PATHOLOGY OF SKIN DISEASES IN CROCODILES

Objective To establish which skin diseases occur in crocodiles, partic ularly those on farms, to indicate the relative frequency of each part icular disease and to provide information on pathogenesis, especially in regard to lesions with two or more pathogens present. Design A gros s and microscopic retrospective (period of 1989 to 1995) and current ( 1996 to 1997) examination of skin lesions in crocodiles in Queensland and the Northern Territory. Result Skin lesions were obtained from cro codiles on nine farms, from a group of experimental animals and from o ne adult found dead in the wild. A total of 203 lesions from 180, most ly young, crocodiles was examined; 119 lesions were from retrospective ly examined cases and 84 were recent. The relative frequencies of four presumed primary pathogens in lesions were Dermatophilus sp 28.1 %, f ungi 14.8%, poxvirus 3.4% and probable Mycobacterium sp 2.5%. In addit ion, other bacteria of unknown significance were present in many lesio ns, and there was one case of presumed Paratrichosoma crocodilus infec tion. In 32.5% of lesions, multiple pathogens were identified. Conclus ion Dermatophilosis is the most common and probably the most important skin disease of crocodiles in Australia, but it is frequently complic ated by concurrent injection with fungi or other microorganisms.