Hepatozoon caimani in Caiman crocodilus yacare (Crocodylia, Alligatoridae) from North Pantanal, Brazil

作者：Bouer Andrea; Andre Marcos Rogerio; Goncalves Luiz Ricardo; Luzzi Mayara de Cassia; de Oliveira Juliana Paula; Rodrigues Adriana Carlos; Varani Alessandro de Melo; Oliveira de Miranda Vitor Fernandes; Perles Livia; Werther Karin; Machado Rosangela Zacarias^*

来源：REVISTA BRASILEIRA DE PARASITOLOGIA VETERINARIA, 2017, 26(3): 352-358.

DOI：10.1590/S1984-29612017041

• Caimans
• Hepatozoon caimani
• morphology
• morphometry
• molecular characterisation
• Brazil

Hepatozoon species are the most common intracellular hemoparasite found in reptiles. Hepatozoon caimani, whose vectors are Culex mosquitoes, has been detected in a high prevalence among caimans in Brazil by blood smears examinations. The present work aimed to detect and characterize the Hepatozoon spp. found in 33 caimans (24 free-ranging and 9 captive; 28 males and 5 females) (Caiman crocodilus yacare) sampled at Pocone, North Pantanal, state of Mato Grosso, Brazil, using blood smears examinations and molecular techniques. Hepatozoon spp.-gametocytes were found in 70.8% (17/24) and 88.8% (8/9) of blood smears from free-ranging and captive caimans, respectively. Hepatozoon spp. 18S rRNA DNA was found in 79.2% (19/24) and 88.8% (8/9) of free-ranging and captive caimans, respectively. Comparative analysis of parasitized and non-parasitized erythrocytes showed that all analyzed features were significantly different (P < 0.05) for both linear and area dimensions. Phylogenetic analysis based on 18S rRNA sequences grouped the Hepatozoon spp. sequences detected in the present study together with H. caimani, recently detected in caimans in southern Pantanal.

• 出版日期2017-9
• 单位Univ Estadual Paulista