Phylogenetic relationship of<i>Hepatozoon</i>blood parasites found in snakes from Africa, America and Asia

Haklová, B.; Majláthová, Viktória; Majláth, Igor; Harris, D. James; Petrílla, Vladimir; Litschka-Koen, T.; Oros, Mikuláš; Peťko, Branislav

doi:10.1017/s0031182013001765

Cited by 17 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 50 publications

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“…Hepatozoon sipedon, for example, is known to naturally infect the snake, Nerodia sipedon sipedon, through the ingestion of an anuran, Rana pipiens (Schreber) (Smith 1994, Netherlands et al 2014a). Furthermore, these non-ophidian intermediate host associations are becoming evident in the phylogenetic analyses of species of Hepatozoon because species infecting snakes with a diet comprising mostly anurans and those with a diet comprising mostly saurians belong to separate lineages (Haklová et al 2014). Tomé et al (2013) demonstrated that diet appears to be a key element for infection of snakes by species of Hepatozoon.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is unfortunate that the species of Hepatozoon parasitising P. semivariegatus from Swaziland sequenced by Haklová et al (2014) could not be compared on a morphological basis to H. angeladaviesae and H. cecilhoarei. Furthermore, as the fragment used in the evolutionary divergence estimates represents a relatively conservative section of the 18S rRNA gene, results may demonstrate a closer relatedness than what is truly the case.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…From amphibians these include Hepatozoon theileri (Laveran, 1905) infecting the common river frog Amietia delalandii (Bocage) (Pyxicephalidae), Hepatozoon ixoxo Netherlands, Cook et Smit, 2014 infecting typical toads Sclerophrys pusilla (Hallowell), Sclerophrys garmani (Meek) and Sclerophrys gutturalis (Power) (Bufonidae), and recently Hepatozoon involucrum Netherlands, Cook et Smit, 2017 infecting Hyperolius marmoratus Rapp, Hepatozoon tenuis Netherlands, Cook et Smit, 2017 infecting Afrixalus fornasinii (Bianconi), Hyperolius argus Peters Within the Colubridae, snakes of the genus Philothamnus Smith, frequently formed part of haemoparasite surveys in Africa, these reporting infections of potentially several species of haemogregarines. However, regardless of the sometimes detailed descriptions of these Hepatozoon spp., none were ever named (Bouet 1909, Hoare 1920, Schweitz 1931, Garnham and Duke 1953, Ball 1967, Haklová et al 2014.…”

Section: Haemogregarines Of the Genus Hepatozoonmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…According to the evolutionary divergence estimates concerning species of Hepatozoon from African snakes, which could not be included in the phylogenetic analysis as they represent fragments of the ~ 860−1,725 nt region of the 18S rRNA, the present material is most closely related to an unnamed species (GenBank: KC800702) isolated from P. semivariegatus from Swaziland (96.3−96.6% identity, p = 0.03−0.04), to an unnamed species (GenBank: KC800703) from Python natalensis Smith, from Swaziland (96.3−96.6% identity, p = 0.03) and an unnamed species (GenBank: KC866368) from Dendroaspis polylepis Günther in Swaziland or Tanzania (96.3−96.6% identity, p = 0.03−0.04) (Haklová et al 2014).…”

Section: D a B F Ementioning

confidence: 99%

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Two new species of Hepatozoon (Apicomplexa: Hepatozoidae) parasitising species of Philothamnus (Ophidia: Colubridae) from South Africa

Cook¹,

Netherlands²,

As³

et al. 2018

FOLIA PARASIT

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To date, only a few species of Hepatozoon Miller, 1908 have been described from amphibians and reptiles of South Africa, including two species from anuran hosts, three from saurians, one from chelonians, and two from ophidians. Hepatozoon bitis (Fantham, 1925) and Hepatozoon refringens (Sambon et Seligmann, 1907), parasitising Bitis arientans (Merrem) and Pseudoaspis cana (Linnaeus), respectively, were described in the early 1900s and since then there have been no further species of Hepatozoon described from snakes in South Africa. Blood smears, used in peripheral blood haemogregarine stage morphometrics, and whole blood used in molecular characterisation of haemogregarines were collected from the caudal vein of six snakes of three species, namely Philothamnus hoplogaster (Günther), Philothamnus semivariegatus (Smith) and Philothamnus natalensis natalensis (Smith). For comparison, a comprehensive table summarising available information on species of Hepatozoon from African snakes is presented. Haemogregarines found infecting the snakes from the present study were morphologically and molecularly different from any previously described from Africa and are thus here described as Hepatozoon angeladaviesae sp. n. and Hepatozoon cecilhoarei sp. n. Both haemogregarine species were observed to cause considerable dehaemoglobinisation of the host cell, in case of infection with H. angeladaviesae resulting in a characteristic peripheral undulation of the host cell membrane and karyorrhexis. To the authors' knowledge, these are the first haemogregarines parasitising snakes of the genus Philothamnus Smith described using both morphological and molecular characteristics in Africa.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Haemogregarines Of the Genus Hepatozoonmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: D a B F Ementioning

confidence: 99%

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Two new species of Hepatozoon (Apicomplexa: Hepatozoidae) parasitising species of Philothamnus (Ophidia: Colubridae) from South Africa

