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Holder K, Katzenstein N. GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT ADENOCARCINOMA IDENTIFIED IN CAPTIVE GILA MONSTERS ( HELODERMA SUSPECTUM) IN A NORTH AMERICAN ZOO, 1997-2023. J Zoo Wildl Med 2024; 55:795-800. [PMID: 39255224 DOI: 10.1638/2023-0130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 09/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Neoplasia in the Gila monster (Heloderma suspectum) is not commonly investigated, and literature regarding the prevalence and type of neoplasms that affect this species is sparse. Gastrointestinal tract adenocarcinoma (GTA) in particular has only been reported twice in Gila monsters, once in the small intestine and once in the colon. In this case series, 50% (7/14) of the Gila monsters presented to the pathology service at Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (SNZCBI) over the span of 26 yr (1997-2023) were found to have intestinal and/or colonic adenocarcinoma. The frequency of GTA reported in this collection likely represents a multifactorial etiology including geriatric age of specimens, chronic inflammation, gastrointestinal tract infection, and/or increased cognizance of the disease because of previous reports within the collection. An increased awareness of GTA in this species may lead to improved recognition of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kali Holder
- Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC 20008, USA,
| | - Nina Katzenstein
- Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC 20008, USA
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Willig F, Torpy FJ, Harrison SH, Duke EG, Troan B, Boddy AM, Abegglen LM, Harrison TM. Evaluation of Neoplasia, Treatments, and Survival in Lizard Species. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:1395. [PMID: 38791614 PMCID: PMC11117239 DOI: 10.3390/ani14101395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2024] [Revised: 04/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Neoplasia has been reported in lizards, but more research is needed to accurately document the prevalence and prognosis of the various known neoplasms that affect lizards. This study reviewed medical records from an online database, the Exotic Species Cancer Research Alliance (ESCRA), and reviewed published literature to determine the prevalence of neoplasia, malignancy, metastasis, treatment strategies, and outcomes by species and sex. Records from 55 individual lizards, 20 different species, and 37 different tumors were identified. In the literature, 219 lizards, 59 species, and 86 unique tumors were identified from 72 published case reports. Potential signalment factors such as age, sex, and species were evaluated to see if they affected case outcome. Additional factors including neoplasia type, presence of metastasis, and types of pursued treatments were also evaluated. Statistical analysis was performed to determine whether a factor was significantly associated with animal death due to the identified neoplasia or with animal survival or death due to other causes (non-neoplastic outcomes). Komodo dragons and savannah monitors were more likely to die from neoplasia compared to other lizard species. Cases where the status of metastasis was unknown were significantly associated with death due to neoplasia. Having an unknown status of male versus female was significantly associated with non-neoplastic outcomes of death. Leukemia and islet cell carcinoma were significantly associated with death due to neoplastic causes. Chondrosarcoma, myxosarcoma, osteosarcoma, and squamous cell carcinoma were significantly associated with non-neoplastic outcomes of death. Surgery alone and radiation therapy alone each were significantly associated with non-neoplastic outcomes of death, while lizards not receiving treatment were significantly associated with death due to neoplasia. Benign neoplasia was significantly associated with non-neoplastic outcomes of death. These results will aid in the improved diagnosis and management of neoplasia in lizard species, as well as expanding our understanding of prognostic indicators of neoplasia in lizards.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frank Willig
- Virginia Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- Exotic Species Cancer Research Alliance, North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA (E.G.D.); (B.T.); (A.M.B.); (L.M.A.)
| | - Fred J. Torpy
- Exotic Species Cancer Research Alliance, North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA (E.G.D.); (B.T.); (A.M.B.); (L.M.A.)
- Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Scott H. Harrison
- Department of Biology, North Carolina Agriculture and Technical State University, Greensboro, NC 27411, USA;
| | - Elizabeth G. Duke
- Exotic Species Cancer Research Alliance, North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA (E.G.D.); (B.T.); (A.M.B.); (L.M.A.)
