Intranuclear coccidiosis in tortoises: nine cases

Abstract

Chelonian intranuclear coccidiosis has been reported once, in two radiated tortoises (Geochelone radiata), and is apparently rare. We describe intranuclear coccidiosis diagnosed histologically in two radiated tortoises, three Travancore tortoises (Indotestudo forstenii), two leopard tortoises (Geochelone pardalis), one bowsprit tortoise (Chersina angulata), and one impressed tortoise (Manouria impressa). Infection was systemic and involved alimentary, urogenital, respiratory, lymphoid, endocrine, and integumentary systems. Trophozoites, meronts, merozoites, macrogametocytes, microgametocytes, and nonsporulated oocysts were seen histologically or by electron microscopy. Intracytoplasmic and extracellular stages of parasite development also were identified histologically. Sequencing of a coccidial 18S rRNA consensus polymerase chain reaction (PCR) product revealed a novel sequence that provided phylogenetic information and may be useful for further diagnostic test design. Intranuclear coccidiosis was associated with variable degrees of inflammation in all cases, was considered the cause of death in six tortoises, and was a substantial contributing factor to the cause of death in two tortoises.