INCLUSION-BODY DISEASE IN 2 CAPTIVE AUSTRALIAN PYTHONS (MORELIA-SPILOTA VARIEGATA AND MORELIA-SPILOTA SPILOTA)

Two captive Australian pythons, one carpet and one diamond python, pre sented with signs of central nervous system dysfunction. The carpet py thon was agitated. Its head was tilting and it was incoordinated and h ad convulsions. It was treated with antibiotics and anthelmintics but was eventually euthanased after failing to respond to therapy. The dia mond python had flaccid paralysis of the caudal half. It was not treat ed and became disoriented and died. Hepatocytes from both pythons cont ained irregular 2 to 10 mu m eosinophilic intracytoplasmic inclusion b odies. The brain of the diamond python was not available for examinati on. Occasional neurones in the carpet python brain contained similar i nclusion bodies and other changes suggestive of viral infection. The c linical signs and histopathological findings in both pythons were cons istent with bold inclusion body disease.