Reptiles 3 Infectious Diseases Flashcards
infectious diseases in reptiles are promoted by?
- types of pathogens?
- Many infectious diseases are promoted by a suboptimal environment
> Especially opportunistic pathogens - Even in a perfect environment, lots of primary pathogens
<><><> - Some breeders say that reptiles don’t get sick in good environments
Salmonella in reptiles
- where is it anatomically
- human considerations
Most reptiles carry Salmonella spp. in their gut flora
* Asymptomatic carriers
* Zoonotic – human diseases historically associated with baby red-eared sliders and green iguanas
* Reptile interactions are not recommended for kids younger than 5 years and immunocompromised people
Disease processes related to salmonella in reptiles
- Abscesses
- Osteomyelitis
- Vertebral osteopathy in snakes
- Necrotizing gastroenteritis in snakes
salmonella tropism
- High tropism for bone tissues
Salmonella in reptiles
* Vertebral Osteopathy
- associated with what
- outcomes
- Dx
- Tx
- prognosis?
- Often associated with a bacteremia
> Bacteremia can precede lesions by several months - Pathological fractures may occur
- Diagnosis – radiographs,
culture (blood, biopsy) - Treatment – antibiotics and analgesia
- Painful and poor prognosis – monitor quality of life and prescribe analgesics
Salmonella
* Common species in all reptiles
- Salmonella enterica (Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica)
Salmonella
* Common species in snakes
- Salmonella arizonae (Salmonella enterica subsp. arizonae)
- Salmonella diarizonae (Salmonella enterica subsp. diarizonae)
Salmonella
* how to determine carrier status?
> shedding?
> symptoms?
> can a reptile be salmonella free? with Abx?
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- issues with antibiotics and reccomendatoins?
Carrier status
* 5 cultures over a 30-day period
> Intermittent shedding
> Asymptomatic carriers common
> Cannot declare a reptile Salmonella-free
* Cannot obtain Salmonella-free reptiles by treating with antibiotics
> They will also develop resistance
> Recommendations are not to treat carriers
Mycobacteriosis
- more common in what species?
- characteristics of these bacteria? diseases caused?
> growth
> Tx easy?
> humans?
Mainly common in aquatic species
* Acid-fast organisms
* Granulomatous diseases
* Lots of species
> M. chelonae
> M. fortuitum
> M. marinum
> …
* Slow growing
* Treatment is difficult (speciate first)
* Zoonotic concern – mostly immune-compromised
Abscesses in reptiles
- are they common?
- in turtles? vitamin connection?
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- Tx
- Common
- Most external masses are abscesses
- Aural abscesses in turtles
> Often associated with hypovitaminosis A
<><> - Treatment
- Debridement
- Culture
- Remove capsule
- Antibiotic therapy
- Correct husbandry, diets
Stomatitis/Periodontal Disease
* stomatitis*
- common in what animals?
> what organisms involved
> environment?
> masses?
Stomatitis common in snakes
* “Mouth rot”
* Mixed bacterial infection
* Check environment
* Check for masses
Periodontal disease common
in what species?
Periodontal disease common
in acrodont lizard species
Stomatitis/Periodontal Disease treatment? cautions?
- Topical chlorhexidine (dilute)
> CAUTION: neurological signs with toxicity - Correct husbandry
- Systemic antibiotics
GI Parasites
- are they common? should we treat?
- what are normal in many species?
Common
* May be commensal, treatment may
not be necessary
* Flagellates tend to be normal in lots of species
Snake Respiratory Disease
- how common?
- clinical when?
- factors that contribute?
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- clinical signs?
- Very common
- Clinical when severe
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Suboptimal husbandry: - Humidity issues
- Ventilation issues
- Low temperature
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Clinical signs: - Stomatitis
- Mucus, bubbles, exudates
- Open mouth breathing
- Tachypnea
- Upright position of first third
Snake Respiratory Disease Ddx
Bacterial pneumonia
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Viral pneumonia
* Ferlavirus (paramyxovirus)
* Nidovirus
* ** No reliable PCR available in Canada **
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Fungal
* Saprophytic fungi
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Parasites (wild snakes)
* Pentastomes (crustaceans)
* Lungworms (Rhabdias spp.)
Snake Respiratory Disease
* Ferlavirus
> what type of virus
> signs
> pathogenic in what animals
> Dx
> also affects what other animals?
- Paramyxovirus (also known as ophidian paramyxovirus)
- Neurorespiratory signs
- Very pathogenic in Viperidae and Elapidae
- PCR on a tracheal swab or tissue samples
- Can also affect chelonians and lizards
Snake Respiratory Disease
- Nidovirus
> mainly in what animals?
> prevalence?
- Dx?
- Recently discovered
- Mainly in pythons, but also in boas
- High prevalence, may be the underlying etiology of most pneumonia in these species
- PCR on a tracheal swab or tissue samples
Snake Respiratory Disease
* Samples for culture, cytology, PCR:
- Trans-tracheal wash
- Airsac or pulmonoscopy
Inclusion Body Disease
- what virus?
- what happens in pythons?
- in boas?
- Arenaviruses
> Reptarenavirus
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Pythons - Severe and acute neurological disease, rapidly fatal
- Inclusion bodies mainly in CNS
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Boas (in particular red-tailed boas) - Often subclinical for years, very high prevalence in boas (20-40%)
- Chronic disease
- Chronic wasting
- Regurgitation, systemic, and neurological signs
- Lymphoproliferative disorders
- Inclusion bodies everywhere
<><><><> - A disease of snakes of the families Boidae and Pythonidae; worldwide; captive snakes.
- Characterized by the formation of intracytoplasmic inclusions in neurons and in epithelial cells of various organs.
- Reptarenaviruses; infections with multiple genetically distinct viruses are very common.
- Originally, most common in Burmese pythons; develop clinical diseases more quickly.
- Now, most common in boa constrictors; may remain inclusion-body positive but clinically healthy (or low morbidity, chronically diseased) for extended periods of time.
- Clinical signs range from subclinical carriers to severe neurologic disease and death.
- Common signs include torticollis, disequilibrium, opisthotonus, inability to right itself, regurgitation, and flaccid paralysis.
- Other signs include stomatitis and pneumonia; skin lesions; lymphoproliferative disorders, and round cell tumors.
- Some snakes die within weeks, others may survive for extended periods of time.
- Diagnosis by histopathology, PCR, or cell culture.
Inclusion Body Disease in reptiles diagnosis
- BloodPCR
- Inclusion bodies in white blood cells
> Buffy coat smears stained with HE
Inclusion Body Disease treatment
- No treatment
