Gross and histologic features of gastritis due to Ophidascaris arndti in tropical rattlesnakes ( Crotalus durissus )

Abstract

Gross and histologic features of gastritis due to Ophidascaris arndti in tropical rattlesnakes (Crotalus durissus)[ ABSTRACTThe tropical rattlesnake (Crotalus durissus) is a snake of great importance for biomedical industry since its poison is used for the production of antiophidic serum and researches. Several conditions related to animal health, such as diseases and parasites, which can promote the reduction of poison production by these snakes should be investigated. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to characterize the gross and microscopic lesions related to the presence of Ophidascaris arndti in stomachs of tropical rattlesnakes. The gastrointestinal tract of thirty-five South American rattlesnakes captured in Southeastern region of Brazil were analyzed and nineteen animals showed infestation by the parasites, found in the small intestine and, especially, in the stomach of the hosts. Grossly, lesions were characterized by mucosal ulcers occasionally associated with hemorrhage. Microscopic alterations included histiocytic granulomas, fibrosis, necrosis, and hemorrhage. Based on these findings, the diagnosis of a parasitic granulomatous disease was made. The lesions may be related to the cause of death in captivity snakes, since the lesions can promote secondary infections by opportunistic bacteria. Moreover, the intense inflammatory response accompanied by fibrosis may be related to poor functioning of the gastric snakes, which it may exhibit frequent regurgitation of the food.

Avaliação parasitológica de serpentes das famílias Boidae, Elapidae, Pythonidae e Viperidae no sul do Brasil

“…A infecção por ascarídeos é uma das mais importantes para serpentes, a qual pode ser fatal (BECK et al, 2006;RATAJ et al, 2011). A maioria dos ascarídeos tem ciclo de vida indireto e Ophidascaris está entre os gêneros mais conhecidos, o qual pode causar gastrite granulomatosa e caseosa em serpentes, capaz de levar a um mal funcionamento gástrico e regurgitação nesses animais (GREGO et al, 2004;LI et al, 2014;MELLO et al, 2017). A transmissão em cativeiro é rara, mas não pode ser descartada (DIAS et al, 2004), visto que foi o nematódeo mais frequente, assim como o observado por outros autores em C.durissus e B.alternatus (ARAÚJO et al, 1999).…”

New hosts for a snake's helminth: First report of intermediate and definitive hosts naturally infected by Ophidascaris arndti (Ascarididae) in the wild

“…Snakes become infected after eating intermediate hosts parasitized by L 3 larvae encapsulated in the muscles or viscera ( Araujo and Machado, 1980 ; Anderson, 2000 ). The adults fix deeply in the submucosa promoting a focal ulceration lesion ( Jacobson, 2007 ), characterized as necro-ulcerative gastroenteritis ( Anderson, 2000 ; Mello et al, 2017 ). Moreover, they can cause mechanical obstruction or perforations of the viscera ( Wilson and Carpenter, 1996 ; Jacobson, 2007 ).…”