Hemoparasite occurrence and hematological/serum chemistry variations in Podocnemis vogli turtles: A comparative analysis between wild-residing infected specimens and captive non-infected counterparts.

Reptiles show a high occurrence of hemoparasites in the wild; however, little is known about the impact of such infections on their hosts' physiology and health status. Podocnemis vogli is an ancient turtle distributed in South America, frequently infected by blood parasites. Specifically, we analyzed the hematological and serum chemistry parameters of 78 wild turtles. We compared these values with those obtained from non-infected turtles of the same species in ex-situ conditions, considering factors such as sex and coinfections. Two orders of hemoparasites were detected under microscopic analyses: Adelorina, represented by Haemogregarina sp. (98.72 ± 0.28%), and Haemosporida, represented by Haemocystidium sp. (30.77 ± 1.16%), the latter genus being always in coinfection with Haemogregarina. Significant differences were observed in 20 parameters between infected (free living) and uninfected (living in captivity) turtles. The ALP, PCV, Hb, and MCV were significantly different by sex; albumin, cholesterol, creatinine, percentage of heterophils, lymphocytes, and basophils differed in coinfection. This is the first report of reference intervals of P. vogli in the wild and the first study comparing hematological and blood biochemistry values between hemoparasite-infected and uninfected P. vogli turtles. However, the limited knowledge of these parameters in wild reptiles and the wide range of interval values makes it difficult to determine any significant impact on turtle health. Nevertheless, this study highlights the need for more in-depth research to explore the potential effects of blood parasite infections on turtles, including immune response and coevolution studies.