Publicação
Gastrointestinal parasite screening in pet reptiles in the area of Perth, Western Australia
| Resumo: | Reptiles’ popularity as domestic pets increased in the last decades, demanding a correspondent improvement in reptile medicine and parasitology, both for animal welfare and public health reasons, since many reptile parasitic infections are zoonotic. A parasitological survey was carried out in a pet reptile population in the area of Perth, Australia, between April and June 2015. Faecal samples were collected from 57 reptiles, 9 lacertilian species (n=11) and 10 ophidian species (n=46). Samples were screened for the presence of gastrointestinal parasites by fresh smear and faecal flotation. After both techniques, 18% of the samples contained parasitic forms, five of which were pathogenic organisms. A total of six parasitic forms were identified, including oxyurids (52,38%), Strongyloides sp. (14,29%), acarids (14,29%), Nyctotherus spp. (9,52%), ascarids (4,76%) and pentastomids (4,76%). Parasitic prevalence was higher in wild-caught specimens (36,6%) than in captive bred ones (25,9%), higher in reptiles kept in less than optimal conditions (62,5%), than in those kept in adequate conditions (26,54%) and also higher in animals that didn’t receive adequate antiparasitic treatment (38,10%), than in those who did (28,47%). Results from the present study show the importance of anti-parasitic therapy and good husbandry in preventing reptile parasitic diseases and keeping a healthy reptile pet. |
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| Autores principais: | Morais, Maria Eduarda Soares Lopes Fernandes |
| Assunto: | Reptiles Parasites Direct smear Faecal flotation Western Australia Répteis Parasitas Esfregaço fecal Flutuação direta Austrália Ocidental |
| Ano: | 2016 |
| País: | Portugal |
| Tipo de documento: | dissertação de mestrado |
| Tipo de acesso: | acesso aberto |
| Instituição associada: | Universidade de Lisboa |
| Idioma: | inglês |
| Origem: | Repositório da Universidade de Lisboa |
| Resumo: | Reptiles’ popularity as domestic pets increased in the last decades, demanding a correspondent improvement in reptile medicine and parasitology, both for animal welfare and public health reasons, since many reptile parasitic infections are zoonotic. A parasitological survey was carried out in a pet reptile population in the area of Perth, Australia, between April and June 2015. Faecal samples were collected from 57 reptiles, 9 lacertilian species (n=11) and 10 ophidian species (n=46). Samples were screened for the presence of gastrointestinal parasites by fresh smear and faecal flotation. After both techniques, 18% of the samples contained parasitic forms, five of which were pathogenic organisms. A total of six parasitic forms were identified, including oxyurids (52,38%), Strongyloides sp. (14,29%), acarids (14,29%), Nyctotherus spp. (9,52%), ascarids (4,76%) and pentastomids (4,76%). Parasitic prevalence was higher in wild-caught specimens (36,6%) than in captive bred ones (25,9%), higher in reptiles kept in less than optimal conditions (62,5%), than in those kept in adequate conditions (26,54%) and also higher in animals that didn’t receive adequate antiparasitic treatment (38,10%), than in those who did (28,47%). Results from the present study show the importance of anti-parasitic therapy and good husbandry in preventing reptile parasitic diseases and keeping a healthy reptile pet. |
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