Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA,
Parasitol Res. 2013 Dec;112(12):4205-10. doi: 10.1007/s00436-013-3612-z. Epub 2013 Sep 27.
The gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus), one of five tortoise species endemic in the USA, was recently classified as a candidate for federal listing as a threatened species. Fecal samples collected from 117 tortoises from eight sites in Georgia were examined for endoparasites using a combination of sedimentation and flotation. Samples from an island population were examined for parasitic oocysts and ova only by flotation, protozoan cysts by trichrome-stained direct smear, and Cryptosporidium by direct immunofluorescence assay and ProSpecT rapid assay. A total of 99 tortoises (85, range 0-100%) was infected with pinworms (Alaeuris spp.), 47 (40, 0-86%) with cestodes (Oochorstica sp.), 34 (41, 0-74%) with Chapiniella spp., 2 (3, 0-33%) with Eimeria paynei, and a single tortoise each with a capillarid and ascarid (1%). On the island, Entamoeba was detected in one tortoise (2%) while Cryptosporidium oocysts were detected in eight (17%). In conclusion, at least eight species of parasites were detected including Cryptosporidium, a possible pathogen of tortoises. Interestingly, we detected spatial variation in the distribution of several parasites among populations suggesting additional work should be conducted across a gradient of tortoise densities, land use, and habitat characteristics.
穴兔龟（Gopherus polyphemus）是美国特有的五种龟类之一，最近被归类为有资格被列为受威胁物种的候选者。从佐治亚州八个地点的 117 只龟中采集粪便样本，使用沉淀和漂浮相结合的方法检查内寄生虫。仅对一个岛屿种群的样本进行寄生虫卵囊和卵的漂浮检查，用三色染色直接涂片检查原虫囊肿，用直接免疫荧光法和 ProSpecT 快速检测法检查隐孢子虫。共有 99 只（85%，范围为 0-100%）龟感染了蛲虫（Alaeuris spp.），47 只（40%，0-86%）感染了绦虫（Oochorstica sp.），34 只（41%，0-74%）感染了 Chapiniella spp.，2 只（3%，0-33%）感染了 Eimeria paynei，1 只感染了 Capillarid 和 Ascarid（1%）。在岛上，检测到一只龟（2%）中存在 Entamoeba，八只龟（17%）中存在隐孢子虫卵囊。总之，至少检测到了八种寄生虫，包括隐孢子虫，这是一种可能导致龟类患病的寄生虫。有趣的是，我们发现了几种寄生虫在种群之间的分布存在空间差异，这表明应该在龟类密度、土地利用和栖息地特征的梯度上进行更多的研究。