- Department of Clinical Sciences, North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA
| | - Brigid Troan
- Exotic Species Cancer Research Alliance, North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA (E.G.D.); (B.T.); (A.M.B.); (L.M.A.)
- Department of Molecular and Biomedical Sciences, North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA
| | - Amy M. Boddy
- Exotic Species Cancer Research Alliance, North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA (E.G.D.); (B.T.); (A.M.B.); (L.M.A.)
- Department of Anthropology, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Lisa M. Abegglen
- Exotic Species Cancer Research Alliance, North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA (E.G.D.); (B.T.); (A.M.B.); (L.M.A.)
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Tara M. Harrison
- Exotic Species Cancer Research Alliance, North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA (E.G.D.); (B.T.); (A.M.B.); (L.M.A.)
- Department of Clinical Sciences, North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA
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Nieto-Claudín A, Sacristán C, Deem SL, Lewbart GA, Colosimo G, Esperón F, Sevilla C, Gentile G. Novel herpesvirus in the critically endangered Galapagos pink land iguana. Acta Trop 2024; 252:107127. [PMID: 38316240 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2024.107127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2023] [Revised: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/21/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
Virus surveillance in wildlife is important to understanding ecosystem health, taxonomy, and evolution. Nevertheless, viruses in reptiles, and specifically in squamates, continue to be understudied. Herein, we conducted a health assessment on the critically endangered Galapagos pink land iguana (Conolophus marthae) and the vulnerable Galapagos land iguana (Conolophus subcristatus). We collected oral and/or cloacal swabs from 47 clinically healthy iguanas and tested for adenovirus (cloacal swabs, n = 47) and herpesvirus (oral swabs, n = 45) using broad-spectrum PCRs. Two out of 38 (5.3 %) Galapagos pink land iguanas tested positive for herpesvirus, while no herpesvirus was detected in all Galapagos land iguanas (n = 7). Both herpesviral sequences were identical between them and divergent (61.9 % amino acid identity) when compared to the closest herpesvirus sequences available in GenBank/EMBL/DDBJ. The genetic distance between this and other herpesviruses is consistent with its classification as a novel virus species. All iguanas were negative for adenovirus. This is the first description of a herpesvirus in iguanas of the Galapagos islands, and the first report of a potential pathogen for the iconic Galapagos pink land iguana. Further research is needed to understand the implications of this virus in the conservation and management of one of the most endangered iguana species in the world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ainoa Nieto-Claudín
- Charles Darwin Foundation. Charles Darwin Avenue, Santa Cruz 200350, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador; Saint Louis Institute for Conservation Medicine, One Government Drive, Saint Louis, MO 63110, United States.
| | - Carlos Sacristán
- Centro de Investigación en Sanidad Animal (CISA-INIA), CSIC, Valdeolmos 28130, Spain.
| | - Sharon L Deem
- Charles Darwin Foundation. Charles Darwin Avenue, Santa Cruz 200350, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador; Saint Louis Institute for Conservation Medicine, One Government Drive, Saint Louis, MO 63110, United States
| | - Gregory A Lewbart
- North Carolina State University, College of Veterinary Medicine, 1060 William Moore Drive, Raleigh, NC 27607, United States; Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ) & UNC-Chapel Hill Galápagos Science Center (GSC), Av. Alsacio Northia, San Cristobal 200150, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
| | | | - Fernando Esperón
- Veterinary Department, School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Universidad Europea de Madrid, Villaviciosa de Odón 28670, Spain
| | - Christian Sevilla
- Galapagos National Park Directorate, Santa Cruz 200350, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
| | - Gabriele Gentile
- Department of Biology, Tor Vergata University, Rome 00133, Italy
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A NOVEL IGUANID HERPESVIRUS DETECTED IN ASYMPTOMATIC GREEN IGUANAS ( IGUANA IGUANA) IN POLAND. J Zoo Wildl Med 2021; 52:815-819. [PMID: 34130430 DOI: 10.1638/2020-0157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
While herpesviruses are well-known pathogens in a wide variety of chelonian species, they have only sporadically been documented in squamate reptiles. Those that have been described have most often been associated with hepatic disease and oral lesions. During a study on infectious disease in pet reptiles in Poland, herpesviruses were detected in swabs from three green iguanas (Iguana iguana) from two different owners that were presented to two different veterinary clinics in Warsaw. One iguana was presented for abscesses on the head, while the other two were partner animals and remained clinically healthy throughout the course of this study. Virus was detected in oral swabs as well as combined swab samples from the oral cavity and cloaca using a panherpesvirus PCR. PCR products from all three animals were sequenced, and the detected viruses were most closely related to iguanid herpesvirus 2 from a San Esteban chuckwalla (Sauromalus varius) in the United States (GenBank accession No. AY236869.1). The single animal was retested again 1 y later and remained clinically healthy and continued to shed the same herpesvirus. This is the first description of a herpesvirus infection in pet iguanas in Europe. While the clinical relevance of the infection is not known, it is of interest that the infected animals appeared to continue to shed virus over an extended period of time.
