Report of Camallanus trispinosus infestation in a captive indian star tortoise (Geochelone elegans)

This study was aimed to investigate and report Camallanus trispinosus infestation in a captive Indian star tortoise (Geochelone elegans) at Bannerghatta Biological Park, Bengaluru, India. There are several endoparasites that can cause severe diseases in tortoises. Camallanoids (genus Camallanus in family Camallanoidae) are spirurid nematodes found in stomach and intestine of lower vertebrates such as fishes and reptiles. During the years 2016-2018, Bannerghatta Biological Park maintained around 180 odd star tortoises in the zoo premises. During the winter season star tortoises suffer from heavy helminthiasis and some diseased tortoises exhibited clinical signs like anorexia, weight loss, weakness, muscular atrophy, nasal discharges, diarrhoea, out of which one succumbed. Necropsy examination revealed the tortoise was anaemic, haemorrhages under the shell as well as on intestinal serosal surface, enlarged stomach and intestines. Stomach wall showed parasitic cysts and intestinal wall and showed necrosis and mucosal inflammation with plenty of round worms in the stomach and intestines. Minute foci of ulcers were also found in stomach and duodenal wall. Histopathological examination of the stomach and intestinal wall revealed fibrotic nodules with the round worm cross sections in the centre. The gastric and intestinal sections revealed the loss of normal mucosal epithelium, necrosis of epithelial cells, hyperplasia of goblet cells with infiltration of mononuclear inflammatory cells in the intestinal and gastric mucosa. The faecal sample examination revealed the presence of Camallanus nematode eggs, and based on the morphological characteristics, the worms were identified as Camallanus trispinosus.