Rodents as intermediate hosts of Hepatozoon ayorgbor (Apicomplexa: Adeleina: Hepatozoidae) from the African ball python, Python regius?
Two experimental trials were performed to elucidate the role of rodents in the life cycle of Hepatozoon species using snakes as intermediate hosts. In one trial, two ball pythons, Python regius Shaw, 1802 were force fed livers of laboratory mice previously inoculated with sporocysts of Hepatozoon ayorgbor Sloboda, Kamler, Bulantová, Votýpka et Modrý, 2007. Transmission was successful in these experimentally infected snakes as evidenced by the appearance of intraerythrocytic gamonts, which persisted until the end of trial, 12 months after inoculation. Developmental stages of haemogregarines were not observed in histological sections from mice. In another experimental trial, a presence of haemogregarine DNA in mice inoculated with H. ayorgbor was demonstrated by PCR in the liver, lungs and spleen.
Sloboda
Michal
M
Department of Parasitology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Palackého 1-3, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic. slobodam@vfu.cz
Kamler
Martin
M
Bulantová
Jana
J
Votýpka
Jan
J
Modrý
David
D
D000818:Animals; D016782:Apicomplexa / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D017821:Boidae / Q000469:parasitology*; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004199:Disease Vectors; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D008099:Liver / Q000469:parasitology; D008168:Lung / Q000469:parasitology; D051379:Mice; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D011529:Protozoan Infections, Animal / Q000635:transmission*; D012377:Rodentia / Q000469:parasitology*; D013154:Spleen / Q000469:parasitology
D016054:DNA, Protozoan