Infecção por Hepatozoon spp. em Boa constrictor Linnaeus, 1758: Bioquímica clínica, hematologia, diagnóstico molecular e estudos filogenéticos

Abstract

The genus Hepatozoon comprises protozoan hemoparasites that infect amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals, being the main intraerythrocytic parasite that infects snakes, with descriptions of more than 130 species. The gamont form of this parasite can cause changes in the morphology of red blood cells, as well as lead to anemia, weight loss, and reduction in reproductive and growth rates. From this scenario, the objective of this research was to evaluate, through direct parasitological and molecular diagnostic methods, as well as hematology and clinical biochemistry assays, the infection by Hepatozoon spp. in free-living Boa constrictor snakes from peri urban Atlantic Forest fragments in Northeastern Brazil. Molecular diagnostic tests (PCR) were performed using two different markers in 52 free living Boa constrictor, and blood smears from these animals were analyzed microscopically. Forty amplicons from two ribosomal SSU RNA gene PCRs were sequenced in order to evaluate the Hepatozoon species involved. The frequency of infection was twice as high in molecular assays as in the direct parasitological analysis. The phylogenetic study suggested that two samples would be Hepatozoon musa; two samples were positioned in the same subclade as Hepatozoon ameiva, as well as the formation of an exclusive subclade including 05 samples was observed, suggesting a possible new species of Hepatozoon. On microscopy, morphological changes were observed in the red blood cells, as well as a mean parasitemia of 0.67%. From these results, the animals were divided into two groups, infected and uninfected, and hematological and biochemical analyzes were performed. There was no statistically significant difference between the groups for the analyzed hemogram parameters. However, a negative association was observed between the serum creatinine kinase concentration and the level of parasitemia. Hematological and serum biochemical reference values were suggested for free-living Boa constrictor from Northeastern Brazil.