Info on Crypto from Ron Tremper

[Golden Gate Geckos]

Can't I just use bleach to get the ammonia off the items I have soaked with ammonia?

I dare 'ya...

 

[GECKOFREAK]

I dare 'ya...

LOL

 

[TripleMoonsExotic]

Here's a section of an article on reptile diseases from Journal of Exotic Pet Medicine printed a few months ago (pardon any typographical errors, I had to type it up).

Selected Infectious Diseases of Wild Reptiles and Amphibians
Juergen Schumacher, Dr.med.vet., Dipl. ACZM

Cryptosporidiosis has a cosmopolitan distribution and has been reported in a variety of different reptile species, including snakes and lizards. This disease appears to be common in wild and captive populations of reptiles, and transmission occurs by the fecal-oral route. Infected reptiles may be subclinical, may not show sings of infection but are intermittent shedders, or may develop clinical signs by regurgitation and weight loss accompanied by hypertrophy of the gastric mucosa. Quarantined wild caught, juvenile green snakes (Opheodrys aestivus) were diagnosed with severe Cryptosporidiosis causing enteritis and high mortalities. Organisms were detected in the small intestine in infected snakes. Histopathologic evaluations of selected tissues did not reveal any gastric lesions in the affected snakes.

Diagnosis of Cryptosporidiosis is challenging. One method of diagnosis is the demonstration of oocysts within a fecal specimen by acid-fast staining. However, a negative acid-fast stain only indicates that the reptile was not shedding at the time of sampling. Endoscopy, including gastric lavage and the collection of biopsy specimen, can also be utilized. Attempts of treatment, including adminstration of trimethoprim-sulfa, spiromycin, and paromomycin will not effectively eliminate the organism but reduce shedding of occytes. Strict hygiene and quarantine of infected and exposed animals are mandatory for control of Cryptosporidiosis.

I'm still seeing what else I can dig up.

 

[Golden Gate Geckos]

Good information, Stephaine! There is also a fantastic article in the Bulletin of the Association of Reptilian and Amphibian Veterinarians (Vol. 9, No. 3) where several prominent herp vets (including Dr. Frederic L. Frye) discuss their findings on Cryptosporidiosis in reptiles. One of the points they bring up is that crypto affects snakes, amphibians, and lizards differently. In snakes, the lining of the stomach is eroded by the parasite, where in lizards it is the intestines. The parasite feeds on the lining of the intestine causing atrophic mucosal changes which lead to malabsorption of food. This explains why the reptiles infected with crypto just waste away.

There are a couple of other, more accurate, tests that can be performed besides acid-fast staining (AFS) to diagnose cryptosporidium infection. The first is immunofluorescent antibody (IFA) tests followed by microscopy. This test is 16 times more sensitive than AFS in detecting the organism, and works by observing specific natural antibodies that are produced by infected reptiles. The second is a serum test called an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) which is similar and is the most accurate, although the majority of pathology labs are not equipped to perform this test.

Again, crypto is spread via oral/fecal contact, and the oocysts can survive for several months on contaminated surfaces such as water bowls, cleaning utensils, and any other water and/or fecally contaminated surface. Most commercial disinfectants are ineffective against cryptosporidium oocysts. Steam, high temperatures greater than 149 degrees F (65 degrees C), and clear ammonia in concentrations over 10% (household ammonia is 10% straight out of the bottle), and formaldehyde are the only effective methods to eradicate cryptosporidium oocysts on surfaces.

There has been success in treating crypto by using drugs such as Baycox, Halofuginone, spiramycin, and paromomycin, although these treatments do not eliminate the infection and is not considered curative. There are promising experiments being conducted based on bovine (cow) protective passive immunity where hyperimmune colostrum is used. It has shown to be more efficacious in snakes, and less in tortoises and geckos.

I would like to add that Cryptosporidia serpentis (the strain that infects reptiles) IS NOT zoonotic, and therefore does not infect mammals. C. parvum (mammalian crypto) can be transmitted to reptiles, but poses no overt pathological reptilian disease.

 

[TripleMoonsExotic]

I would like to add that Cryptosporidia serpentis (the strain that infects reptiles) IS NOT zoonotic, and therefore does not infect mammals. C. parvum (mammalian crypto) can be transmitted to reptiles, but poses no overt pathological reptilian disease.

I have an article on this that I want to find. It's a complete study of the different strains of Crypto and what strains were found in a US zoo. I'm still looking. I've went through 3 of the journals so far [all being the Journal of Exotic Pet Medicine].

 

[DrAdam]

Marcia,

Can't I just use bleach to get the ammonia off the items I have soaked with ammonia?

That would produce NH2Cl (to be precise) !! its as bad as Chlorine gas..... i would think it would be a bad idea.... perhaps you should send your leos to me before you start cleaning them as you wont be around for much longer to look after them after that lol

Adam,

 

[robin]

adam, i must appologize for the odd and easily amused marcia and russ


i really appreciate you clarifying that , thank you

russ, my husband (the one who typed that was being sarcastic) he knows NOT to do that. and in return marcia (goldengategeckos) was being a sarcastic back (the mean old gecko lady is/was a chemical engineer).

i guess they should have specified that they were joking because that mixture will result in some serious stuff

again, adam thank you

marcia and russ were being bad bad LOL

p.s. and no you can't have our geckos

 

[Golden Gate Geckos]

That would produce NH2Cl (to be precise) !! its as bad as Chlorine gas..... i would think it would be a bad idea.... perhaps you should send your leos to me before you start cleaning them as you wont be around for much longer to look after them after that lol

Ummm... I didn't really mean to imply that mixing ammonia and bleach was a good idea, LOL! Hopefully, we all know that it makes ammonium chloride and can be a REALLY bad idea!

 

[DrAdam]

Lol, tbh I was just trying to find a reason to post a reply This thread is an interesting one though. I was thinking of buying a gecko from someone. There has been numerous reports of crypto in his collection. The information on here given a mixed view on the subject and I dont fully understand it so I wont be purchasing from him.
To answer a question from a previous member, there is crypto in england for sure.....

Thanks

Adam

 

[yellermelon]

Com'on feed me more info! My brain is hungry to learn!

 

[Golden Gate Geckos]

Chris, Dr. Harkewicz will be our special chat guest on the subject of Crypto on Sunday, March 11th at 5pm PST/8pm EST.

 

[yellermelon]

Im such an idiot...I seen sun 5-8 and went running off to chat! lol

 

[oceanoasis]

from what I have read on this thread, bleach will not kill crypto?
and I also read somewhere that eye problems is a symptom of crypto, is this true as well?

 

[The Gecko Person]

This is oooold

 

[fl_orchidslave]

Holy necro batman!!!!

Research has been ongoing, there still is no known cure.