Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Characterizing The Epidemiology Of Isospora Amphiboluri In Captive Bearded Dragons (Pogona Vitticeps), Michael Robison Walden

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

First described in 1967, Isospora amphiboluri has become recognized as an important pathogen of bearded dragons. To date, no cross-sectional, pathogenesis, or treatment study has been performed to shed light on the epidemiology or treatment of I.amphiboluri. Two large breeding populations of bearded dragons were examined for the presence of I. amphiboluri oocysts using sucrose flotation and fecal direct saline smears. Parasites were more likely to be identified on fecal flotation (p= 0.03). A previously unidentified Eimeria species was examined and described as a new species for which we suggest the name Eimeria pogonae. To develop an understanding of the …