Reptiles and Amphibians Q&A 20

This question was provided by Manson Publishing as part of the OVAL Project. See more Reptiles and Amphibians Q&A.

The photomicrograph is of a merthiolate-stained wet mount made from fluid recovered from the stomach of a snake after a gastric lavage. An H&E-stained histological section of the gastric fundus from the same snake is also shown.

Question	Answer		Article
What is the small organism in the middle of the microscopic field in the first picture? Myriad numbers of the same organism are seen attached to the cellular borders of the gastric pits in the second picture.	Cryptosporidium serpentis.		Link to Article
What is the prognosis?	Very guarded to poor because, to date, there appears to be no effective treatment for this severe parasitism in reptiles; the drugs most often used to treat human cryptosporidiosis have not been effective in reptiles.		Link to Article
How would you manage this condition in a colony of snakes?	Identify and destroy animals which are found to be infected; embargo all releases from the infected colony or collection so that potential carrier snakes do not become a threat to other collections; implement strict cage decontamination and hygiene; establish and adhere to a quarantine period during which adequate testing will disclose carrier snakes; test the food and water supplies for the collection to guarantee that they are free from cryptosporidial infection.		Link to Article