Virus infections in reptiles

In former times research focused on viruses which could be pathogen for mam mals, for example arboviruses, Since the late 70ies it is known that viral infections may lead to severe losses in reptile collections. Rare species m ay be endangered by outbreaks of viral diseases, for example fibropapilloma tosis of marine turtles, On the other hand, many viruses are isolated whose pathogenicity could not be evaluated so far, The most important infections from the point of view of a practitioner are the paramyxovirus infection i n snakes, the inclusion body disease in boids and the herpesvirus infection in land tortoises, Ethiology, symptoms and diagnostic approaches of viral infections are described, Practitioners should be encouraged to take viral infections Into consideration especially if a whole collection of reptiles Is diseased, The possibility of transferring viruses of reptiles to humans is discussed.