title: High Prevalence of Porocephalus crotali Infection on a Barrier Island (Cumberland Island) off the Coast of Georgia, with Identification of Novel Intermediate Hosts.
abstract: Porocephalus crotali is a pentastomid parasite that uses crotaline snakes as definitive hosts and a variety of rodents as intermediate hosts. A study of definitive and intermediate pentastome hosts on Cumberland Island, Georgia, revealed high prevalence of P. crotali infection in crotalid snakes as well as several mammalian species. Despite the presence of numerous nymphs in some animals, clinical signs of disease were not observed. In intermediate hosts, the liver, mesentery, and reproductive organs were most commonly infected. No gross evidence of tissue damage was noted in association with the numerous encysted nymphal pentastomes, and histopathology demonstrated minimal reaction to the encysted nymphs. Partial 18S rRNA gene sequences confirmed the parasites were P. crotali. In contrast to many previous reports in rodents, the prevalence on this barrier island was high, and this is the first report of Virginia opossums (Didelphis virginiana) and any insectivore species as intermediate hosts. Although generally not considered pathogenic, the long-term consequences of high nymph intensities on individuals deserve attention.
authors.affiliation: Daniel B. Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, and Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, 589 D. W. Brooks Drive, Wildlife Health Building, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602. Correspondence should be sent to: myabsley@uga.edu.
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Yabsley
authors.affiliation: Daniel B. Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, and Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, 589 D. W. Brooks Drive, Wildlife Health Building, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602. Correspondence should be sent to: myabsley@uga.edu.
authors.forename: Angela E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Ellis
authors.affiliation: Daniel B. Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, and Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, 589 D. W. Brooks Drive, Wildlife Health Building, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602. Correspondence should be sent to: myabsley@uga.edu.
authors.forename: Christopher A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Cleveland
authors.affiliation: Daniel B. Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, and Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, 589 D. W. Brooks Drive, Wildlife Health Building, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602. Correspondence should be sent to: myabsley@uga.edu.
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ruckdeschel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D048293:Didelphis / Q000469:parasitology*; D005837:Genitalia, Male / Q000469:parasitology; D005845:Georgia / Q000453:epidemiology; D007422:Intestines / Q000469:parasitology; D062312:Islands / Q000453:epidemiology; D008099:Liver / Q000469:parasitology; D008168:Lung / Q000469:parasitology; D008297:Male; D008643:Mesentery / Q000469:parasitology; D010273:Parasitic Diseases, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D057078:Pentastomida / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D010542:Peromyscus / Q000469:parasitology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / Q000737:chemistry; D012376:Rodent Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology; D012788:Shrews / Q000469:parasitology*; D017819:Viperidae / Q000469:parasitology*
chemical_list: D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S