Fungal diseases of reptiles.

Fungal infections affecting the integumentary system, the upper and lower respiratory system and the gastro-intestinal tract have been reported in many species of captive reptiles. Systemic mycoses are diagnosed rarely in reptiles, and in most cases, they are a postmortem finding. Commonly, immunocompromised reptiles, kept in suboptimal environmental conditions are affected. In many cases, mixed bacterial and fungal infections of opportunistic organisms may be present. A diagnosis of a primary fungal infection is based on proper selection and collection of diagnostic specimens such as biopsies of infected tissues. Treatment of fungal infections in reptiles includes administration of effective antifungal agents and correction of inappropriate environmental conditions such as poor hygiene, too high or too low temperature and humidity, inadequate diet, and stress from overcrowding. Few studies have investigated effective dosages and dosage intervals of antifungal agents in reptiles.     

Guide to Venomous Reptiles in Veterinary Practice

Venomous reptiles are common in zoo, research, and private collections. These animals will require veterinary care at some time during their captivity, and treating venomous reptiles can be both challenging and rewarding. Extensive training and experience in handling venomous reptiles, particularly snakes, is required before making the important decision on whether to add these patients to one’s practice. Veterinarians who have a desire to treat venomous reptiles should be familiar with proper equipment, handling techniques, and special considerations required for these species. Veterinarians should also be prepared in the event of an emergency and aware of specific medical conditions affecting these species.     

Assessment of the husbandry problems of reptiles on the basis of pathophysiological findings: a review.

Many health problems in animals are related to management and feeding. A large number of husbandry problems in reptiles lead to pathophysiological situations. Assessment of the husbandry problems of reptiles involves detective work that can only be achieved as a result of close cooperation and exchange of information between the owner and the pathologist. Reptiles, being ectothermic, depend for their physiological functioning largely on the quality of their surroundings. There are a large number of factors which influence the normal functioning of a reptile both in nature and in captivity. These factors can be described in terms of primary and secondary factors. Primary factors are the construction of terraria, light, heat, food, and water, and grouping of animals. Secondary factors are daylight regimen, arrangement of heating elements, type and composition of food, quality of water, and freedom from stress. Also important are ventilation, humidity, sites for resting and/or hiding, structure of the floor and of rocks, and branches for climbing activities. Hygiene is also an important aspect because poor hygiene often is directly related to problems. All these factors are dealt with in this review.     

Diagnosis of Nontraumatic Blood Loss in Birds and Reptiles

Blood loss due to trauma is recognized in all vertebrates. Other causes of blood loss, including coagulopathy and hemolysis, are common in mammals but rare in birds and reptiles. Blood loss syndromes may be underreported in birds and reptiles because of the inability of veterinarians to recognize these conditions. This review presents a summary of current knowledge of hemostasis in birds and reptiles, with emphasis on hemolytic and coagulopathic disorders that have been reported in these species. The focus of this article is on recognizing and diagnosing nontraumatic blood loss in birds and reptiles.     

Pentastomiasis and other parasitic zoonoses from reptiles and amphibians

Reptiles are growing in popularity as pets.The colonization of reptiles and amphibians by parasites and the resulting disease conditions are the most common problems seen in captive animals.This review focuses on pentastomiasis and sparganosis, important parasitic zoonoses of reptiles and amphibians, respectively, and free living-amoebae. Humans are suitable accidental hosts for some pentastomid species (particularly Armillifer and Porocephalus). In geographical areas with special ethnics, such as in West and Central Africa, and East Asia, 8-45% of the human population can be affected. Usually the larvae are coincidentally found during abdominal surgeries. However, fatalities have been described. Extreme caution is necessary when handling infected reptiles. Ocular or cerebral sparganosis is not uncommonly found in humans in East Asia. This disease is caused by spargana, tapeworm larvae (plerocercoids) of Spirometra sp. The infection occurs when uncooked meat from reptiles or amphibians is applied to wounds or eyes and the parasites migrate directly to human tissue, or by consumption of contaminated food or water. As a consequence of the reptile's predatory behaviour, the full spectrum of endo- and ectoparasites from potential prey animals can be found as transiting parasites in the intestinal tract, e. g. Hymenolepis nana, Cryptosporidium (C.) muris, C parvum or Capillaria hepatica. Occasionally, free-living amoebae are also found in reptile faeces (Acanthamoeba, Naegleria, Hartmanella, Vahlkampfia or Echinamoeba sp.).     

