes in six snakes (11.1%) and four of them had
the wild. The variety of different pathogens is very large. also eggs in their intestines. Thewormlikearthropod
The presence of several pathogens in one host and Porocephalus crotali was found on the surface of the
stressful situations can have a negative influence on the lung. Sexual dimorphism is pronounced, females are lar-
health status. Investigation in this field is not satisfactory ger than males. The head of females is separated from
and many exotic and not familiar pathogens are rarely the trunk by a distinct neck (Figure 3). Embryonated
discovered. There is also a possibility of transmission of eggs had outer and inner shell containing an embryo
the pathogens to people. with clearly visible four legs (Figure 4).
A healthy reptile has a number of pathogens, all kept Ascarid eggs, Oxyurid eggs, Strongyloides sp., Capil-
in check by a healthy immune system and the benefi- laria sp., Trematoda, Acanthocephala, Trichomonadidae,
cial gut flora. When a reptile is highly stressed or Cryptosporidium sp. (Figure 5), Cyclospora sp. (Figures 6
under prolonged moderate to severe stress, the and 7) and Nyctotherus sp. were also detected. Similar
immune system falters. In cases of improper environ- parasite invasions are described in the literature
mental temperatures, starvation, or prolonged dehydra- [21,23,24]. Ascarid eggs which we found were spherical
tion, the beneficial gut flora die off and organisms to subspherical with brownish-yellow shell, striated and
benign in small numbers gain ascendancy and start 6.5 μm thick. We assume the eggs belong to ascaridoid
causing problems. nematoda Ophidascaris sp., which is frequently found in