CUTANEOUS AND PULMONARY MYCOSIS IN GREEN ANACONDAS (EUNCECTES MURINUS)

• Published in: Journal of zoo and wildlife medicine 2004-12, Vol.35 (4), p.557-561
• Main Authors: Miller, Debra L, Radi, Zaher A, Stiver, Shane L, Thornhill, Timothy D
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alternaria - isolation & purification; Anaconda; Anacondas; Animal Husbandry - methods; Animals; Animals, Zoo; Aspergillus - isolation & purification; Boidae - microbiology; BRIEF COMMUNICATIONS; Dermatomycoses - diagnosis; Dermatomycoses - pathology; Dermatomycoses - veterinary; Eunectes murinus; Fatal Outcome; Female; fungal disease; Fungal infections; Fungi; Fungi - classification; Fungi - isolation & purification; Fungi - pathogenicity; Hyphae; Kidney - pathology; Lung - microbiology; Lung - pathology; Lung Diseases, Fungal - diagnosis; Lung Diseases, Fungal - pathology; Lung Diseases, Fungal - veterinary; Lungs; Male; Pathogens; reptile; Reptiles; Skin; Skin - microbiology; Skin - pathology; Snakes; Spleen - pathology; Trichophyton - isolation & purification; Verticillium - isolation & purification; Zoos
• ISSN: 1042-7260; 1937-2825
• DOI: 10.1638/03-096

Two dead, captive green anacondas (Eunectes murinus), including one male and one female, submitted for necropsy were in poor body condition, having multiple, scattered, dark red foci on the scales and mottled lungs. Both snakes had severe mycotic dermatitis. In addition, the male snake had mycotic stomatitis, and the female snake had mycotic pneumonia. Trichophyton sp., Verticillium sp., and Alternaria sp. were isolated from the dermal lesions. The pulmonary lesions were morphologically consistent with Aspergillus sp. Bacterial organisms isolated from skin and internal organs included Chryseobacterium meningosepticum, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, Aeromonas hydrophila, and Providencia rettgeri. Mycotic diseases can be devastating to reptiles, and suboptimal husbandry and captivity were likely the predisposing factors that led to opportunistic invasion in these snakes.