Viral Diseases of Reptiles Flashcards
what is Inclusion Body Disease (IBD) of Boid Snakes
- Boa constrictors and several species of pythons are most commonly affected
- caused by a retrovirus but recently an arenavirus
- Boas - host becoz so many are infected, and they can harbor the virus for years with few to no clinical signs.
signs of Inclusion Body Disease (IBD) of Boid Snakes
a history of unthriftiness, anorexia, weight loss, secondary bacterial infections, poor wound healing, dermal necrosis, and regurgitation.
what kind of Dse?
As the disease becomes chronic, some boas exhibit neurologic symptoms ranging from mild facial tics and abnormal tongue flicking to failure of the snake to right itself when placed in dorsal recumbency and severe seizures.
Inclusion Body Disease (IBD) of Boid Snakes
findings in the acute phase of this disease include leukocytosis and a normal chemistry panel
Inclusion Body Disease (IBD) of Boid Snakes
____are thought to be a more abnormal host for the IBD virus, because the course of disease is more acute and neurologic symptoms more profound.
Pythons -present with severe neurologic disease
*the active disease can linger for months or more in boas, most pythons die within days or weeks of the onset of clinical signs.
common ways of transfer retrovirus/arenavirus
Breeding, fight wounds, fecal/oral contamination, and snake mites
*Exposure to this due to a transfer of body fluids.
A tentative diagnosis in IBD is based on
history and clinical signs
*On blood smears, inclusion bodies are frequently found in the cytoplasm of leukocytes
A definitive diagnosis in IBD is obtained via
biopsy of internal tissues
*eosinophilic inclusion bodies are found, eg, the liver, kidney, esophageal tonsils, and stomach.
tx for IBD
- not curable
- owners choose euthanasia
- may elect to isolate their snakes and treat with supportive and palliative measures
- essential to educate owners not to sell infected specimens or their offspring, because this has caused the disease to spread worldwide
also been found in Russell vipers, corn snakes, and California kingsnakes
*Retroviruses
designated as viper virus?
retrovirus isolated from a sarcoma in a Russell viper
designated cornsnake retrovirus
isolated in a corn snake from a rhabdomyosarcoma
have been implicated in fatal hepatic or GI diseases in
snakes (gaboon vipers, ball pythons, boa constrictors, rosy boas, and rat snakes),
lizards (Jackson chameleons, savannah monitors, and bearded dragons) and
crocodilians.
. Adenoviruses
Adeno virus route of transmission in bearded dragons
fecal/oral contamination.
vague and more commonly noted in juvenile dragons
CS include lethargy, weakness, weight loss, diarrhea, and sudden death
Adenoviruses
*morbidity is high in young bearded dragons
treatment of adenovirus in bearded dragons?
Fluid administration, force feeding, and antibiotics for secondary infections are useful.
why we need to confirm diagnosis of Adeno virus in bearded dragons
because it is vague and similar to those caused by coccidia and nutritional disorders
in adeno virus : where to find a Characteristic intranuclear inclusion bodies
found in several internal organs, primarily the liver.
other ways to dx Aden virus
- group lizard -sacrifice a failing specimen
- liver biopsy
- ID from fresh feces
Management of reptiles when recovered in Adeno virus dse
- lizards quarantined for at least 3 mo
* Duration of viral shedding after recovery is unknown