Occurrence and Molecular Diagnosis of Cryptosporidium serpentis in Captive Snakes in São Paulo, Brazil

The present study aimed to determine whether Cryptosporidium oocysts were present in stools from captive snakes at Fundação Parque Zoológico (Zoological Park Foundation) in São Paulo, Brazil. Two collections were performed; the first in July 2008 and the second in February 2009. Fecal samples were c...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of zoo and wildlife medicine 2011-06, Vol.42 (2), p.326-329
Main Authors: da Paixão Sevá, Anaiá, Sercundes, Michele K, Martins, Juliana, de Souza, Sheila Oliveira, da Cruz, João Batista, Lisboa, Cybele Sabino, Correa, Sandra Helena Ramiro, Soares, Rodrigo Martins
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Anacondas
Animals
Animals, Zoo
Brazil - epidemiology
BRIEF COMMUNICATIONS
Cryptosporidiosis
Cryptosporidiosis - diagnosis
Cryptosporidiosis - epidemiology
Cryptosporidiosis - veterinary
Cryptosporidium - classification
Cryptosporidium serpentis, snakes
Feces - parasitology
Infections
molecular diagnosis
Oocysts
Parasites
Pythons
Reptiles
Snakes
zoological
Zoos
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Summary:The present study aimed to determine whether Cryptosporidium oocysts were present in stools from captive snakes at Fundação Parque Zoológico (Zoological Park Foundation) in São Paulo, Brazil. Two collections were performed; the first in July 2008 and the second in February 2009. Fecal samples were collected from 74 enclosures that housed 101 individuals of 23 snake species. The stool specimens collected from 16 out of the 74 enclosures (21.6%) contained Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts; all of them were confirmed as Cryptosporidium serpentis, using molecular techniques. Only in three (18.7%) out of the 16 enclosures with positive samples were there animals with clinical signs compatible with infection by C. serpentis, such as regurgitation and significant progressive weight loss. From the results, it was concluded that diagnostic examinations need to be performed periodically, even on clinically healthy animals, as a preventive measure.
ISSN:1042-7260
1937-2825
DOI:10.1638/2010-0157.1