Reevaluation of Hemoparasites in the Black Spiny-Tailed Iguana (<i>Ctenosaura similis</i>) with the First Pathological and Molecular Characterizations of <i>Lankesterella desseri</i> n. sp. and Redescription of <i>Hepatozoon gamezi</i>
Hemoprotozoa are microorganisms that parasitize the blood and possess intricate life cycles. Despite the complexity of their nature, little is known about the biology of hemoprotozoa in reptilian hosts. In this study, we conducted disease surveillance on blood samples collected from six black spiny-...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2023-09-01
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| Series: | Microorganisms |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/11/10/2374 |
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| author | Yen-Chi Chang Tai-Shen Lin Wei-Wen Huang Hung-Yi Lee Cheng-Hsin Shih Ying-Chen Wu Chiu-Chen Huang Ter-Hsin Chen |
| author_facet | Yen-Chi Chang Tai-Shen Lin Wei-Wen Huang Hung-Yi Lee Cheng-Hsin Shih Ying-Chen Wu Chiu-Chen Huang Ter-Hsin Chen |
| author_sort | Yen-Chi Chang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Hemoprotozoa are microorganisms that parasitize the blood and possess intricate life cycles. Despite the complexity of their nature, little is known about the biology of hemoprotozoa in reptilian hosts. In this study, we conducted disease surveillance on blood samples collected from six black spiny-tailed iguanas (<i>Ctenosaura similis</i>) exhibiting clinical signs. We found two different types of hemoparasites in the blood films and further confirmed they belong to the genera <i>Lakesterella</i> and <i>Hepatozoon</i> through molecular methods. In the tissue section from a dead iguana infected only with <i>Lakesterella</i> sp., parasites were also found in melanomacrophages of the liver and kidney. Since <i>Lakesterella</i> sp. infection has not been reported in <i>C. similis</i>, we propose this hemococcidian as a new species, <i>Lankesterella desseri</i> n. sp. The <i>Hepatozoon</i> parasites discovered in this study were classified as <i>Hepatozoon gamezi</i> based on their morphological characteristics, particularly the notable deformation of all infected erythrocytes, and this classification was further corroborated through molecular biological and phylogenetic analyses. This is the first hemoprotozoa investigation in <i>C. similis</i> with pathological and molecular characterization of these pathogens. We suggest that more studies are needed to understand the epidemiology, transmission, and impact of these parasites on their hosts and ecosystems. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T21:02:35Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-69e1043d946741ed8ac55274d3d571c7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2607 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T21:02:35Z |
| publishDate | 2023-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Microorganisms |
| spelling | doaj.art-69e1043d946741ed8ac55274d3d571c72023-11-19T17:25:44ZengMDPI AGMicroorganisms2076-26072023-09-011110237410.3390/microorganisms11102374Reevaluation of Hemoparasites in the Black Spiny-Tailed Iguana (<i>Ctenosaura similis</i>) with the First Pathological and Molecular Characterizations of <i>Lankesterella desseri</i> n. sp. and Redescription of <i>Hepatozoon gamezi</i>Yen-Chi Chang0Tai-Shen Lin1Wei-Wen Huang2Hung-Yi Lee3Cheng-Hsin Shih4Ying-Chen Wu5Chiu-Chen Huang6Ter-Hsin Chen7Graduate Institute of Veterinary Pathobiology, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 40227, TaiwanDepartment of Post-Baccalaureate Veterinary Medicine, Asia University, Taichung 41354, TaiwanDepartment of Post-Baccalaureate Veterinary Medicine, Asia University, Taichung 41354, TaiwanDepartment of Veterinary Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 40227, TaiwanGraduate Institute of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, TaiwanGraduate Institute of Veterinary Pathobiology, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 