Reptile hematology

The basic principles of hematology used in mammalian medicine can be applied to reptiles. Available phlebotomy sites vary with the taxa and may be chosen based on the experience of the handler or phlebotomist, health status or temperament of the patient, and species. Methods of analysis and the cytologic appearance of erythrocytes, leukocytes, and thrombocytes are different from those of mammals and also vary by taxa. Many causes for abnormalities of the reptilian hemogram are similar to those for mammals, although additional factors, such as venipuncture site, season, hibernation status, captivity status, and environmental factors, can affect measured values. Interpretation of hematologic results can be frustrating, although new case reports and research studies help to elucidate possible causes that are often unique to reptiles.     

In vitro inhibition of Salmonella organisms isolated from reptiles by an inactivated culture of microcin-producing Escherichia coli

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether an inactivated culture of a microcin-producing avian Escherichia coli was capable of killing Salmonella isolates from reptiles in an in vitro test system. SAMPLE POPULATION: 57 Salmonella isolate from reptiles. PROCEDURE: A wild-type avian E. coli electrotransformed with a plasmid coding for the production of microcin 24 was tested in an in vitro microassay system for its ability to kill 57 Salmonella spp isolated from reptiles. The reptile population included snakes, iguana, frilled lizards, turtles, other lizards, and unspecified reptiles. RESULTS: 44 of the Salmonella isolates were inhibited strongly, compared with the in vitro assay controls; 12 had weak inhibition, and 1 was not inhibited by the microcin-producing E. coli. Thirteen of the 57 isolates had resistance to at least 1 antibiotic, primarily streptomycin. There were 9 O serogroups identified in the 57 isolates, with serogroup H being the most prevalent (18 to 57). CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Antibiotics are not recommended to eliminate Salmonella organisms from reptiles because of the development of antibiotic resistance. Further studies are necessary to determine whether the use of microcin-producing bacteria will be effective in controlling Salmonella infections in companion reptiles.     

Viruses in reptiles

ABSTRACT: The etiology of reptilian viral diseases can be attributed to a wide range of viruses occurring across different genera and families. Thirty to forty years ago, studies of viruses in reptiles focused mainly on the zoonotic potential of arboviruses in reptiles and much effort went into surveys and challenge trials of a range of reptiles with eastern and western equine encephalitis as well as Japanese encephalitis viruses. In the past decade, outbreaks of infection with West Nile virus in human populations and in farmed alligators in the USA has seen the research emphasis placed on the issue of reptiles, particularly crocodiles and alligators, being susceptible to, and reservoirs for, this serious zoonotic disease. Although there are many recognised reptilian viruses, the evidence for those being primary pathogens is relatively limited. Transmission studies establishing pathogenicity and cofactors are likewise scarce, possibly due to the relatively low commercial importance of reptiles, difficulties with the availability of animals and permits for statistically sound experiments, difficulties with housing of reptiles in an experimental setting or the inability to propagate some viruses in cell culture to sufficient titres for transmission studies. Viruses as causes of direct loss of threatened species, such as the chelonid fibropapilloma associated herpesvirus and ranaviruses in farmed and wild tortoises and turtles, have re-focused attention back to the characterisation of the viruses as well as diagnosis and pathogenesis in the host itself.1. Introduction2. Methods for working with reptilian viruses3. Reptilian viruses described by virus families3.1. Herpesviridae3.2. Iridoviridae3.2.1 Ranavirus3.2.2 Erythrocytic virus3.2.3 Iridovirus3.3. Poxviridae3.4. Adenoviridae3.5. Papillomaviridae3.6. Parvoviridae3.7. Reoviridae3.8. Retroviridae and inclusion body disease of Boid snakes3.9. Arboviruses3.9.1. Flaviviridae3.9.2. Togaviridae3.10. Caliciviridae3.11. Picornaviridae3.12. Paramyxoviridae4. Summary5. Acknowledgements6. Competing interests7. References.     

Green iguana nephrology: a review of diagnostic techniques.

