Spirorchiids Infection (Digenea: Spirorchiidae) and Helminth Parasites in Green Turtles (Chelonia mydas) From the Coast of Angra Dos Reis and Paraty, South of Rio de Janeiro State
Abstract
This study aims to present the spirorchiids (Digenea: Spirorchiidae) infection and other parasites by histopathological and parasitological analysis of 18 green turtles (curved carapace length was 39.7 ± 7.8 [29–60] cm rescued between June 2013 and June 2014 by the PROJECT PROMONTAR-ANGRA on the coast of Angra dos Reis and Paraty, south of Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil. The animals were found dead or had died during rehabilitation attempts. At necropsy, tissues were fixed in 10% neutral buffered formalin, processed by paraffin embedding. The digestive2 and circulatory6 systems were analyzed for the parasites detection. The trematodes collected were fixed in 70% alcohol, stained with chlorhydric carmine and cleared with eugenol. Prevalence, mean infection intensity, and mean abundance values were calculated with Quantitative Parasitology 3.0 program (95% confidence intervals).3 Helminths were found in 77.7% (n = 14) of the hosts and correspond to 13 species and 5 different families: Deuterobaris intestinalis, Neoctangium travassosi, Polyangium linguatula (Microscaphidiidae); Enodiotrema sp. (Plagiorchiidae); Schizamphistomum scleroporum (Paramphistomidae); Cricocephalus albus, Metacetabulum invaginatum, Pleurogonius longiusculus, Pronocephalus obliquus, Pyelosomum crassum, Rameshwarotrema uterocrescens (Pronocephalidae); Learedius learedi and Monticellius indicum (Spirorchiidae). All reported on Chelonia mydas from Brazilian coast.7 Learedius learedi was the most prevalent 68.8% (43.6–86.8), followed by N. travassosi with 56.2% (30.5–79.2) and M. invaginatum with 43.8% (20.8–69.5). The most abundant were N. travassosi with 36 (13.2–79.1), L. learedius with 6.38 (2.88–16.3) and P. obliquus with 6.31 (0.875–21.8). The highest mean intensities were: N. travassosi with 64 (26.1–121), C. albus with 60 (3–82.3) and P. obliquus with 25.2 (3.5–51.1). Histopathology of visceral samples revealed giant cell granulomas with phagocytosed spirorchiid eggs. The eggs were type I and type III.8 The pathology induced by spirorchiid eggs has been reported by other authors.1,4,5 We considered these occurrences the incidental finding5 and in our case we cannot affirm that the eggs are responsible for the hosts' death, but might have helped. These data allow a broader view of the parasite species distribution and their potential health impact on the marine turtle's populations.
* Presenting author
References
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