40227, TaiwanDepartment of Post-Baccalaureate Veterinary Medicine, Asia University, Taichung 41354, TaiwanGraduate Institute of Veterinary Pathobiology, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 40227, TaiwanHemoprotozoa are microorganisms that parasitize the blood and possess intricate life cycles. Despite the complexity of their nature, little is known about the biology of hemoprotozoa in reptilian hosts. In this study, we conducted disease surveillance on blood samples collected from six black spiny-tailed iguanas (<i>Ctenosaura similis</i>) exhibiting clinical signs. We found two different types of hemoparasites in the blood films and further confirmed they belong to the genera <i>Lakesterella</i> and <i>Hepatozoon</i> through molecular methods. In the tissue section from a dead iguana infected only with <i>Lakesterella</i> sp., parasites were also found in melanomacrophages of the liver and kidney. Since <i>Lakesterella</i> sp. infection has not been reported in <i>C. similis</i>, we propose this hemococcidian as a new species, <i>Lankesterella desseri</i> n. sp. The <i>Hepatozoon</i> parasites discovered in this study were classified as <i>Hepatozoon gamezi</i> based on their morphological characteristics, particularly the notable deformation of all infected erythrocytes, and this classification was further corroborated through molecular biological and phylogenetic analyses. This is the first hemoprotozoa investigation in <i>C. similis</i> with pathological and molecular characterization of these pathogens. We suggest that more studies are needed to understand the epidemiology, transmission, and impact of these parasites on their hosts and ecosystems.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/11/10/2374<i>Ctenosaura</i>hemococcidiahemoprotozoa<i>Hepatozoon</i>iguanaiguanidae |
| spellingShingle | Yen-Chi Chang Tai-Shen Lin Wei-Wen Huang Hung-Yi Lee Cheng-Hsin Shih Ying-Chen Wu Chiu-Chen Huang Ter-Hsin Chen Reevaluation of Hemoparasites in the Black Spiny-Tailed Iguana (<i>Ctenosaura similis</i>) with the First Pathological and Molecular Characterizations of <i>Lankesterella desseri</i> n. sp. and Redescription of <i>Hepatozoon gamezi</i> Microorganisms <i>Ctenosaura</i> hemococcidia hemoprotozoa <i>Hepatozoon</i> iguana iguanidae |
| title | Reevaluation of Hemoparasites in the Black Spiny-Tailed Iguana (<i>Ctenosaura similis</i>) with the First Pathological and Molecular Characterizations of <i>Lankesterella desseri</i> n. sp. and Redescription of <i>Hepatozoon gamezi</i> |
| title_full | Reevaluation of Hemoparasites in the Black Spiny-Tailed Iguana (<i>Ctenosaura similis</i>) with the First Pathological and Molecular Characterizations of <i>Lankesterella desseri</i> n. sp. and Redescription of <i>Hepatozoon gamezi</i> |
| title_fullStr | Reevaluation of Hemoparasites in the Black Spiny-Tailed Iguana (<i>Ctenosaura similis</i>) with the First Pathological and Molecular Characterizations of <i>Lankesterella desseri</i> n. sp. and Redescription of <i>Hepatozoon gamezi</i> |
| title_full_unstemmed | Reevaluation of Hemoparasites in the Black Spiny-Tailed Iguana (<i>Ctenosaura similis</i>) with the First Pathological and Molecular Characterizations of <i>Lankesterella desseri</i> n. sp. and Redescription of <i>Hepatozoon gamezi</i> |
| title_short | Reevaluation of Hemoparasites in the Black Spiny-Tailed Iguana (<i>Ctenosaura similis</i>) with the First Pathological and Molecular Characterizations of <i>Lankesterella desseri</i> n. sp. and Redescription of <i>Hepatozoon gamezi</i> |
| title_sort | reevaluation of hemoparasites in the black spiny tailed iguana i ctenosaura similis i with the first pathological and molecular characterizations of i lankesterella desseri i n sp and redescription of i hepatozoon gamezi i |
| topic | <i>Ctenosaura</i> hemococcidia hemoprotozoa <i>Hepatozoon</i> iguana iguanidae |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/11/10/2374 |
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