Investigating the Impact of Group Holding on the Transfer of Ophidiomyces ophidiicola DNA in Free-Ranging Lake Erie Watersnakes (Nerodia sipedon insularum)

Kennymac Durante; Ellen Haynes; Kathryn Vivirito; Kristin Stanford; Matthew C Allender

doi:10.7589/JWD-D-21-00010

Investigating the Impact of Group Holding on the Transfer of Ophidiomyces ophidiicola DNA in Free-Ranging Lake Erie Watersnakes (Nerodia sipedon insularum)

J Wildl Dis. 2021 Oct 1;57(4):980-982. doi: 10.7589/JWD-D-21-00010.

Authors

Kennymac Durante¹, Ellen Haynes¹, Kathryn Vivirito¹, Kristin Stanford², Matthew C Allender^{1

3}

Affiliations

¹ Wildlife Epidemiology Laboratory, Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine, University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine, 2001 S Lincoln Ave., Urbana, Illinois 61802, USA.
² Franz Theodore Stone Laboratory, The Ohio State University, 878 Bayview Ave., Put-In-Bay, Ohio 43456, USA.
³ Chicago Zoological Society, Brookfield Zoo, 3300 Golf Rd., Brookfield, Illinois 60513, USA.

PMID: 34525189
DOI: 10.7589/JWD-D-21-00010

Abstract

Ophidiomycosis threatens snakes worldwide. We swabbed free-ranging Lake Erie watersnakes (Nerodia sipedon insularum) for quantitative PCR detection of Ophidiomyces ophidiicola before and after group and individual holding in pillowcases. Our results indicate that group, rather than individual, holding does not significantly increase detection of O. ophidiicola DNA.

MeSH terms

Animals
Colubridae*
DNA
Lakes*
Snakes

Substances

DNA