INTESTINAL COCCIDIOIDOMYCOSIS IN A RED COACHWHIP SNAKE (MASTICOPHIS FLAGELLUM PICEUS)

An adult female, wild-caught red coachwhip snake (Masticophis flagellum piceus) was euthanized at the Phoenix Zoo due to severe neurologic signs. Necropsy and histopathology revealed an invasive liposarcoma of the vertebral column, which likely caused the neurologic signs. Histology of the small int...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of zoo and wildlife medicine 2013-12, Vol.44 (4), p.1094-1097
Main Authors: Churgin, Sarah M, Garner, Michael M, Swenson, Julie, Bradway, Daniel S, French, Stephanie, Kiupel, Matti, West, Gary
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Animals, Zoo
BRIEF COMMUNICATIONS
Coachwhip snake
Coccidioides - isolation & purification
Coccidioides posadasii
coccidioidomycosis
Coccidioidomycosis - pathology
Coccidioidomycosis - veterinary
Female
fungal disease
liposarcoma
Masticophis flagellum piceus
Snakes
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Description
Summary:An adult female, wild-caught red coachwhip snake (Masticophis flagellum piceus) was euthanized at the Phoenix Zoo due to severe neurologic signs. Necropsy and histopathology revealed an invasive liposarcoma of the vertebral column, which likely caused the neurologic signs. Histology of the small intestine revealed a granuloma with intralesional yeasts morphologically compatible with the genus Coccidioides. The diagnosis of coccidioidomycosis was confirmed with immunohistochemistry staining. Coccidioides posadasii is endemic to Arizona and is an important cause of disseminated fungal infections in mammals in this region. This is the first known report of intestinal coccidioidomycosis in a veterinary species and the second report of coccidioidomycosis in a reptile.
ISSN:1042-7260
1937-2825
DOI:10.1638/2013-0013R1.1