Studies on Spirorchis parvus (Stunkard, 1923) and Its Pathological Effects on Chrysemys picta picta

Holliman, Rhodes B.; Fisher, John; Parker, James C.

doi:10.2307/3277754

Cited by 17 publications

(17 citation statements)

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“…Still, spirorchiid infections were considered the principal cause of mortality in 10 green turtles and contributed to the severe lesions seen in another 29 turtles (Gordon et al 1998). In painted turtles Chrysemys picta picta experimentally infected with Spirorchis parvus, 1 turtle developed hemiplegia (Holliman et al 1971). The left side of the 4th ventricle of this turtle had adult flukes and was necrotic.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Neurological disease in wild loggerhead sea turtles Caretta caretta

Jacobson

Homer²,

Stacy³

et al. 2006

Dis. Aquat. Org.

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Beginning in October 2000, subadult loggerhead sea turtles Caretta caretta showing clinical signs of a neurological disorder were found in waters off south Florida, USA. Histopathology indicated generalized and neurologic spirorchiidiasis. In loggerhead sea turtles (LST) with neurospirorchiidiasis, adult trematodes were found in the meninges of the brain and spinal cord of 7 and 3 affected turtles respectively, and multiple encephalic intravascular or perivascular eggs were associated with granulomatous or mixed leukocytic inflammation, vasculitis, edema, axonal degeneration and occasional necrosis. Adult spirorchiids were dissected from meningeal vessels of 2 of 11 LST brains and 1 of 10 spinal cords and were identified as Neospirorchis sp. Affected LST were evaluated for brevetoxins, ciguatoxins, saxitoxins, domoic acid and palytoxin. While tissues from 7 of 20 LST tested positive for brevetoxins, the levels were not considered to be in a range causing acute toxicosis. No known natural (algal blooms) or anthropogenic (pollutant spills) stressors co-occurred with the turtle mortality. While heavy metal toxicosis and organophosphate toxicosis were also investigated as possible causes, there was no evidence for their involvement. We speculate that the clinical signs and pathologic changes seen in the affected LST resulted from combined heavy spirorchiid parasitism and possible chronic exposure to a novel toxin present in the diet of LST.KEY WORDS: Spirorchiidiasis · Brain · Spinal cord · Neuropathy · Loggerhead sea turtle · Caretta caretta Resale or republication not permitted without written consent of the publisherDis Aquat Org 70: [139][140][141][142][143][144][145][146][147][148][149][150][151][152][153][154] 2006 be under-diagnosed rather than being a rare occurrence.Digenetic trematodes of the family Spirorchiidae utilize freshwater turtles and sea turtles as their definitive hosts, and are known to cause neurologic complications. At least 8 genera and 20 species of spirorchiids infect the loggerhead Caretta caretta, green Chelonia mydas and hawksbill Eretmochelys imbricata sea turtles (Lauckner 1985), and are the most pathogenic of sea turtle parasites (George 1997). Spirorchiids are vascular system generalists, with a preference for the heart and arterial system of their turtle hosts (Platt & Brooks 1997). Adult parasites may cause endocarditis, arteritis and thrombosis of the blood vessels (Gordon et al. 1998). In addition to direct pathological effects induced by the adult parasite, eggs released within the vascular system may be transported to remote areas, such as the central nervous system (CNS), where they lodge in small vessels, often initiating a mild to severe granulomatous inflammatory response. The eggs can also migrate through blood vessel walls, causing tissue damage and inflammation in adjacent tissues (Gordon et al. 1998). Spirorchiid parasitism may promote secondary gram-negative bacterial infections (Raidal et al. 1998). Meningitis and encephalitis have been reported in green...

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Neurological disease in wild loggerhead sea turtles Caretta caretta

Jacobson

Homer²,

Stacy³

et al. 2006

Dis. Aquat. Org.

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“…One third (29 of 86; 34%) of the freshwater turtle species in North America range in rivers and lakes of Alabama (van Dijk et al 2014, Guyer et al 2015 and three of the 13 (23%) species of planorbid snails that range in Alabama (Johnson et al 2013) are known to shed cercariae of Spirorchis spp. elsewhere (Wall 1939, 1940, 1941a,b, Pieper 1953, Goodchild and Kirk 1960, Holliman and Fisher 1968, Holliman et al 1971). Yet, no TBF infection has been reported from a turtle or snail in Alabama and few (11 of 29; 38%) turtles that occur there are known as TBF hosts elsewhere (Smith 1997a,b).…”

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confidence: 99%

A new species of Spirorchis MacCallum, 1918 (Digenea: Schistosomatoidea) and Spirorchis cf. scripta from chicken turtle, Deirochelys reticularia (Emydidae), with an emendation and molecular phylogeny of Spirorchis