There is still much to learn about renal physiology and pathophysiology in reptiles. In the case of the green iguana, initiating causes are often inferred from poor husbandry and nutrition, or extrapolated from histopathologic interpretations made late in the course of the disease, or at postmortem. The link between parathyroid hormone and renal disease in humans has been well documented and, given the high prevalence of clinical (and subclinical) secondary nutritional hyperparathyroidism in iguanas, this certainly warrants further investigation in saurians [31,32,34,35]. Apart from hyperparathyroidism, chronic water deprivation also appears to be a common historic factor. As a foliovore originating from the high humidity rain forests of central and South America, water recovery is not considered to be an adaptive stress in Iguana iguana, and therefore, renal anatomy and physiology are considered to be non-specialized compared to more arid or aquatic reptiles [21]. These arboreal lizards do not voluntarily drink from open water but instead imbibe rain or dew droplets from foliage [2]. Maintaining such a species in low relative humidity with a water bowl from which to drink is likely to both increase insensible water losses and interfere with normal water intake. Appropriate therapeutic decisions (including euthanasia) can only be made following an accurate diagnosis. To date, our diagnoses are based largely upon the structural evaluations of renal histopathology, and renal biopsy remains our most useful tool. However, in the future it may become possible to evaluate renal function by quantifying glomerular filtration rate, proximal tubular secretion, or functional renal mass. Glomerular filtration rate may be estimated by measuring the rate of glomerular clearance of substances from the blood (e.g., iohexol). Phenolsulphonphthalein assays may offer an insight into proximal tubule secretion and renal blood flow.     

Dermatology of reptiles: a clinical approach to diagnosis and treatment.

As herpetoculture becomes more commonly practiced, many of the dermatologic problems discussed in this article will be encountered less frequently. Many of the problems result from a general lack of knowledge regarding proper nutrition, husbandry, and the overall needs of reptiles within a captive environment. As reptiles become more a part of the mainstream pet population, information about their care will undoubtedly become more accessible, and as more captive-raised reptiles become available in the pet trade, many of the dermatoses currently associated with wild-caught animals will become less common.     

Diagnosis and management of reptile orthopedic injuries.

As veterinarians expand their understanding of the specific husbandry requirements for captive reptiles, nutritionally associated orthopedic injuries should decrease. Orthopedic injuries in wild reptiles, however, will continue to increase as new infrastructure encroaches on the habitats of these animals. Research should be pursued that focuses on improving our understanding of pain management in reptiles, on developing techniques to expedite bone healing, and on creating new orthopedic techniques that provide rigid stabilization without the use of temperature-sensitive materials.     

Morphological and Functional Aspects of Reptilian Ultimobranchial Gland

The intention of this review is to compare studies on the morphology and histology (light and electron microscopic) of ultimobranchial glands of various groups of reptiles. Moreover, experiments (including our investigations) on suppression or stimulation of the ultimobranchial gland are included. Adult reptiles possess one (on the left side) or two ultimo-branchial glands (UBG). The UBG lie just anterior to the heart. Light as well as electron microscopically, the gland has been shown to contain follicles and cell cords (cell aggregates). The follicular epithelium is lined by simple cuboidal or pseudo-stratified columnar cells. Ciliated and goblet cells may be present in the follicular epithelia in some groups. The lumen may contain a colloid-like substance with desquamated cells or debris. The UBG of reptiles seem to be an active secretory organ with influence on calcium regulation. Other functions of calcitonin have also been suggested in reptiles for example in neurotransmission, in volume regulation, phosphate balance and promotion of bone calcification (at least in juveniles).     

The use of antibiotics in reptiles: a review

The rationale of antibiotic therapy in reptiles, the significance of reptilian bacterial isolates and their antibiotic sensitivity are discussed. Individual antibiotic studies in snakes and terrapins are reviewed and the extrapolation of dose rates from endotherms (mammals) to ectotherms (reptiles) is shown to be unreliable.     

Identification of a novel filovirus in a common lancehead (Bothrops atrox (Linnaeus, 1758))

I performed metaviromic analysis of publicly available RNA-seq data from reptiles to understand the diversity of filoviruses (family Filoviridae). I identified a coding-complete sequence of a filovirus from the common lancehead (Bothrops atrox (Linnaeus, 1758)), tentatively named Tapajós virus (TAPV). Although the genome organization of TAPV is similar to mammalian filoviruses, our phylogenetic analysis showed that TAPV forms a cluster with a fish filovirus. However, TAPV is still distantly related to all the known filoviruses, suggesting that TAPV can be assigned as a species of a novel genus in Filoviridae. To our knowledge, this is the first report identifying a filovirus in reptiles, and thus contributes to a deeper understanding of the diversity and evolution of filoviruses.     

Paecilomycosis in dogs and horses and a review of the literature

We reviewed 14 cases of paecilomycosis in a tertiary care veterinary hospital and all reports of the disease in the veterinary literature. Paecilomycosis is a rare disease primarily of dogs, horses, reptiles, and humans. Clinical manifestations in veterinary patients vary but include disseminated disease and diskospondylitis, particularly in dogs: pneumonia in dogs, horses, and reptiles; keratitis in horses; and miscellaneous local infections. It is important to have an appropriate index of suspicion because the diagnosis can be difficult, particularly in localized disease where it is difficult to determine whether a positive culture represents an etiology or a contamination with an environmental saprophyte. Spinal radiographs, transtracheal washes, histopathology, and fungal culture have proven to be valuable diagnostic tools. The prognosis for paecilomycosis is poor, although some treatment success has been reported, and success rates could improve if additional information were available regarding fungal species occurring in veterinary patients and drugs to which these fungi are susceptible.     