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RETROSPECTIVE REVIEW OF HISTOLOGIC FINDINGS IN CAPTIVE GILA MONSTERS ( HELODERMA SUSPECTUM) AND BEADED LIZARDS ( HELODERMA HORRIDUM). J Zoo Wildl Med 2021; 52:166-175. [PMID: 33827173 DOI: 10.1638/2020-0058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
A retrospective study was performed by reviewing all Heloderma spp. submissions to Northwest ZooPath from 1996 to 2019. Necropsy and biopsy specimens from 106 captive Gila monsters (Heloderma suspectum) and 49 captive beaded lizards (Heloderma horridum) were reviewed. Inflammatory diseases were the most frequently diagnosed condition in Heloderma spp., and were diagnosed in 72% of all animals examined, including 76% of Gila monsters and 63% of beaded lizards. The most common cause of inflammation was bacterial infection, which was present in 52% of all Heloderma spp. with inflammation. Enterocolitis was common in Gila monsters (20%) and beaded lizards (14%), but the underlying causes were different for each species. Cryptosporidium spp. was the most common cause of enterocolitis in Gila monsters (36%) but was not identified in beaded lizards. Amoebiasis was a common cause of enterocolitis in Gila monsters (27%) and was the most common cause of enterocolitis in beaded lizards (57%). Deposition diseases were diagnosed in 34% of all Heloderma spp. The most frequently diagnosed deposition disease in beaded lizards was urolithiasis-nephrolithiasis (12%). This disease was not diagnosed in Gila monsters. Deposition diseases that were common in Gila monsters and beaded lizards included hepatic lipidosis and renal gout. Neoplasia was diagnosed in 17% of all Heloderma spp., including 17% of Gila monsters and 18% of beaded lizards. The most common neoplasm of Heloderma spp. was renal adenocarcinoma, which was equally common in Gila monsters and beaded lizards. Less common diagnoses included degenerative diseases, trauma, nutritional disease, nonneoplastic proliferative disease, nondegenerative cardiovascular disease, and congenital malformation.
