Seasonal variation of Hepatozoon spp. (Apicomplexa, Hepatozoidae) parasitemia from Boa constrictor amarali (Serpentes, Boidae) and Hydrodynastes gigas (Serpentes, Colubridae).
The aim of this study was to evaluate the parasitemia variation of three Hepatozoon species in Brazilian snakes. This study was conducted between 2001 and 2003 and included Hepatozoon terzii from Boa constrictor amarali, and Hepatozoon migonei and Hepatozoon cyclagrasi from Hydrodynastes gigas. It was observed that the parasitemia tended to decrease in all three Hepatozoon species but the parasites were not eliminated. This data suggest that Hepatozoon infection may be similar to Toxoplasma gondii infection, in that it persists throughout host life.
Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Biociências, Unesp, Campus de Botucatu, Distrito de Rubião Júnior, Botucatu, SP, 18618-000, Brazil.
Mariana Morena
MM
de Vieira Santos
Lucia Helena
LH
O'Dwyer
Reinaldo José
RJ
da Silva
D000818:Animals; D016782:Apicomplexa / Q000145:classification / Q000502:physiology*; D017821:Boidae / Q000469:parasitology*; D017812:Colubridae / Q000469:parasitology*; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions / Q000502:physiology*; D018512:Parasitemia; D011529:Protozoan Infections, Animal / Q000469:parasitology*; D012621:Seasons; D013045:Species Specificity; D013997:Time Factors