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1 December 2018 TREATMENT OF CRYPTOSPORIDIUM SERPENTIS INFECTION IN A KING COBRA (OPHIOPHAGUS HANNAH) WITH PAROMOMYCIN
Anne E. Rivas, Donal M. Boyer, Kevin Torregrosa, William J. Orrico, Jean A. Paré
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Abstract

Feces collected from a wild-caught, young adult king cobra (Ophiophagus hannah) were repeatedly positive for Cryptosporidium on both direct immunofluorescent antibody (DFA) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and sequencing identified the organism as Cryptosporidium serpentis. Infection was subclinical, as the snake was in good body condition and active, and readily consumed dead rats that were scented with snake skin. A course of paromomycin, inserted in feeder rats, was initiated at 360 mg/kg, orally, twice weekly for 6 wk. Feces collected at the end of treatment were negative for Cryptosporidium on PCR, as were feces collected 3 wk, 6 mo, 12 mo, and 18 mo later. At higher dosages, paromomycin may prove useful and may be curative for early gastric and intestinal cryptosporidiosis in squamate reptiles.

Copyright 2018 by American Association of Zoo Veterinarians
Anne E. Rivas, Donal M. Boyer, Kevin Torregrosa, William J. Orrico, and Jean A. Paré "TREATMENT OF CRYPTOSPORIDIUM SERPENTIS INFECTION IN A KING COBRA (OPHIOPHAGUS HANNAH) WITH PAROMOMYCIN," Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine 49(4), 1061-1063, (1 December 2018). https://doi.org/10.1638/2018-0080.1
Accepted: 1 August 2018; Published: 1 December 2018
KEYWORDS
Cryptosporidiosis
Cryptosporidium serpentis
king cobra
Ophiophagus hannah
paromomycin
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