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Reptile Blood Parasites
BY: RENAE ANDERSON, HOLLY MOZDIN, &
ANDREA THOMAS
OCTOBER 26, 2010
FALL QUARTER
VT242-PL6
Haemogregarine
 The most common intracellular blood parasite with
over 300 species described
 These typically infect RBCs, and to a lesser extent
WBCs of the intermediate host.
 4 of the 6 are known to infect reptiles and
amphibians and include:
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Haemogregarina
Hepatozoon
Hemolivia
Karyolysus
Transmission/Hosts
 The transmission of haemogregarines can be due to a blood sucking
vector or ingestion of an infected host.
 The transmission of haemogregarines typically varies by genera and
has not been elucidated for all of these organisms
Haemogregarine
Genera
Karyolysus
Intermediate Host
Hemolivia
Lacerta sp. lizards and, possibly,
scincids (skinks)
Toads, lizards
Hepatozoon
Snakes, lizards,amphibians
Definitive Host
Mite
Ticks, Also transmitted by predation
of infected lizards and amphibians
Leeches, sucking lice, fleas, triatomid
bugs, flies, mosquitoes, sandflies,
tsetse flies, ixodid and argasid ticks,
mites
Also transmitted by predation of
infected lizards and amphibians
Haemogregarina
Turtles
Possible congenital transmission in
snakes
Leeches
General Symptoms
 Generally do not cause significant clinical disease.
Changes associated with haemogregarine infections
may include displacement of hemoglobin within
infected RBCs and mild dysproteinemia (alterations
in serum or plasma proteins).1
 The meronts of haemogregarines may form cysts in
various organs of the body including liver, spleen,
kidney, and brain. These cysts may contain deposits
of pigment or may be surrounded by inflammatory
cells.
General Treatment/Prevention
 If parasites are observed, they generally are considered benign and do not
warrant treatment.
 Currently, an effective treatment for haemogregarines does not exist.
However, it is unlikely that a treatment protocol will be necessary based on
the limited ability of haemogregarines to cause clinical disease.
 Prevention of parasitic infection can be achieved by acquiring reptiles and
amphibians that are free of the parasite on blood smear examination and
by using an appropriate food supply that will not introduce the parasite
into the collection.
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This is especially important for the genus Hepatozoon that can be transmitted to abnormal
host species.
 Proper insect control and routine quarantine measures also should be
instituted so animals that are haemogregarine test-negative are not
exposed to any haemogregarine test-positive animals the collection.
 Reptiles and amphibians also should be maintained in enclosures that
reduce environmental stress by preventing overcrowding. This, in turn,
may reduce the overall parasite burden of captive reptiles and amphibians.
 NOT CONSIDERED TO BE ZOONOTIC!!!
Comparison Images
Elongate to crescent, banana, or sausageshaped, haemogregarine parasites within
the cytoplasm erythrocytes in
Romanowsky-stained blood smears of a
snake (left) and turtle (right) (Diff-Quik
stain).
Time to Split… The End!