This document summarizes a pathological study of blood parasites in rice field frogs in Thailand. 140 rice field frogs were collected and had their blood sampled and examined for parasites. 70% of the frogs were found to be positive for blood parasites, with the most common being Trypanosoma rotatorium-like organism at 11.4% prevalence and Trypanosoma chattoni at 22.2% prevalence. While some parasites like Lankesterella minima caused lesions in organs like the liver and lungs, most infections did not cause pathology or clinical signs of sickness in the frogs. The study highlights the importance of ecological conservation and identifies local vectors of parasites like leeches and mosquitoes.

1. „PATHOLOGICAL STUDY
OF BLOOD PARASITES IN
RICE FIELD FROGS“
Anu Lehes
2011

2. OUTLINE
 Introduction
 Methods
 Results
 The prevalence of blood parasites
 Lesions
 Conclusions
 References

3. Rice Field Frog, Hoplobatrachus rugulosus

4. INTRODUCTION
 In Thailand, one hundred and forty rice
field frogs were collected for blood
parasite examination.
 Researches in several regions have
indicated that frogs have infected with
variety of blood parasites.
 The frogs are important because they
are one of the main food sources of
the local population.

5. METHODS
 Researchers took blood samples from the
frogs.
 The blood was preserved in heparinized
tubes and examined for hematocrit value.
 The blood drops were smeared and fixed
with methanol.
 The parasitemia was calculated by
counting the number of parasites per
5000 eryrthrocytes on a thin blood film.

6. RESULTS
 70% of the frogs were positive for
blood parasites.
 The frogs visceral organs were
infected with just one spices of blood
parasite.
 It was identified that the main vectors
are leeches and mosquitoes.

7. THE PREVALENCE OF BLOOD
PARASITES
Blood parasite Prevalence (%)
(+ve/total frogs)
Trypanosoma rotatorium- 11.4% (16/140)
like organism
Trypanosoma chattoni 22.2% (31/140)
Hepatozoon sp. a 4.3% (6/140)
Hepatozoon sp. b 1.4% (2/140)
Lankesterella minima 7.1% (10/140)

8. LESIONS
 Infected with Trypanosoma rotatorium and
Trypanosoma chattoni – no pathologic
lesions in the visceral organs tissues.
 Infected with Lankesterella minima -
lesions in liver, lung, spleen and kidney.
 Infected with Hepatozoon sp.a and b -
pathologic lesions in liver.

9. CONCLUSIONS
 To sum up, there was no statistical
difference between the hematocrit value of
infected and noninfected frogs.
 The frogs visceral organs were infected
with just one spices of blood parasite.
 The infected frogs did not show any clinical
signs of sickness.
 The present study importance lies in the
ecological conservation.

10. REFERENCES
„Pathological Study of Blood Parasites in Rice
Field Frogs, Hoplobatrachus rugulosus
( Wiegmann, 1834)“
Achariya Sailasuta, Jetjun Satetasit, Malinee
Chutmongkonkul
Veterinary Medicine International, 2011
http://www.hindawi.com/journals/vmi/2011/850
568/

11. Thank you for your attention!