Infections with Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis ( B. dendrobatidis ), the causal agent of chytridiomycosis, have been shown to play an important role in the decline of amphibians worldwide. Spread of the fungus is poorly understood. Bird movement might possibly contribute to the spread of B. dendrobatidis in the environment. Therefore, 397 wild geese in Belgium were screened for presence of B. dendrobatidis on their toes using real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR). In addition, chemotaxis towards, adhesion, survival after desiccation and proliferation of B. dendrobatidis on keratinous toe scales from waterfowl were examined in vitro . qPCR revealed that 76 geese (15%) were positive for B. dendrobatidis . Results of the in vitro tests showed that B. dendrobatidis is attracted to the keratinous toes of aquatic birds on which they can adhere and even proliferate. However, desiccation is poorly tolerated. This suggests waterfowl are potential environmental reservoirs for B. dendrobatidis .

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The keeping of exotic pets is currently under debate and governments of several countries are increasingly exploring the regulation, or even the banning, of exotic pet keeping. Major concerns are issues of public health and safety, animal welfare and biodiversity conservation. The keeping of reptiles and amphibians in captivity encompasses all the potential issues identified with keeping exotic pets, and many of those relating to traditional domestic pets. Within the context of risks posed by pets in general, the authors argue for the responsible and sustainable keeping of reptile and amphibian pets by private persons, based on scientific evidence and on the authors' own expertise (veterinary medicine, captive husbandry, conservation biology).

Dermal and systemic infections caused by the Chrysosporium anamorph of Nannizziopsis vriesii (CANV) are highly prevalent in reptiles and may result in severe disease and high mortality. Due to the high incidence of therapeutic failures, optimizing treatment is required. We first determined in this study the minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of itraconazole, voriconazole, amphotericin B and terbinafine against 32 CANV isolates. For voriconazole, amphotericin B and terbinafine a monomodal MIC distribution was seen, whereas a bimodal MIC distribution was present for itraconazole, indicating acquired resistance in one isolate. Fourteen naturally-infected bearded dragons (Pogona vitticeps), from the same owner, were treated orally with either itraconazole (5 mg/kg q24h) or voriconazole (10 mg/kg q24h). The clinical condition, drug plasma concentrations and the presence of CANV in skin samples were followed. The animals were treated until complete clearance of the fungus. The plasma concentrations of voriconazole and itraconazole exceeded the minimal inhibitory concentrations of the CANV isolates. Elimination of CANV was achieved on average after 27 and 47 days of treatment with itraconazole and voriconazole, respectively. Whereas only 2 out of 7 survived after itraconazole treatment, only a single animal died in the voriconazole treated group. In conclusion, based on a limited number of animals, voriconazole applied at a regimen of 10 mg/kg bodyweight (BW) q24h seems to be a safe and effective antimycotic drug to eliminate CANV infections in bearded dragons.

Animals using toxic peptides and proteins for predation or defense typically depend on specialized morphological structures, like fangs, spines, or a stinger, for effective intoxication. Here we show that amphibian poisons instead incorporate their own molecular system for toxin delivery to attacking predators. Skin-secreted peptides, generally considered part of the amphibian immune system, permeabilize oral epithelial tissue and enable fast access of cosecreted toxins to the predator’s bloodstream and organs. This absorption-enhancing system exists in at least three distantly related frog lineages and is likely to be a widespread adaptation, determining the outcome of predator–prey encounters in hundreds of species.

Snakes and lizards are considered 'stoic' animals and often show only non-specific signs of illness. Consequently, diagnostic imaging--along with clinical examination and laboratory tests--is gaining importance in making a final diagnosis and establishing a correct therapy. The large number of captive snake and lizard species commonly kept as pets, together with the high inter- and intraspecific morphological variability that is innate in these animals, make the analysis of diagnostic images challenging for the veterinary practitioner. Moreover, a thorough knowledge of the anatomy, physiology and pathology of the species that are the object of clinical investigation is mandatory for the correct interpretation of diagnostic images. Despite the large amount of clinical and scientific work carried out in the past two decades, the radiographic features of snakes and lizards have not undergone systematic description, and therefore veterinarians often have to rely mostly on anatomical studies rather than radiological literature. The aim of this paper is to review the most commonly used diagnostic imaging modalities, as well as to provide an overview of the available international original studies and scientific reviews describing the normal and pathological imaging features in snakes and lizards.

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Devriesea agamarum gen. nov., sp. nov., a novel actinobacterium associated with dermatitis and septicaemia in agamid lizards Desert-dwelling lizards belonging to the genera Agama and Uromastyx and inhabiting North African steppe and desert areas are nowadays kept and bred in captivity in Europe. Not infrequently, these animals suffer from skin infections, which may develop into septicaemia. Coryneform bacteria are frequently associated with these lesions either as causative agents or as complicating factors (Pasmans et al., 2008). In the present communication, a description is given of five bacterial isolates from saurian skin lesions that have been shown to belong to a new genus.Strain IMP1 was recovered from a male Agama impalearis with proliferative dermatitis lesions. Strain IMP2 T was isolated from the liver of a female Agama impalearis that died from proliferative dermatitis lesions. Three strains were recovered from Uromastyx species: UGE1 and UAC1 were isolated from cheylitis lesions from Uromastyx geyri and Uromastyx acanthinura, respectively; and UGE2 was isolated from bone marrow of another Uromastyx geyri, which died after showing dermatitis lesions.Strains were isolated by culturing swabs on Columbia agar with 5 % sheep blood (Oxoid). This medium was also used to determine the effect of temperature on growth at 25, 30 and 37 u C and to examine growth under aerobic, microaerophilic (5 % CO 2 atmosphere) and anaerobic conditions. Gram staining was performed with reagents produced by bioMérieux. Acid fastness was determined by Ziehl-Neelsen staining (Lanyi, 1987). Catalase and oxidase activities and NaCl tolerance were examined by standard methods as described by Lanyi (1987). The API 20 Strep, API 50 CH test and API Coryne identification systems (bioMérieux) were used for determination of additional biochemical characteristics. All five isolates grew well on Columbia agar with 5 % sheep blood at 37 u C under aerobic, microaerophilic and anaerobic conditions. The strains were also able to grow at 25 and 30 u C and, to a lesser extent, at 42 u C. They formed smooth, mucoid, whitish, small colonies surrounded by a narrow zone of haemolysis. They were positive when tested with 3 % H 2 O 2 and consisted of non-sporulating Gram-positive short rods. The five isolates showed an identical biochemical profile, which is given in the species description. All five isolates were categorized as 'unidentified' by all three commercially available identification systems used.Abbreviation: m-Dpm, meso-diaminopimelic acid.The GenBank/EMBL/DDBJ accession number for the 16S rRNA gene sequence of strain IMP2T is EU009865.