et al. 2016

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The new species is most easily differentiated from its congeners by the combination of having caeca that extend far beyond the genitalia, intercaecal genitalia positioned in the middle portion of the body, a testicular column that nearly abuts the caecal bifurcation, a cirrus sac positioned between the testes and ovary, a massive Mehlis' gland, an elongate, longitudinal metraterm that extends anteriad beyond the level of the ovary, a pre-ovarian genital pore, and a prominent, intercaecal Manter's organ. The specimens of S. cf. scripta differed from the holotype and published descriptions of Spirorchis scripta Stunkard, 1923 by several subtle morphological features, perhaps comprising intraspecific variation, but collectively warranted a detailed description herein. Based on examinations of the aforementioned specimens plus the holotype, paratypes and vouchers of morphologically-similar congeners, Spirorchis MacCallum, 1918 is emended to include the presence of oral sucker spines, a pharynx, lateral oesophageal diverticula ('plicate organ') and a median oesophageal diverticulum ('oeseophageal pouch'). Phylogenetic analysis of the nuclear large subunit rDNA (28S) recovered S. collinsi sister to Spirorchis picta Stunkard, 1923, > 99% similarity between S. cf. scripta and S. scripta, and a monophyletic Spirorchis MacCallum, 1918. No blood fluke infection has been reported previously from these drainages, Alabama, or this turtle species. This is the first new species of Spirorchis to be described from North America in 26 years. Keywords: taxonomy, Spirorchiidae, Spirhapalum, 28S phylogeny, BaracktremaTwenty two species of turtle blood flukes (TBF) ranging in North America are assigned to Spirorchis MacCallum, 1918, Hapalorhynchus Stunkard, 1922, Unicaecum Stunkard, 1925 and Vasotrema Stunkard, 1928. Collectively, they infect 16 species of freshwater turtles: four infect snapping turtles (Chelydridae), ten infect pond turtles (Emydidae), three infect mud/musk turtles (Kinosternidae) and five infect softshell turtles (Trionychidae) (see Platt 1993, 2002, Smith 1997a,b, Orélis-Ribeiro et al. 2014. One third (29 of 86; 34%) of the freshwater turtle species in North America range in rivers and lakes of Alabama (van Dijk et al. 2014, Guyer et al. 2015 and three of the 13 (23%) species of planorbid snails that range in Alabama (Johnson et al. 2013) are known to shed cercariae of Spirorchis spp. elsewhere (Wall 1939, 1940, 1941a,b, Pieper 1953, Goodchild and Kirk 1960, Holliman and Fisher 1968, Holliman et al. 1971). Yet, no TBF infection has been reported from a turtle or snail in Alabama and few (11 of 29; 38%) turtles that occur there are known as TBF hosts elsewhere (Smith 1997a,b).Parasitological examinations of two chicken turtles, Deirochelys reticularia (Latreille in Sonnini et Latreille) from Alabama rivers revealed infections by a new species of Spirorchis and Spirorchis cf. scripta. Herein, we describe these specimens and compare them to type materials of Spirorchis innominatus Ward, 1921 (type species), Spirorc...

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“…The few life cycle studies undertaken have concerned freshwater spirorchiids and implicate gastropod intermediate hosts (Holliman et al, 1971;Wall, 1941). To date, no definitive resolution of the identity of the intermediate host/s has been published for marine species.…”

Section: Life Cyclesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…While this provides potential evidence of a gastropod intermediate host, the number of gastropod species present in the marine environment creates difficulties in elucidating life cycles of marine spirorchiids, each of which may utilise a different intermediate host. These difficulties are further compounded by trematodes being typically extremely fecund at the asexual reproductive phase and therefore likely to require a low infection rate among intermediate host populations (Holliman et al, 1971). …”

Section: Life Cyclesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Diversity, impacts and diagnosis of pathogenic parasites in sea turtles from Queensland, Australia

Chapman¹

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Parasitism is a significant cause of stranding and mortality in endangered sea turtles. Two parasites in particular (or groups thereof) have been noted for their impacts on green sea turtle populations. The first are the spirorchiid blood flukes, which inhabit the circulatory systems of their host. The second is the eimeriid coccidian Caryospora cheloniae, a systemic parasite affecting a number of organs. Diversity among these organisms is poorly explored, and is almost certainly greater than currently recognised. The parasites and their associated diseases fluctuate both temporally and spatially in terms of prevalence and severity, however, the factors driving these fluctuations are poorly understood. A variety of questions remain unanswered in terms of the epidemiology and relative pathogenicity of the different parasite species. Of particular interest are brain lesions, which have been associated with both parasites and in some cases lead to neurological deficiency and subsequent mortality. Difficulties in finding answers to these questions is compounded by a lack of reliable, fast and quantitative ante-and post-mortem diagnostic tools for either parasite, which restricts their investigation.In order to catalogue local species and assess diversity, adult spirorchiid flukes were collected during post-mortem examination of deceased sea turtles and characterised by molecular and morphological means. Eleven distinct species or genotypes were identified, comprising a mix of previously described and novel species or variants. Samples were also collected from green sea turtles that died during a coccidiosis related mass mortality event in south east Queensland and northern New South Wales. While only one species of coccidian (C. cheloniae) had been previously described, molecular characterisation of the organism implicated in the outbreak revealed two distinct coccidian genotypes, which has significant implications for diagnosis and management.Spirorchiid ova have been associated with granulomatous lesions in a wide range of host tissues. However, it has not been possible to identify spirorchiids beyond the genus level based on morphology, which has frustrated any attempts to identify the species or variants responsible for severe lesions. In this thesis, a molecular approach was used and a terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) assay was developed to detect and identify individual species within the often mixed assemblages of ova in turtle tissues. This assay proved to be a more specific and sensitive alternative to traditional iii microscopic detection methods. Through correlation with histopathology and gross pathology, the tissue tropisms, relative occurrence and pathogenicity of each species were investigated. The most common species (Neospirorchis Genotype 2) was found in 96% of samples, encompassing tissues from all organs sampled. On average, a greater number of spirorchiid species were detected in tissues where lesions were present, and numbers increased along with the severity o...

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Studies on Spirorchis parvus (Stunkard, 1923) and Its Pathological Effects on Chrysemys picta picta

Cited by 17 publications

References 8 publications

Neurological disease in wild loggerhead sea turtles Caretta caretta

Neurological disease in wild loggerhead sea turtles Caretta caretta

A new species of Spirorchis MacCallum, 1918 (Digenea: Schistosomatoidea) and Spirorchis cf. scripta from chicken turtle, Deirochelys reticularia (Emydidae), with an emendation and molecular phylogeny of Spirorchis

Diversity, impacts and diagnosis of pathogenic parasites in sea turtles from Queensland, Australia

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