Case report: Entamoeba invadens myositis in a common water monitor lizard (Varanus salvator)
Journal
Veterinary Pathology
Journal Volume
46
Journal Issue
4
Pages
673-676
Date Issued
2009
Author(s)
Abstract
Amoebiasis is one of the most common protozoal diseases of reptiles, but amoebic myositis has not been reported in any animal species. An 11-year-old, male common water monitor lizard (Varanus salvator) was found dead with several subacute ulcerated skin wounds. Gross examination revealed multiple discrete to coalescing, white-yellow to gray, caseous foci scattered in the skeletal muscles and liver. The mucosa of small intestine was thickened, red, and contained many variably sized, dark red ulcers, with depressed and hemorrhagic centers. Histopathologic examination revealed severe necrotizing and granulomatous myositis, hepatitis, and enteritis accompanied by large numbers of intralesional, 10-20-mm diameter, periodic acid-Schiff-positive, amoeboid protozoa. Gene sequence analysis of a 136-bp region of the 18S ribosomal RNA amplified by polymerase chain reaction revealed 98-100% similarity with Entamoeba invadens. Aside from intestinal and hepatic involvement, no other internal organs were affected. The muscular infection by E. invadens likely resulted from a combination of direct invasion of trophozoites via skin wounds and hematogenous spread.
Subjects
E. invadens; Hematogenous; Myositis; Skeletal muscles; Water monitor lizards
SDGs
Other Subjects
Animalia; Entamoeba invadens; Protozoa; Reptilia; Squamata; Varanus; Varanus salvator; RNA 18S; amebiasis; animal; animal disease; article; case report; DNA sequence; Entamoeba; fatality; genetics; lizard; male; molecular genetics; myositis; nucleotide sequence; parasitology; pathology; sequence homology; skeletal muscle; Taiwan; Animals; Base Sequence; Entamoeba; Entamoebiasis; Fatal Outcome; Lizards; Male; Molecular Sequence Data; Muscle, Skeletal; Myositis; RNA, Ribosomal, 18S; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Sequence Homology; Taiwan
Type
journal article