Parasites of Boa constrictor (Squamata: Boidae) captive in Colima, Mexico and their pathological effects

espanolLos objetivos principales de este estudio fueron registrar los parasitos encontrados en 16 Boa constrictor Linneo, 1758, cautivas en la Unidad de Gestion Ambiental “El Palapo”, Colima, Mexico, durante el periodo 2013-2015, asi como describir sus efectos patologicos. Todas las boas alojaron al menos un agente infeccioso o una alteracion metabolica; el registro de parasitos incluyo 1 Ascomycota (Aspergillus sp.); 1 Actinobacteria (Mycobacterium sp.); 2 Apicomplexa: Hepatozoon sp. y Cryptosporidium sp.; 1 cestodo (Crepidobothrium sp.); 1 nematodo, Macdonaldius oschei Chabaud & Frank, 1961 y 3 Arthropoda: [Ophionyssus natricis (Gervais, 1844), Amblyomma dissimile Koch, 1844 (Acari) y Porocephalus sp. (Maxillopoda)]. Los efectos patologicos registrados fueron: gota visceral (en 31.2% de las boas); pneumonia granulomatosa (12.5%); hipertrofia eritrocitica (25%); gastritis (18.7%) y enteritis (25%) heterofilicas; trombosis heterofilica y vasculitis (6.25%); dermatitis heterofilica (25%) y finalmente, neumonitis focal (6.25%). El cautiverio de estas serpientes, sin el apoyo de la medicina preventiva, debe considerarse como un factor de riesgo para la manifestacion o exacerbacion de enfermedades metabolicas e infecciosas. EnglishThe main objectives of this study were to report the parasites found in 16 Boa constrictor Linnaeus, 1758 captive in the Environmental Management Unit “El Palapo” Colima, Mexico, from 2013 to 2015, as well as to describe their pathological effects. All snakes had at least a parasite infection or a metabolic alteration. The parasites recorded include 1 Ascomycota (Aspergillus sp.); 1 Actinobacteria (Mycobacterium sp.); 2 Apicomplexa (Hepatozoon sp. and Cryptosporidium sp.); 1 cestode (Crepidobothrium sp.); 1 nematode (Macdonaldius oschei Chabaud et Frank, 1961); and 3 Arthropoda [Ophionyssus natricis (Gervais, 1844), Amblyomma dissimile Koch, 1844 (Acari) and Porocephalus sp. (Maxillopoda)]. The pathological effects recorded consisted of: visceral gout (in 31.2% of the snakes); granulomatous pneumonia (12.5%); erythrocytic hypertrophy (25%); heterophilic gastritis (18.7%) and enteritis (25%); heterophilic thrombosis and vasculitis (6.25%); heterophilic dermatitis (25%), and finally, focal pneumonitis (6.25%). The captivity of these snakes, without the support of preventive medicine, should be considered as a risk factor for the manifestation or exacerbation of metabolic and infectious pathologies.