Cook¹,

Netherlands²,

As³

et al. 2018

FOLIA PARASIT

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“…[81] Protozoa Hepatozoon ayorgbor [84], Hepatozoon spp. [84][85][86], Trypanosoma cf. varani [87], Trypanosoma spp.…”

Section: Bacteriamentioning

confidence: 99%

Blind Trading: A Literature Review of Research Addressing the Welfare of Ball Pythons in the Exotic Pet Trade

Green¹,

Coulthard

Megson

et al. 2020

Animals

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Extensive numbers of Ball pythons are caught, bred, traded and subsequently kept in captivity across the world as part of the exotic pet industry. Despite their widespread availability as pets, relatively little is known about the potential welfare challenges affecting them. We reviewed the literature for research focused on the health and welfare of Ball pythons in the international pet trade. From a total of 88 articles returned from the search criteria, our analysis showed that very few actually focused on trade (10%) or animal welfare (17%). Instead, the majority (64%) of articles focused on veterinary science. There was a considerable bias towards physical health, with most studies neglecting the four other domains of animal welfare (behaviour, nutrition, environment and mental health). Furthermore, very few studies considered Ball pythons prior to resulting pet ownership, during wild capture and transportation or captive breeding operations. Our review demonstrates that our current understanding of welfare for Ball pythons traded as exotic pets is limited. We recommend that future research should focus on aspects of the industry that are currently overlooked, including the potential consequences of genetic selection during captive-breeding and the conditions provided for snakes prior to and during international transportation.

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Identification of Hepatozoon erhardovae Krampitz, 1964 from bank voles (Myodes glareolus) and fleas in Southern Hungary

et al. 2016

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In order to investigate the prevalence and life cycle of apicomplexan parasites, small mammals were live-trapped with modified Sherman traps in Southern Hungary between 2010 and 2012. Altogether, 528 rodents (Apodemus flavicollis Melchior, 1834, Apodemus agrarius Pallas, 1771, Myodes glareolus Schreber, 1780, Microtus agrestis Linnaeus, 1761, Mus musculus Linnaeus, 1758 and Micromys minutus Pallas, 1771) were collected and four shrews (Sorex spp.) were by-catched. Captured animals belonging to non-protected species were euthanized, and spleen samples were preserved for histological and molecular analyses. During the examination of spleen smears, Hepatozoon parasites were observed in eight out of 48 bank voles (M. glareolus). DNA was isolated from altogether 221 spleen samples, and 18S rDNA was amplified using two different PCR protocols. The eight bank vole samples were positive with PCR, but none of the other M. glareolus spleen samples or any of the tissue samples from other species were found to be infected. Sequenced amplicons were very similar to Hepatozoon spp. detected in M. glareolus in Spain and Poland. Ectoparasites were collected from the small mammal carcasses and from the vegetation. Hepatozoon DNA was not found in the 181 ticks removed from the small mammals or in the 162 ticks collected with flagging, but was detected in all three flea species (4/43 Megabothris turbidus Rothschild, 1909, 3/10 Ctenophthalmus assimilis Taschenberg, 1880 and 7/78 Ctenophthalmus agyrtes Heller, 1896). Based on gamont morphology, vertebrate and arthropod host species and DNA sequences, the parasites in our study can be identified as Hepatozoon erhardovae.

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Phylogenetic relationship ofHepatozoonblood parasites found in snakes from Africa, America and Asia

Cited by 17 publications

References 50 publications

Two new species of Hepatozoon (Apicomplexa: Hepatozoidae) parasitising species of Philothamnus (Ophidia: Colubridae) from South Africa

Two new species of Hepatozoon (Apicomplexa: Hepatozoidae) parasitising species of Philothamnus (Ophidia: Colubridae) from South Africa

Blind Trading: A Literature Review of Research Addressing the Welfare of Ball Pythons in the Exotic Pet Trade

Identification of Hepatozoon erhardovae Krampitz, 1964 from bank voles (Myodes glareolus) and fleas in Southern Hungary

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