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1 December 2001 FATAL PENTASTOMIASIS IN CAPTIVE AFRICAN DWARF CROCODILE HATCHLINGS (OSTEOLAEMUS TETRASPIS)
Lance Adams, Ramiro Isaza, Ellis Greiner
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Abstract

Six eggs from a captive African dwarf crocodile (Osteolaemus tetraspis) nest were artificially incubated. Two abnormal hatchlings with incomplete absorption of their yolk sacs died within 48 hr of hatching. No parasites were detected grossly or histologically in either hatchling. The remaining four apparently healthy hatchlings died without clinical signs at 3 wk of age, 1 wk after being fed live wild-caught fish and commercially raised goldfish. Necropsy revealed multiple white small wormlike organisms within the lungs, liver, and gastrointestinal tract of all four hatchlings. Histopathologic cross sections suggested that pentastomiasis was the cause of death, and whole parasites were identified as Sebekia mississippiensis. This infection was probably contracted by ingestion of live fish intermediate hosts infected with nymphal parasites. Avoiding the use of infected live fish or untreated fish products can prevent mortality of hatchling crocodilians caused by S. mississippiensis within zoological collections.

Lance Adams, Ramiro Isaza, and Ellis Greiner "FATAL PENTASTOMIASIS IN CAPTIVE AFRICAN DWARF CROCODILE HATCHLINGS (OSTEOLAEMUS TETRASPIS)," Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine 32(4), 500-502, (1 December 2001). https://doi.org/10.1638/1042-7260(2001)032[0500:FPICAD]2.0.CO;2
Received: 15 January 2001; Published: 1 December 2001
KEYWORDS
African dwarf crocodile
Osteolaemus tetraspis
pentastomiasis
Sebekia mississippiensis
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