The objective of the present study was to investigate the
prevalence of
Cryptosporidium
(Apicomplexa, Cryptosporidiidae) in the snake
Crotalus durissus terrificus
(Serpentes, Viperidae). Fifty animals were evaluated for the presence of
oocysts of
Cryptosporidium
sp. at the time of arrival and 30 and 60 days later. Intestinal washings
with saline solution (1% body weight), fecal samples, and organ scrapings
were collected during the study. Oocysts were concentrated by an ether-phosphate-buffered
saline sedimentation technique and then separated by a density gradient
centrifugation technique. Smears were made with the sediment and submitted
to modified acid-fast and auramine-rhodamine staining.
Cryptosporidium
-positive smears were used as controls for the experimental findings. The
overall prevalence of Cryptosporidium sp. oocysts was 14%. Among the positive
snakes, oocysts were detected only in the intestinal washing in two specimens,
only in the feces in four specimens, and in both materials at least once
in one specimen. The positive snakes were predominantly from Santa Maria
da Serra city State of São Paulo (57.1%). We also observed that all
of the examinations that presented positive results were obtained at least
27 days after the capture of the animals.