Significance of the sampling points and the aerobic microbiological culture for the diagnosis of respiratory infections in reptiles

Respiratory diseases play an important role in reptiles kept in captivity. Microbiological examinations are described as an essential part of the diagnostic possibilities. Therefore the aim of this study was to collect data on the usefulness of results obtained after aerobic culture (sheepblood, brilliantgreen, sabouraud's agar) of swabs and tracheal lavages following standardized sampling. Respiratory symptoms were found in 24.3% of the snakes, 16.5% of the tortoises/turtles and 1.6% of the lizards presented in the clinic for birds and reptiles at the university Leipzig. Altogether, 52% of the examined samples were found to be bacteriologically and 31% mycologically of pathologic significance. The tracheal lavage proved to be more sensitive in comparison to swabs taken from the pharynx. The bacteria most often found in the samples were Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Stenotrophomonas maltophila. Mycologic culture revealed Aspergillus sp. and yeast most often. In boids and pythons, the highest number of bacteriologic results assessed to be of pathological significance were found (75%). Mycologically, samples from tortoises were found most often to have a result of pathological significance (48%). To summarize the aerobic cultivation on standard media (in this study: Columbia-Agar with sheep blood, brilliant-green-, Sabouraud-Agar) can be recommended as an initial diagnostic measure in reptiles presented with respiratory symptoms; further pathogens (eg, viral examination, Mycoplasma) should be checked additionally.     

两栖爬行动物的异地保护

中国是世界上动植物种类最丰富的国家之一，但国内对野生两栖爬行动物的掠夺性利用还在发展；国内野生两栖爬行动物资源在这种疯狂的掠夺下已经接近枯竭，多数物种处于濒危状态。动物园作为野生动物异地保护的重要场所，饲养繁殖野生动物的最终目的是实现濒危物种的再引入，恢复野外种群数量．出于以上目的，动物园中两栖爬行动物的饲养管理方式有别于爬虫爱好者单纯的满足对宠物的要求和增殖牟利追求。这种区别不仅表现在选择动物种类方面，更多的体现在丰容概念的引入及工作方法的应用：营造合理的饲养环境、饲养环境小气候的周期性变化、设施的丰容、群体的调整、食物及供给方式的变化、对繁殖行为的鼓励等。这些丰容手段对保持两栖爬行动物的自然行为，从而保证动物的野外生存能力具有重要作用．     

Atrioventricular valvular insufficiency and congestive heart failure in a carpet python

Right atrioventricular valve insufficiency and bilateral congestive heart failure were identified in a carpet python (Morelia spilota variegata) with the aid of colour Doppler echocardiography, electrocardiography and radiography. The snake failed to respond to diuretic therapy and was euthanased. Based on this case, it appears that bilateral congestive failure is feasible in univentricular animals with lesions restricted to one side of the heart. Loop diuretic therapy may be inappropriate in non-crocodilian reptiles because reptiles lack a loop of Henle.     

Salmonella enterica in reptiles of German and Austrian origin.

Captive reptiles are routinely identified as reservoirs of Salmonella spp. and the number of reports about reptile-associated salmonellosis is increasing. In the present study, Salmonella were detected in 86 of 159 (54.1%) faecal reptile samples cultured. The percentage of Salmonella positive samples was significantly lower in turtles as compared with lizards and snakes, as Salmonella were only detected in one sample from a single turtle out of 38 turtles investigated. In all, 42 different Salmonella serovars were found. All isolated Salmonella belonged to the species enterica, predominantly to the subspecies I (n=46) and IIIb (n=30), but also to subspecies II (n=3), IIIa (n=6) and IV (n=2). All isolates were sensitive to the antimicrobials examined. A comparison between the reptile owners indicated that either no Salmonella were found, or that Salmonella could be isolated from all or nearly all animals of the respective owners. A significantly higher percentage of Salmonella positive reptiles was detected in the group of owners who purchase reptiles in comparison with pure breeders. A total of 88.9% of Salmonella isolates were found in samples of reptiles bought in pet shops and 58.8% in samples from wild-caught animals. The high percentage of Salmonella in reptiles in our study confirms the risk for the transmission of the infection to humans.