Presence of Hepatozoon sp. in snakes received at a wildlife triage center in Bahia

Abstract

Blood parasites that affect reptiles exhibit remarkable diversity in terms of genus and species, surpassing those that affect mammals. Hemogregarines are the most commonly found parasites in the bloodstream of reptiles, with Hepatozoon spp. being the most commonly found parasitizing snakes. The objective of this study was to investigate the presence of Hepatozoon spp. in snakes received at the Wildlife Screening Center (CETAS) in Cruz das Almas, Bahia, Brazil. This study was conducted between June and August 2023 at CETAS-Cruz das Almas. Sixteen snake specimens received at the center during the study period were physically restrained and blood samples were collected. Blood smears were prepared and stained with Rapid Panoptic. The slides were examined under an optical microscope at 400× and 1000×. Parasitemia was determined by counting the number of parasites visualized in 2,000 erythrocytes, with 20 fields examined in 100 erythrocytes. Of the 16 animals analyzed, 5 (31.25%) presented Hepatozoon hemoparasites: Boa constrictor (n = 2), Erythrolamprus reginae (n = 1), Epicrates assisi (n = 1), and Micrurus ibiboboca (n = 1). The average parasitemia varied among the species: B. constrictor (5.0%), E. reginae (5.0%), M. ibiboboca (2.5%), and E. assisi (2.5%). The prevalence of Hepatozoon spp. was significant, with variations in the parasite load among the species. This study highlights the need to consider environmental and management factors in the prevalence of hemoparasites in reptiles and suggests that certain species, such as snakes, may be highly susceptible to infection by Hepatozoon spp.