Acanthocephalan in Xenochrophis piscator Snake in Sidoarjo Indonesia

Xenochrophis piscator is a snake that often found in Indonesia, particularly in Java Island. Xenochrophis piscator is a non-venomous snake and often used for food, traditional medicine and as pets in Indonesia. Snakes can be infected by different types of parasites which are zoonotic. One of the zoonotic helminth infect snakes is acanthocephalan. Acanthocephalan can be transmitted to humans by ingesting snake products. We investigate the incidence of helminthiasis in X. piscator from snakes collector in Tulangan district, Sidoarjo, East Java. Parasites were collected from X. piscator organs. Identification of parasites was in carmine stain using light microscope for examination. Sixty snakes were observed and sixteen snakes were positively infected by adult acanthocephalan (26.67%). Acanthocephalan was found in mesenterium and fascia of X. piscator. Keyword :  Xenochrophis piscator, acanthocephalan, helminthiasis, zoonosis

HELMINTHIASIS PADA ULAR Xenochrophis piscator DI KECAMATAN TULANGAN, SIDOARJO, JAWA TIMUR

The Xenochrophis piscator is a common fresh water snake in Indonesia especially in Java. The snake is often used for consumption and traditional medicine or used as pets. Snakes often infected with various types of parasites and some are zoonotic. The aim of this research is to know the incidence of helminthiasis in X. piscator which cut in snake collecting place in Tulangan district, Sidoarjo, East Java. Sixty snakes had been cut. Worms were collected in the stomach, muscle, subcutaneous tissue, mesentery and fascia. Worms were identified based on morphology with carmine staining metode and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). The results showed 46 out of 60 snakes (76.67%) positively infected by worm. Three genera of worms that infect X. piscator were Spirometra sp. larvae (infecting 33 out of 60 snakes (55%)), Ophidascaris piscatori (infecting 28 out of 60 snakes (46.6%)) and acanthocephala (infecting 16 out of 60 snakes (26.67%)). Spirometra and acanthocephala larvae are zoonotic parasites. This is the first report of sparganosis, ascaridiosis and acanthocephaliosis in X. piscator in Indonesia

Morphologic and morphometric characteristics of ascaroid worm, Ophidascaris piscatori in Xenochrophis piscator snake in Sidoarjo, Indonesia

Aim: The study was conducted to describe the morphology and morphometry of nematode worm in the stomach of Xenochrophis piscator snake macroscopically and microscopically using light and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Materials and Methods: The sample was 40 nematode worms that have been collected from 60 snakes which slaughtered at snake slaughterhouses in Sidoarjo, Indonesia. The worms (10 male and 10 female) were stained with carmine, and the others were sent to Indonesian Science Institute for ultrastructure observation by SEM. Some of the female worms were immersed in physiological NaCl and incubated to collect the worm eggs. Results: Nematode worm in this study had three lips with almost the same size and it had papillae, so it was included in ascaridoid. The mouth of ascaridoids has three lips, the dorsal bearing two large outer papillae and the each lateroventral with one papilla. The body length and width of the male worm were 70-105 mm and 0.92-1.32, respectively, with head diameter of 0.22-0.28 mm. Dorsal and ventrolateral lips almost have the same size that was 0.10-0.12×0.11-0.13 mm. The length of interlabia was 0.06-0.08 mm, esophagus was 3.21-4 mm, tail was 0.17-0.23 mm, and spicule was 2.12-3.36 mm. The body length and width of the female worm were 85-130 mm and 1.28-1.71 mm, respectively. The head diameter was 0.29-0.38 mm. Dorsal and ventrolateral lips almost have the same size that was 0.13-0.16×0.15-0.19 mm. The interlabial length was 0.08-0.10 mm, esophagus was 3.04-4.67 mm, and tail was 0.22-0.31 mm. The distance of the vulva from the anterior edge was 56-88 mm with an average of 67.35 mm. The eggs have conspicuously pitted with length 0.08-0.09 mm and width 0.07-0.08 mm. Conclusion: Based on the characteristics of morphology and morphometry, the ascaroid worms found on X. piscator snake from Sidoarjo, Indonesia, were O. piscatori