PARASITOLOGICAL DIAGNOSIS OF ISLAND SNAKES KEPT IN CAPTIVITY AT THE BUTANTAN INSTITUTE

Authors

  • Ana Carolina Canella Araoz Instituto Butantan, Laboratório de Ecologia e Evolução, São Paulo, SP, Brasil. Universidade Metodista, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
  • Viviane Campos Garcia Instituto Butantan, Laboratório de Ecologia e Evolução, São Paulo, SP, Brasil. Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Programa de Pós- Graduação Anatomia dos Animais Domésticos e Silvestres, São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
  • Celso Martins Pinto Universidade Metodista, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
  • Selma Maria Almeida-Santos Instituto Butantan, Laboratório de Ecologia e Evolução, São Paulo, SP, Brasil. Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Programa de Pós- Graduação Anatomia dos Animais Domésticos e Silvestres, São Paulo, SP, Brasil.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5380/avs.v23i3.58549

Keywords:

Bothrops alcatraz, Bothrops insularis, helminths, nematodes, tapeworms

Abstract

The aim of this study was to identify the endoparasites and to verify the efficacy of their prophylactic control of Bothrops insularis and B. alcatraz kept in captivity. Snakes were treated ex-situ with ivermectin and praziquantel, and parasitological examinations were performed on fresh feces. We evaluated 43 individuals of B. insularis (26 wild-caught adults and 17 young born in captivity) and 9 of B. alcatraz (4 wild-caught adults and 5 young born in captivity) kept in the Laboratory of Ecology and Evolution, Butantan Institute, São Paulo, Brazil. Using direct examination and the Willis Mollay technique, we observed the presence of the cestode Ophiotaenia sp. (eggs and proglottids) in 33.3% of B. alcatraz individuals.  However, cestodes were found only in wild-born adult females. Eggs from a mouse parasite (Syphacia obvelata) were found in 27.9% of B. insularis individuals. We conclude that ivermectin and praziquantel were effective to treat nematodes and cestodes. Wild-caught snakes need to be treated against cestodes because, in captivity, this parasite causes anorexia, anemia, and weight loss.  The presence of S. obvelata (a non-pathogenic mouse parasite) was due to feeding the snakes with laboratory mice.

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Published

2018-09-30

How to Cite

Araoz, A. C. C., Garcia, V. C., Pinto, C. M., & Almeida-Santos, S. M. (2018). PARASITOLOGICAL DIAGNOSIS OF ISLAND SNAKES KEPT IN CAPTIVITY AT THE BUTANTAN INSTITUTE. Archives of Veterinary Science, 23(3). https://doi.org/10.5380/avs.v23i3.58549

Issue

Vol. 23 No. 3 (2018)

Section

Veterinary Parasitology

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