Veterinarska stanica, Vol. 53 No. 4, 2022.
Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.46419/vs.53.4.10
Molecular detection and phylogenetic analysis of adenovirus associated with fatal disease of juvenile bearded dragons(Pogona vitticeps) in Croatia
Vladimir Savić
orcid.org/0000-0003-0398-5346
; Scientific Advisor, Poultry Centre, Croatian Veterinary Insitute, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
Bearded dragons (Pogona vitticeps) are popular pets bred in captivity in numerous countries, with considerable international trade of this species. Bearded dragons are sensitive to bearded dragon adenovirus 1 (BDAdv-1) which causes or is closely associated with various clinical symptoms including sudden death, lethargy, weakness, diarrhoea, dehydration, anorexia, retarded growth, and neurological symptoms resulting from liver damage. A fatal disease of two juvenile bearded dragons in Croatia during which adenovirus was detected is described. Weakness, anorexia, cachexia and dehydration were present in the male and the female bearded dragon, in addition to marked opistothonus in the female. The adenovirus was detected by PCR while nucleotide sequencing and phylogenetic analysis revealed high homology with BDAdv-1 strains from bearded dragons in the United States, Austria and Germany (>99.6–100%), but also with BDAdv-1 from free-ranging Australian bearded dragons (>99.2%). An attempt to isolate the virus through two passages in duck embryos or ten passages in chicken embryos did not yield a positive result.
Keywords
adenovirus; reptiles; lizard; Pogona vitticeps; Agamid adenovirus 1; BDAdv-1; Croatia
Hrčak ID:
266275
URI
Publication date:
23.12.2021.
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