Abstract: Cryptosporidiosis is an important gastrointestinal disease in snakes. In the current study, 143 feces samples of cobra snakes and Oriental rat-snake were examined for the presence of cryptosporidia by morphology and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) Method targeting a part of the 18S ribosomal RNA gene. A consecutive sequencing reaction was used to identify the cryptosporidian species present in PCR-positive samples. The oocyst of Cryptosporidium serpentis was found in 19 out of 143 (13.29%). The results stress the importance for diagnostic methods to be specific for Cryptosporidium species especially in snakes.
Y.H. Chu, J.X. Chen, L. Ai, Y.C. Cai, Y.L. , J. Li, G.S. He and S.H. Chen, 2012. Detection of Cryptosporidium Species in Feces from Snakes. Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances, 11: 4030-4033.