title: Parasitological and immunological diagnoses from feces of captive-bred snakes at Vital Brazil Institute.
abstract: Fecal samples from 56 snakes at the Vital Brazil Institute, in the city of Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, were tested using the sedimentation and flotation techniques to investigate the evolutionary forms of parasites such as helminths and protozoa, and using enzyme immunoassay techniques to detect antigens of Cryptosporidium sp. and Giardia sp. Among the animals tested, 80.3% were positive for parasites. Out of these, there were 16 Bothrops jararaca, 16 B. jararacussu and 13 Crotalus durissus. The prevalence of parasitic nematodes was 41.1%, and nematodes were found in all three snake species. Among these, the most frequent finding was eggs of Kalicephalus sp., which were diagnosed in 25% of the snakes. The positivity for protozoa detected using parasite concentration techniques was 75%, including oocysts of Caryospora sp. in 75%, cysts with morphology similar to Giardia sp. 3.6%, amoeboid cysts in 41.1% and unsporulated coccidia oocysts in 8.9%. Immunoassays for Cryptosporidium sp. antigens produced positive findings in 60.7%. Pseudoparasites were detected in 64.3%. These results show that there is a need to improve the sanitary handling of captive-bred snakes, and also for the animal house that supplies rodents to feed them. The results also highlight that diagnostic tests should be performed periodically on stool specimens from captive-bred snakes.
authors: Laboratório Parasitologia, Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia, Instituto Biomédico, Universidade Federal Fluminense ? UFF, Niterói, RJ, Brasil.
authors: Janaína Lima de
authors: JL
authors: Souza
authors: Laboratório Parasitologia, Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia, Instituto Biomédico, Universidade Federal Fluminense ? UFF, Niterói, RJ, Brasil.
authors: Alynne da Silva
authors: Ada S
authors: Barbosa
authors: Laboratório Parasitologia, Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia, Instituto Biomédico, Universidade Federal Fluminense ? UFF, Niterói, RJ, Brasil.
authors: Adriana Prado
authors: AP
authors: Vazon
authors: Laboratório Parasitologia, Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia, Instituto Biomédico, Universidade Federal Fluminense ? UFF, Niterói, RJ, Brasil.
authors: Claudia Maria Antunes
authors: CM
authors: Uchôa
authors: Laboratório Parasitologia, Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia, Instituto Biomédico, Universidade Federal Fluminense ? UFF, Niterói, RJ, Brasil.
authors: Beatriz Coronato
authors: BC
authors: Nunes
authors: Laboratório de Microbiologia Ambiental, Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia, Instituto Biomédico, Universidade Federal Fluminense ? UFF, Niterói, RJ, Brasil.
authors: Myrian Bandeira Vianna
authors: MB
authors: Cortez
authors: Laboratório de Imunodiagnóstico, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas ? DCB, Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública Sérgio Arouca ? ENSP, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz ? FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
authors: Valmir Laurentino da
authors: VL
authors: Silva
authors: Divisão de Zoologia Médica, Instituto Vital Brazil, Niterói, RJ, Brasil.
authors: Leonora Brazil
authors: LB
authors: Más
authors: Divisão de Zoologia Médica, Instituto Vital Brazil, Niterói, RJ, Brasil.
authors: Aníbal Rafael
authors: AR
authors: Melgarejo
authors: Laboratório Parasitologia, Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia, Instituto Biomédico, Universidade Federal Fluminense ? UFF, Niterói, RJ, Brasil.
authors: Otilio Machado Pereira
authors: OM
authors: Bastos
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001938:Brazil; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology*; D007159:Immunologic Tests; D010273:Parasitic Diseases, Animal / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000469:parasitology; D012911:Snakes / Q000469:parasitology*