Herpesvirus in Red-Headed (Common) Agamas (Agama agama)

Abstract

Diseases induced by herpesviruses affect a broad spectrum ofmammalian species, including humans, and have also been identified in birds, amphibians, and reptiles. This case report describes a herpesvirus-induced disease in a group of red-headed (common) agamas. Nine wild-caught red-headed agamas (Agama agama) were purchased from an animal dealer by the Detroit Zoological Park. The animals were quarantined prior to display, but all of the animals subsequently died; 8 over a period of 38 days and the ninth 6 months later. All of the lizards were necropsied by 1 of the zoo’s veterinarians. The 2 agamas (agama nos. 1 and 2) that are the subjects of this report were found dead on the same day. Agama no. 1 had multiple pin-point white foci in the liver but no other evident gross lesions. Agama no. 2 had no gross lesions. Multiple tissues from both lizards were obtained at necropsy, fixed in 10% neutral buffered formalin, and submitted to the Animal Health Diagnostic Laboratory. The tissues were processed routinely and stained with hematoxylin and eosin (HE) for examination. Microbiologic and virologic examinations were not performed. The liver and spleen of agama no. 1 contained multiple randomly distributed foci of necrosis. These regions had little associated inflammation, but at the periphery there were numerous eosinophilic to slightly amphophilic intranuclear inclusion bodies with peripheral halos (Fig. 1). The characteristics of these bodies were consistent with those of herpesvirus inclusion bodies. Within some of the necrotic hepatic foci