Ball Python Nidovirus: a Candidate Etiologic Agent for Severe Respiratory Disease in Python regius

Stenglein, Mark D.; Jacobson, Elliott R.; Wozniak, Edward J.; Wellehan, James F. X.; Kincaid, Anne; Gordon, Marcus; Porter, Brian F.; Baumgartner, Wes; Stahl, Scott; Kelley, Karen; Towner, Jonathan S.; DeRisi, Joseph L.

The second case (BP10) was a 5-year-old female common BP from a large collection (500-plus) of ball pythons in Oklahoma. Prior to 2009, no significant health issues were recognized in this collection. Starting in 2009 several ball pythons showed signs of respiratory disease, and from 2010 to early 2011, three ball pythons died with clinical signs of respiratory disease. Ball python 10 had signs of respiratory disease and was euthanized for pathological evaluation. The following tissues were collected, fixed in NBF, and processed for light microscopy: brain, kidney, large intestine, liver, lung, small intestine, and trachea. Paraffin-embedded tissues were sectioned at 6 m and were stained with hematoxylin and eosin. Portions of lung were collected, frozen at Ϫ20°C, and subsequently submitted for molecular diagnostics.