Ball pythons infected with Golden Gate virus (GoGV) and with another reptarenavirus displayed severe neurological signs within 2 months, and viral replication was detected only in central nervous system tissues. Infection produced dramatically different disease outcomes in snakes of the two species. We monitored the progression of viral growth in tissues, blood, and environmental samples. We infected boa constrictors and ball pythons by cardiac injection of purified virus. We therefore conducted a long-term challenge experiment to test the hypothesis that reptarenaviruses cause IBD. Although ample circumstantial evidence suggested that these viruses, now known as reptarenaviruses, cause IBD, there has been no formal demonstration of disease causality since their discovery. Previously, we identified and established a culture system for a novel lineage of arenaviruses isolated from boa constrictors diagnosed with IBD. It has traditionally been diagnosed by the presence of large eosinophilic cytoplasmic inclusions and is associated with neurological, gastrointestinal, and lymphoproliferative disorders. Kevin Drazenovich, TracyĪBSTRACT Inclusion body disease (IBD) is an infectious disease originally described in captive snakes. Sanchez-Migallon Guzman, David Garcia, Valentina E. The present case is the first report of endocarditis in a boa constrictor and contributes to the rare reports of cardiac disease in snakes.ĭifferential Disease Susceptibilities in Experimentally Reptarenavirus-Infected Boa Constrictors and Ball Pythons Postmortem examination confirmed the presence of pneumonia and bacterial endocarditis with dystrophic mineralization of the right atrioventricular valve, associated with different bacteria than those cultured from the tracheal wash. Echocardiographic examination revealed a large vegetative lesion on the right atrioventricular valve with valvular insufficiency, a mildly dilated right atrium, and pulmonary hypertension. Cultures of a tracheal wash sample resulted in growth of Ochrobactrum intermedium and Pseudomonas putida. Blood smear examination revealed the presence of intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies in peripheral lymphocytes, consistent with inclusion body disease. Radiographs revealed evidence of cardiomegaly and pneumonia. Wernick, Morena B Novo-Matos, José Ebling, Alessia Kühn, Karolin Ruetten, Maja Hilbe, Monika Howard, Judith Chang, Rita Prohaska, Sarah Hatt, Jean-MichelĪn Argentine boa ( Boa constrictor occidentalis) of 5 yr 7 mo of age was presented for respiratory problems and regurgitation. Valvulopathy consistent with endocarditis in an Argentine boa ( Boa constrictor occidentalis). In the present report, CT-guided biopsies were easily performed, and both histologic and microbiologic results were consistent with the final diagnosis. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of the use of CT-guided biopsies to evaluate proliferative vertebral lesions in snakes. The animals were euthanized, and necropsy confirmed the findings observed upon CT. Medical treatment with specific antibiotics was attempted for several weeks in both cases without clinical or radiographic improvements. and Pseudomonas sp.) were isolated from cultures of the biopsies. Histology was consistent with bacterial osteomyelitis and osteoarthritis. Computed tomography-guided biopsies of the lesions were performed without complications. Computed tomography (CT) demonstrated the presence of lytic/expansile lesions. Radiographs were consistent with proliferative bone lesions involving several vertebrae. Two boa constrictors ( Boa constrictor imperator) presented with paresis of the trunk originating cranial to the cloaca. constrictor, illustrating that this species exhibits a range of foraging behaviors.Ĭomputed tomography-guided bone biopsies for evaluation of proliferative vertebral lesions in two boa constrictors ( Boa constrictor imperator).ĭi Girolamo, Nicola Selleri, Paolo Nardini, Giordano Corlazzoli, Daniele Fonti, Paolo Rossier, Christophe Della Salda, Leonardo Schilliger, Lionel Vignoli, Massimo Bongiovanni, Laura Herein, we describe an instance of diurnal active foraging by a B. However, as more is learned about the natural history of snakes in general, the dichotomy between active versus ambush foraging is becoming blurred. In Janzen, Costa Rica Natural History, pp. Chiaraviglio, M.īoa constrictor is often referred to as a sit-and-wait or ambush forager that chooses locations to maximize the likelihood of prey encounters (Greene 1983. Boa constrictor ( Boa constrictor): foraging behavior
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