infectious disease of reptiles

What infectious agent are most reptiles asymptomatic carriers for?

Salmonella spp

What is important to avoid disease transmission from reptiles to humans?

1. Hygiene (hand washing after handling reptile)

2. Biosecurity

What reptiles may develop clinical signs of salmonellosis?

Immunocompromised reptiles

What are the clinical signs of salmonellosis in immunocompromised reptiles?

1. Enteritis

2. Abscess formation

3. Coelomitis

4. Chronic spinal osteomyelitis (especially snakes)

What are the only reptiles that will be screened and treated for salmonellosis?

Only reptiles that show clinical signs

Describe the immune system of reptiles

• strong innate immune response

• Slower, weaker adaptive immune response

What are heterophils?

Like neutrophils but with eosinophilic granules

What are azurophils?

• Like monocytes

• Common in snakes

What part of the adaptive immune system do reptiles lack and what does this mean?

• No lymph nodes

• Rely on spleen and scattered lymphoid aggregates

What is the effect of reptiles having a slow weaker adaptive immune system?

They have a weak and inconsistent response to vaccines

What cell in reptiles cause abscesses?

Heterophils

Describe the content of an abscess in reptiles

Thick/caseous pus surrounded by a thick capsule (lack enzyme to liquify pus)

What are the causes of abscesses in reptiles?

1. Trauma followed by bacterial infection

2. Foreign body

3. Hypovitaminosis A

4. Progress from pododermatitis

What is used for the diagnosis of abscesses?

Histopathology and C&S (inner lining of capsule)

How do we treat abscesses in reptiles?

1. Surgically remove entire capsule

2. Appropriate systemic antibiotics if necessary

3. Correct environmental and dietary deficiencies

Answer the MCQ

Reptarenavirus, prognosis is poor and euthanasia should be discussed

Which reptiles is subspectacular infection common in and what can it lead to?

• snakes and sometimes geckos

• Abscesses

What is the predominant cause of subspectacular infection?

1. Retained spectacles

2. Ascending bacterial infection from the oral cavity via the lacrimal duct

What treatment options are available for subspectacular infection?

1. Partial spectaculectomy

2. Removal of debris

3. Daily irrigation and topical antibiotics

Bacterial dermatitis and stomatitis

Opportunistic infections of the skin and/ or oral cavity

What causes bacterial dermatitis or stomatitis in reptiles?

1. Poor ventilation

2. High humidity

3. Poor substrate hygiene

4. Stress

What do we call necrotizing dermatitis in squamates?

• Scale rot

• Snake blister disease

What clinical signs are seen in both snakes and lizards with “scale rot”?

Erythema and blisters of the ventrum

What clinical sign will only be seen in lizards infected with “scale rot”?

Pododermatitis

What do we call bacterial dermatitis in chelonians?

1. Septicemic cutaneous ulcerative disease

2. Shell rot

What do we call bacterial stomatitis in all reptiles?

1. Mouth rot

2. Infectious / ulcerative / necrotic stomatitis

What can bacterial dermatitis and stomatitis in reptiles progress to?

1. Osteomyelitis

2. Septicemia

3. Death

What is the treatment for bacterial dermatitis and stomatitis in reptiles?

1. Debridement and topical treatment

2. Anti-microbials

3. Supportive care

4. Correction of husbandry

What diagnostic tests can we use if we suspect a reptile has bacterial dermatitis or stomatitis?

1. C&S

2. Histology

3. PCR if suspect primary pathogen (mycobacteria)

What bacteria often causes septicemic cutaneous ulcerative disease in aquatic turtles?

• Citrobacter freundii

• Systemic gram-negative bacteria

Which reptiles is pneumonia most common in?

1. Snakes

2. Chelonians

What are the causes of pneumonia?

1. High humidity and poor ventilation

2. Temperature outside POTZ → immunosuppression → opportunistic bacteria

3. Viruses

4. Parasites

5. Hypovitaminosis A

What are the clinical signs of pneumonia in reptiles?

1. Dyspnea

2. Increased respiratory sounds

3. Nasal, oral, or ocular discharge

4. Abnormal head or neck position

What is the best sample to test for pathogens if we suspect a reptile to have pneumonia?

endotracheal lavage

How do we first treat for pneumonia?

Treat empirically first, then adapt based on your diagnostic tests results

What does septicemia originate from?

1. GI or respiratory infections

2. Bacterial dermatitis or stomatitis

3. Abscesses

4. Trauma

What diagnosis do we use for confirmation of septicemia?

Blood sample for C&S

How do we treat septicemia in reptiles?

1. Start with broad-spectrum antibiotics

2. Supportive treatment

3. Treat underlying cause

What primary pathogens cause pneumonia?

1. Ferlavirus

2. Mycoplasma

What infectious agent cause upper respiratory tract infections in tortoises?

1. Mycoplasma

2. Herpesvirus

What are the clinical signs that a tortoise has an upper respiratory infection?

1. Bubbling from nares

2. Ocular discharge

3. Respiratory whistles

4. Conjunctivitis

5. Palpebral edema