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The objective of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of Cryptosporidium (Apicomplexa, Cryptosporidiidae) in the snake Crotalus durissus terrificus (Serpentes, Viperidae). Fifty animals were evaluated for the presence of oocysts of Cryptosporidium sp. at the time of arrival and 30 and 60 days later. Intestinal washings with saline solution (1% body weight), fecal samples, and organ scrapings were collected during the study. Oocysts were concentrated by an ether-phosphate-buffered saline sedimentation technique and then separated by a density gradient centrifugation technique. Smears were made with the sediment and submitted to modified acid-fast and auramine-rhodamine staining. Cryptosporidium-positive smears were used as controls for the experimental findings. The overall prevalence of Cryptosporidium sp. oocysts was 14%. Among the positive snakes, oocysts were detected only in the intestinal washing in two specimens, only in the feces in four specimens, and in both materials at least once in one specimen. The positive snakes were predominantly from Santa Maria da Serra city State of São Paulo (57.1%). We also observed that all of the examinations that presented positive results were obtained at least 27 days after the capture of the animals. Keywords: Cryptosporidium -Crotalus durissus terrificus -snakes -BrazilCryptosporidiosis is currently a topic of great worldwide interest in terms of hygiene and health because it can be detected in different hosts, including man, other mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish (Fayer & Ungar 1986.The etiological agent is a protozoan of the genus Cryptosporidium that colonizes the mucous membranes of the gastric or intestinal epithelium, sometimes causing clinical signs or subclinical infection. Several studies have been published on the occurrence of cryptosporidiosis in snakes , Graczyk et al. 1996a,b, 1998a. Infections described in Boa, Elaphe, and Crotalus species suggest that all snakes species may serve as hosts. Easily stressed species, such as rattlesnakes, seem to have a higher infection-rate.There are studies on the prevalence of Cryptosporidium sp. in Brazilian snakes such as Boa constrictor, Corallus caninus, and Epicrates cenchria cenchria, but no references are available for venomous snakes. Thus, the objective of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of Cryptosporidium in C. d. terrificus. MATERIALS AND METHODSThe study was conducted on C. d. terrificus snakes from Botucatu, State of São Paulo, Brazil, recently captured and donated to the Center for the Study of Venoms and Venomous Animals, of São Paulo State University, from October 2000 to January 2001. The animals were checked for the presence of oocysts of Cryptosporidium sp. at the time of arrival and 30 and 60 days later. Data concerning snake collection (origin, place, and date), biometry (total length and weight), and sex were recorded immediately after the arrival of each animal.Intestinal washings with saline solution (1% body weight) were performed on three occasi...

Rhabdias filicaudalis n. sp. (Nematoda: Rhabdiasidae) from the lung of Spilotes pullatus (Serpentes: Colubridae) is described. The host snake was captured in the municipality of Avaré, São Paulo State, Brazil. Rhabdias filicaudalis n. sp. differs from all other species by the combination of the following characters: straight body, truncated anterior end, six weakly developed lips arranged in two opposite groups of three, pre-equatorial vulva, oesophagus length/body length ratio (%) 4.9 -7.5 (5.8^0.6), nerve ring distance from anterior end/oesophagus length ratio (%) 36.9-61.1 (49.8^6.4), tail length/body length ratio (%) 3.0 -5.5 (4.0^0.5), vulva distance from anterior end/body length ratio (%) 39.9 -51.7 (45.9^3.5), and a cuticular filiform tail tip.

The goal of this study was to determine the prevalence of Hepatozoon spp. infection in recently captured snakes from Botucatu, São Paulo State, Brazil. Blood was collected from all snakes by ventral tail venipuncture. Blood smears were air dried, fixed with methanol, and stained with 10% Giemsa solution. The slides were microscopically examined for detection of hemoparasites by light microscopy at 250x magnification. A total of 238 snakes from 23 species were examined, of which 135 (56.7%) were venomous and 103 (43.3%) non-venomous snakes. The more numerous venomous species sampled were Crotalus durissus terrificus (n=108) and Bothrops jararaca (n=17) and non-venomous snakes were Oxyrhopus guibei (n=35), Boa constrictor amarali (n=18), and Waglerophis merremi (n=13). Hepatozoon spp. infection was detected in 39 (16.4%) snakes. The prevalence in venomous and non-venomous snakes was 20.0% and 11.7%, respectively. The highest prevalences observed were 38.9% for Boa constrictor amarali, 35.3% for Bothrops jararaca, and 19.4% for Crotalus durissus terrificus.

The aim of the present study is to report morphological data from parasitic female, rhabditoid and filarioid larvae, free-living female worms and eggs of Strongyloides ophidiae (Nematoda, Strongyloididae). In addition, a molecular DNA analysis was carried out using a pool of eight S. ophidiae parasitic females. Samples were obtained from the small intestine of Oxyrhopus guibei (Serpentes, Colubridae) collected in the municipality of Lençó is Paulista, State of São Paulo, Brazil. DNA amplification by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) resulted in a 350 bp band for samples containing S. ophidiae and Strongyloides venezuelensis DNA. Strongyloides ophidiae nucleotide sequence analysis showed 98% similarity with Strongyloides procyonis and 97% with Strongyloides cebus, Strongyloides stercoralis, Strongyloides fuelleborni and Strongyloides sp. from snakes.

This study reports the isolation of an Ophidian Paramyxovirus (OPMV) in sputum of a captive rattlesnake (Crotalus durissus terrificus) kept in a serpentarium located in Botucatu, São Paulo State, Brazil. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and nested-PCR were performed for the identification of the isolated virus

The objective of this paper is to report the death of a Boa constrictor amarali after ingestion of a tree porcupine. The animal was donated to the Center for the Study of Venoms and Venomous Animals (CEVAP/UNESP) - and died in captivity. At necropsy, spine-like structures were observed in the stomach serosa and vicinity, and the stomach mucosa showed an intense reddish area, suggesting inflammation. The analysis of the spine-like structure revealed that they were tree porcupine spines. The feeding habits and inexperience of this Boa constrictor amarali in selecting its prey may have been be responsible for its death

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