A Case of Lymphocytic Leukemia in a Bearded Dragon (Pogona vitticeps) and a Review of Literature

Abstract

The present paper reports the case of a 3 years old, female Bearded Dragon (Pogona vitticeps) presenting lethargy, anorexia, weight loss, and anemia and marked leukocytosis at CBC. The majority of leukocytes were lymphocytic/lymphoblastic cells (97%). Immunocytochemical staining of blood smears marked for CD3 (neg) and CD79a (pos) suggested immunophenotype B. The patient died after one month from diagnosis. Histology evidenced lymphoid infiltration in the heart, spleen, liver, kidneys and gut. In addition, in the bone marrow a massive infiltration of lymphoid cells confirmed the diagnosis of leukemia. Immunohistochemistry confirmed the CD79a positivity of a large part of infiltrating lymphoid cells indicating a B cells immunophenotype of the neoplastic population. The presence of lymphocytosis and multiorgan infiltration supported the diagnosis of lymphocytic leukemia. Finally, a revision of the literature has also been made.

Presumptive acute myeloid leukemia in a Pelomedusa subrufa turtle

“…Toluidine blue and Alcian blue can be used to recognize basophils and mast cells 10 . CD3 has been used to recognize T lymphocytes, and BLA36, CD79a, and Pax‐5 have been used to identify B cells 6,11,12 . However, cytochemical staining properties vary among species.…”

Pax5 and CD3 immunophenotyping of lymphoma in 2 central bearded dragons

“…5 Neoplasia in reptiles is often associated with nonspecific clinical signs including lethargy, anorexia, and weight loss; anemia and leukocytosis evident on CBC; and multi-organ neoplastic cellular infiltration identified histologically. 6 We describe here different presentations of T-cell lymphoma in 2 central bearded dragons.…”

“…5 Neoplasia in reptiles is often associated with nonspecific clinical signs including lethargy, anorexia, and weight loss; anemia and leukocytosis evident on CBC; and multi-organ neoplastic cellular infiltration identified histologically. 6 We describe here different presentations of T-cell lymphoma in 2 central bearded dragons.Case 1, a 3-y-old male central bearded dragon, was submitted by a client to the Kansas State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (KSVDL; Manhattan, KS, USA) for autopsy.…”

“…5 However, immunophenotyping was scarcely pursued or reported in cases of lymphoid or bone marrow neoplasia in bearded dragons. 5 Of the 7 reported cases of lymphoid neoplasia in bearded dragons, IHC was pursued in only 3 cases: 1) a CD79a+ case of lymphocytic leukemia, 6 2) a case of chronic monocytic leukemia negative for all markers tested (CD3, CD79a, CD68, Mac387), 8 and 3) a case of CD3-chronic monocytic leukemia diagnosed as B-cell phenotype based on cellular morphology. 13 The other 4 cases of lymphoid neoplasia in bearded dragons were diagnosed morphologically as myeloid leukemia, lymphoblastic leukemia, leukemia, and leukemia with disseminated lymphoma.…”

“…Blood work was only available for case 2, and CBC did not reveal anemia as reported with lymphoma in a bearded dragon and savannah monitor ( Varanus exanthematicus ), nor leukocytosis as reported with lymphoma in a bearded dragon and a green iguana ( Iguana iguana ). 12,19 Lymphoid and myelogenous malignancies are generally multicentric or disseminated in lizards, 14 including reports of lymphocytic leukemia, 6 chronic monocytic leukemia, 8,12 lymphoblastic leukemia, 17 and myelogenous leukemia. 19 Interestingly, a retrospective study of lymphoma in reptiles noted that oral lesions were the most common manifestation of multicentric lymphoma, suggesting that lymphoma should be considered as a differential diagnosis for oral lesions in addition to stomatitis, gingivitis, or other neoplasms (e.g., squamous cell carcinoma).…”