A sex-dependent change in behavioral temperature regulation in African house snakes (Lamprophis fuliginosus) challenged with different pathogens.
J Therm Biol
; 73: 8-13, 2018 Apr.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-29549994
ABSTRACT
Behavioral fever in reptiles is often considered an adaptive response used to eliminate pathogens, yet empirical data showing the wide-spread use of this response is mixed. This behavioral change can be beneficial by enhancing the host's immune response and increasing the animal's chance of survival, but it can also be detrimental in terms of host energetic requirements and enzymatic performance. Thus, we examined whether captive-bred African house snakes (Lamprophis fuliginosus) employed behavioral fever in response to pathogen stimulus. Twenty-one African house snakes were injected separately with three different strains of ultraviolet (UV) light-killed bacteria (Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella enterica). We found an increased variance of hourly cloacal temperatures following exposure to pathogens in male but not female house snakes. We did not, however, find a significant febrile response to pathogen exposure as measured via mean cloacal temperature. This research adds critical information to the field of reptilian physiology as this field remains understudied. Reptilian immune function and its relationship with thermal biology is ever more pertinent as new challenges arise, such as novel pathogens and changing climate.
Key words
Full text:
1
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Snakes
/
Bacterial Infections
/
Body Temperature Regulation
/
Sex Characteristics
Limits:
Animals
Language:
En
Journal:
J Therm Biol
Year:
2018
Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
United States