title: Cryptosporidium varanii infection in leopard geckos (Eublepharis macularius) in Argentina.
abstract: Cryptosporidiosis is observed in reptiles with high morbidity and considerable mortality. The objective of this study was to achieve the molecular identification of Cryptosporidium spp. in pet leopard geckos (Eublepharis macularius) from a breeder colony in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Oocysts comparable to those of Cryptosporidium spp. were detected in three geckos with a history of diarrhea, anorexia and cachexia. Molecular identification methods confirmed the presence of Cryptosporidium varanii (syn. C. saurophilum). This agent was considered to be the primary cause of the observed clinical disease. This is the first description of C. varanii infection in pet reptiles in Argentina.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Inmunoparasitología, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, 60 y 118, 1900 La Plata, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos, Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dellarupe
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Inmunoparasitología, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, 60 y 118, 1900 La Plata, Argentina.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Unzaga
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Inmunoparasitología, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, 60 y 118, 1900 La Plata, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos, Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Moré
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Genética Veterinaria (IGEVET), CCT La Plata, CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kienast
authors.affiliation: Cátedra de Inmunología Veterinaria, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Larsen
authors.affiliation: Dpto. Zoonosis, Municipalidad Gral. San Martín, Prov. de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stiebel
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Inmunoparasitología, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, 60 y 118, 1900 La Plata, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos, Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rambeaud
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Inmunoparasitología, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, 60 y 118, 1900 La Plata, Argentina.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Venturini
keywords: Argentina; Cryptosporidium spp; Leopard gecko (Eublepharis macularius); PCR; Sequencing