The commonly encountered hemoprotozoa in reptiles include the hemogregarines, trypanosomes, and Plasmodium spp. These parasites and hosts are well adapted and often are nonpathogenic, although some may cause diseases such as hemolytic anemia. The hemogregarines are most common, with several genera represented (Hemogregarina, Hepatozoon, and Karyloysus). They cannot be distinguished by appearance. Their life cycle involves reproduction in an intermediate host and multiplication in the reptilian host. The intermediate hosts are biting invertebrates such as mites, ticks, mosquitoes, and flies or leeches for aquatic reptiles. Ingestion of an infected intermediate host can also cause infection in the reptile. Hemogregarines are sausage-shaped, intracytoplasmic gametocytes in erythrocytes. Clinical disease is not usually associated with these infections unless the host is immunocompromised or is an aberrant host. Hemogregarina spp usually affect semi-aquatic turtles and American alligators, Hepatozoon spp are found in snakes, and Karyolysus spp infect old world lizards. In North America, hemogregarine infections of fresh water turtles are seen mostly in the southeastern states. There is no known effective treatment. For captive turtles, ensuring a healthy enclosure to reduce chronic stress is important.
Read more about Parasitic Diseases of Reptiles and Management of Reptiles in The Manuals.
References
Deirocheyls reticularia, Chicken Turtle. Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology. Accessed May 28, 2018. http://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Deirochelys_reticularia
Rossow JA, Hernandez SM, Sumner, et al. Haemogregarine infections of three species of aquatic freshwater turtles from two sites in Costa Rica J Parasitol Parasites Wildl. 2013 Mar;5:131-5. doi: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2013.02.003.
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