Estudo anátomo-patológico, parasitológico, toxicológico, hematológico e bioquímico de Crotalus durissus de vida livre em Minas Gerais

Abstract

Scientific information on pathology and sanitary conditions of Crotalus durissus is scarce, especially in free-ranging animals. Thus, the goal of this study was to evaluate health parameters of free-ranging in the state of Minas Gerais, through anatomopathological, parasitological, toxicological, and hematological examimation. A total of 96 snakes were euthanized and necropsied from September 2019 to February 2020. There were 54 females and 42 males, 89 adults and 7 young. In relation to the origin, the metropolitan mesoregion of Belo Horizonte was represented by 56% of the animals (54/96). Most of the metazoan lesions observed were associated with both gastric ascaridids Ophidascaris sp. and Hexametra sp. Among the 56 animals with lesions, 46 had granulomatous gastritis corresponding to 47.91% in the studied population (46/96). In addition, lesions associated with protozoa (Sarcocystis sp., Cryptosporidium sp. and Entamoeba invadens), fungi (Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola), degenerative or traumatic, as well as the presence of hemoparasites (Hepatozoon sp. and Trypanossoma sp.) were also found. Males had higher concentrations of heavy metal residues and some elements were also statistically meaningful according to the geography. In conclusion, C. durissus even in their natural environments are subject to pathologies of different etiologies and these animals may serve as biological markers for different heavy metals.