Myxozoan infections of caecilians demonstrate broad host specificity and indicate a link with human activity.
Int J Parasitol
; 46(5-6): 375-81, 2016 05.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-26945641
ABSTRACT
Myxozoans are parasitic cnidarians that infect a wide variety of hosts. Vertebrates typically serve as intermediate hosts whereas definitive hosts are invertebrates, including annelids and bryozoans. Myxozoans are known to exploit species in two of the three extant amphibian orders (Anura frogs and toads; Caudata newts and salamanders). Here we use museum collections to determine, to our knowledge for the first time, whether myxozoans also exploit the third amphibian order (Gymnophiona caecilians). Caecilians are a poorly known group of limbless amphibians, the ecologies of which range from aquatic to fully terrestrial. We examined 12 caecilian species in seven families (148 individuals total) characterised by a diversity of ecologies and life histories. Using morphological and molecular surveys, we discovered the presence of the myxozoan Cystodiscus axonis in two South American species (one of seven examined families) of aquatic caecilians - Typhlonectes natans and Typhlonectes compressicauda. All infected caecilians had been maintained in captivity in the United Kingdom prior to their preservation. Cystodiscus axonis is known from several Australian frog species and its presence in caecilians indicates a capacity for infecting highly divergent amphibian hosts. This first known report of myxozoan infections in caecilians provides evidence of a broad geographic and host range. However, the source of these infections remains unknown and could be related to exposure in South America, the U.K. or to conditions in captivity.
Palabras clave
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Banco de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Enfermedades Parasitarias en Animales
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Myxozoa
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Especificidad del Huésped
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Vesícula Biliar
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Anfibios
Tipo de estudio:
Prevalence_studies
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Risk_factors_studies
Límite:
Animals
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Humans
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Int J Parasitol
Año:
2016
Tipo del documento:
Article