Molecular Identification of Cryptosporidium Species from Pet Snakes in Thailand.
10.3347/kjp.2016.54.4.423
- Author:
Benjarat YIMMING
1
;
Khampee PATTANATANANG
;
Pornchai SANYATHITISEREE
;
Tawin INPANKAEW
;
Ketsarin KAMYINGKIRD
;
Nongnuch PINYOPANUWAT
;
Wissanuwat CHIMNOI
;
Jumnongjit PHASUK
Author Information
1. Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand. fvetjjp@ku.ac.th
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Cryptosporidium parvum;
Cryptosporidium serpentis;
Cryptosporidium muris;
snake;
nested PCR;
SSU rRNA;
Thailand
- MeSH:
Agriculture;
Animals, Exotic;
Boidae;
Colubridae;
Cryptosporidium parvum;
Cryptosporidium*;
Dimethyl Sulfoxide;
Floors and Floorcoverings;
Gastrointestinal Diseases;
Genes, rRNA;
Methods;
Milk;
Oocysts;
Polymerase Chain Reaction;
Snakes*;
Thailand*;
Zea mays
- From:The Korean Journal of Parasitology
2016;54(4):423-429
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Cryptosporidium is an important pathogen causing gastrointestinal disease in snakes and is distributed worldwide. The main objectives of this study were to detect and identify Cryptosporidium species in captive snakes from exotic pet shops and snake farms in Thailand. In total, 165 fecal samples were examined from 8 snake species, boa constrictor (Boa constrictor constrictor), corn snake (Elaphe guttata), ball python (Python regius), milk snake (Lampropeltis triangulum), king snake (Lampropeltis getula), rock python (Python sebae), rainbow boa (Epicrates cenchria), and carpet python (Morelia spilota). Cryptosporidium oocysts were examined using the dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)-modified acid-fast staining and a molecular method based on nested-PCR, PCR-RFLP analysis, and sequencing amplification of the SSU rRNA gene. DMSO-modified acid-fast staining revealed the presence of Cryptosporidium oocysts in 12 out of 165 (7.3%) samples, whereas PCR produced positive results in 40 (24.2%) samples. Molecular characterization indicated the presence of Cryptosporidium parvum (mouse genotype) as the most common species in 24 samples (60%) from 5 species of snake followed by Cryptosporidium serpentis in 9 samples (22.5%) from 2 species of snake and Cryptosporidium muris in 3 samples (7.5%) from P. regius.