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Okoh GR, Horwood PF, Whitmore D, Ariel E. Herpesviruses in Reptiles. Front Vet Sci 2021; 8:642894. [PMID: 34026888 PMCID: PMC8131531 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.642894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Since the 1970s, several species of herpesviruses have been identified and associated with significant diseases in reptiles. Earlier discoveries placed these viruses into different taxonomic groups on the basis of morphological and biological characteristics, while advancements in molecular methods have led to more recent descriptions of novel reptilian herpesviruses, as well as providing insight into the phylogenetic relationship of these viruses. Herpesvirus infections in reptiles are often characterised by non-pathognomonic signs including stomatitis, encephalitis, conjunctivitis, hepatitis and proliferative lesions. With the exception of fibropapillomatosis in marine turtles, the absence of specific clinical signs has fostered misdiagnosis and underreporting of the actual disease burden in reptilian populations and hampered potential investigations that could lead to the effective control of these diseases. In addition, complex life histories, sampling bias and poor monitoring systems have limited the assessment of the impact of herpesvirus infections in wild populations and captive collections. Here we review the current published knowledge of the taxonomy, pathogenesis, pathology and epidemiology of reptilian herpesviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- God'spower Richard Okoh
- Division of Tropical Health and Medicine, College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia
| | - Paul F Horwood
- Division of Tropical Health and Medicine, College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia
| | - David Whitmore
- Division of Tropical Health and Medicine, College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia
| | - Ellen Ariel
- Division of Tropical Health and Medicine, College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia
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Hepps Keeney CM, Intile JL, Sims CS, Harrison TM. Lymphoid leukemia in five bearded dragons ( Pogona vitticeps). J Am Vet Med Assoc 2021; 258:748-757. [PMID: 33754817 DOI: 10.2460/javma.258.7.748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
CASE DESCRIPTION 2 male and 3 female adult bearded dragons (Pogona vitticeps) were evaluated at the North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine's Exotic Animal Medicine Service between September 2018 and October 2019 because of severe lymphocytosis. CLINICAL FINDINGS All 5 bearded dragons had nonspecific clinical signs, including lethargy, poor appetite, ocular discharge, and weight loss. Clinicopathologic testing revealed extremely high lymphocyte counts with morphological findings consistent with lymphocytic leukemia. TREATMENT AND OUTCOME All 5 patients were treated with lomustine, prednisolone, and antimicrobials. In addition, 1 or 2 doses of L-asparaginase were administered when the drug was available. Partial remission was achieved in all 5 patients. One patient, after disease progression was documented, was treated with cyclophosphamide and achieved a second partial remission. One of the 5 patients was still alive and continuing to receive chemotherapy at the time of final follow-up 244 days after the initial diagnosis. Survival times (ie, times from initial diagnosis to euthanasia) for the other 4 patients were 57, 157, 330, and 416 days. CLINICAL RELEVANCE The present report represented the first description of lomustine as a primary chemotherapeutic agent for the treatment of lymphocytic leukemia in bearded dragons and provided information on response to treatment, adverse effects, and survival times.
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Hellebuyck T, Couck L, Ducatelle R, Van den Broeck W, Marschang RE. Cheilitis Associated with a Novel Herpesvirus in Two Panther Chameleons (Furcifer pardalis). J Comp Pathol 2021; 182:58-66. [PMID: 33494909 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcpa.2020.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Revised: 10/09/2020] [Accepted: 12/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Intracellular epidermal inclusions were detected within histological sections of skin biopsies from two panther chameleons (Furcifer pardalis) with chronic cheilitis. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) confirmed the abundant presence of icosahedral intracytoplasmic and intranuclear viral particles in infected keratinocytes, with an average diameter of 120-125 nm, consistent with herpesviruses (HVs). TEM also revealed the presence of virions in intercellular spaces and keratinocyte nuclei and features suggestive of capsid assembly, nuclear egress with primary envelopment and anterograde transport leading to virion assembly and release. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers targeting a conserved region of herpesvirus DNA-dependent DNA polymerase were used to amplify and sequence a product from a nested HV PCR performed on skin biopsies of both chameleons. Comparative sequence analysis indicates that the virus detected in both chameleons was a novel member of the Alphaherpesvirinae, which we refer to as chamaeleonid herpesvirus 1 (chamHV 1). Based on the identical findings in both chameleons, we consider chamHV 1 to be a candidate aetiological agent of cheilitis in panther chameleons. This is the first report of skin lesions in a chameleon species associated with HV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tom Hellebuyck
- Department of Pathology, Bacteriology and Avian Diseases, Department of Morphology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.
| | - Liesbeth Couck
- Department of Morphology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Richard Ducatelle
- Department of Pathology, Bacteriology and Avian Diseases, Department of Morphology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Wim Van den Broeck
- Department of Morphology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
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