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.

Of the 9 necropsied snakes, lesions were also observed in other areas of the body. These included mild nonsuppurative encephalitis characterized by periventricular perivascular lymphocytic cuffing (in 1 of 9 snakes examined), mild to moderate acute nephritis (1/9), mild nephrosis (1/9), mild to moderate multifocal subacute dermatitis (1/9), mild acute salpingitis (1/9), and hepatic lipidosis (5/9). In the eye of one snake, there was moderate necro- Photomicrograph of a cross section of the lung at a higher magnification. Faveolar septum, severe proliferative interstitial pneumonia. The epithelium (EP) is hypercellular, thick, and densely packed with pseudostratified columnar cells, the majority of which produce mucus. Macrophages, lymphocytes, and granulocytes infiltrate (IN) the epithelium and submucosa. Faveolar capillaries are below the epithelial layer. H&E stain; bar Ï­ 50 m. tizing conjunctivitis, with diffuse corneal ulceration, mild superficial keratitis, and mild inflammation and necrosis of the inner layer of the spectacle. One snake had mild bacterial colitis. It is unclear whether these other lesions were related to the observed lung pathology.