ADENOVIRUS-LIKE INFECTION IN 2 ROSY BOAS (LICHANURA-TRIVIRGATA)

Two adult rosy boas (Lichanura trivirgata) from two different collecti ons of snakes died without signs of illness. Gross lesions in one of t he snakes were characterized by multifocal petechial hemorrhages on th e serosa of the gastrointestinal tract and liver. Histologic examinati on of multiple tissues demonstrated basophilic intranuclear inclusion bodies in hepatocytes, renal tubular epithelial cells, and endocardium of one snake. The other snake had no gross lesions, but basophilic in tranuclear inclusions were found in hepatocytes and heterophils within sinusoids of the liver. Electron microscopic examination of sections of the liver of one snake demonstrated inclusions that contained viral particles. The particles were not enveloped, were 65-70 nm in diamete r, had hexagonal outlines, and in some nuclei, were arranged into para crystalline arrays. Based upon morphological characteristics and locat ion, these viral particles were most similar to those of the Adenoviri dae.