Results of OPMV for those who are interested.

Hey All,

I thought i would post the results from the histiopath i had done on the diamond python.

Keep in mind these results came from samples taken after the snake was euthanised. It was euthanised one week after it's last feed, thats how quick the snake went from being a perfectly fine and feeding well to near death.

Gross Pathology:
Two pots are submitted. 1: Labelled ' Various Tissues ' and contains 10 pieces of organ tissue. Representative sections of each placed in Cassettes A and B. 2: Labeeled ' Head '

Histopathology:
The brain has apoptotic necrosis of the oligodendroglia, spongiform degeneration, globular degradation of the myelin, axonal swellings, lytic and chromatolytic neuronal degeneration, focal gliosis and macrophage infiltration together with eosinophilic intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies in the nerve cells and glial cells.

There are pulmonary congestion and oedema accompanied by intersitial lymphoplasmacytic infiltration.
The liver has diffuse hepatocellular fatty change with cholestasis marked by accumulation of bile in the sinusoidal macrophages.
The kidney has bile pigment in tubular epithelium.

Examination of the trachea, heart, pancreas, stomach, intestine, bone marrow and skeletal muscle is non-contributory.

DIAGNOSIS:
Demyelinating encephalitis consistent with paramyxoviral (OPMV) infecton.

Comments:
The distinctive demyelinating character of the encephalitis and the inclusion bodies indicate OPMV. The intersitial pneumonia, the cholestatic hepatopathy and bilirubin nephrosis are quite typical.

Posted: Tue Oct 24, 2006 9:52 am Post subject:

Shit mate that is bad news, my heart bleeds for you mate, have you any idea where it came from? I've been looking for your number to give you a ring but can't find it. Perhaps you could PM it to me?

Posted: Tue Oct 24, 2006 10:00 am Post subject:

Thanks Phil, i don't know for sure where it came from, doesn't matter really, just gotta deal with it now.
I PMed you my number.

Posted: Tue Oct 24, 2006 11:19 am Post subject:

crap crap crap........... what a complete absolute gut kick.
Basically the same as mine.
Could it be like CJD or BSE and come from a food source?

Posted: Tue Oct 24, 2006 11:27 am Post subject:

CJD?BSE? you will have to explain better for me peter, i'm not that boned up on this kinda stuff.

But i know it wouldn't have come from a food sorce.

I know what ya mean by gut kick, seeing my beautiful bredli doing the same thing is an even bigger gut kick.

Posted: Tue Oct 24, 2006 11:53 am Post subject:

What can I say Steve? What a real shit of a thing to happen. It would be interesting to know the history of the diamond and it's origins.

Posted: Tue Oct 24, 2006 12:03 pm Post subject:

It sucks big time Daz, from what i've worked out it's very unlikely that it came from the diamond but from some other snakes i got around the same time.

Posted: Tue Oct 24, 2006 12:18 pm Post subject:

Posted: Tue Oct 24, 2006 12:34 pm Post subject:

Ah k, well from what i researched about things there was a similar thing to mad cow diease in the test.

Posted: Tue Oct 24, 2006 1:04 pm Post subject:

Thats what got me thinking Steve. The similarities in the symptoms. Its a long bow but worth a mention.

Posted: Tue Oct 24, 2006 1:30 pm Post subject:

It's a bit of a long shot with reptiles, i think it would be rather different in reptiles than in mammals.
I would like to know what exactly they find spongiform degeneration does with reptiles, i have found plently of info with mammals like mice but none in regards to reptiles.
I find it a bit overwhelming, the more you find out about it the deeper and more confusing it gets.
I've got my head around most of whats said in the results, which all links into each other and you can understand why the other signs are there.

Interesting stuff, people should read up alot on it.

Posted: Tue Oct 24, 2006 11:30 pm Post subject:

how horrible for you Crying or Very sad

hows the rest of your collection?

Posted: Wed Oct 25, 2006 1:12 am Post subject:

I have a pet theory, and bear in mind this is just a personal opniion and I have no facts to back it up.
Given the similarities of IBD and OPMV to things like CJD and BSE and the fact that they were first found in captive snakes in the 70's and 80's.... I reckon they were caused by people feeding animal proteins and nervous matter (probably chicken pellets) to the rats and mice, then feeding those rats and mice to their snakes. Prions or reovirii are well known to spread this way and what is harmless in one species can be a virulent disease in another.
But that's just a theory and doesn't help you at all Steve and Naomi.
These diseases are just bad news all round.

Posted: Wed Oct 25, 2006 1:34 am Post subject:

I appreciate your theory and see what you mean. Unfortunately in the scheme of things there is just such little known about what affects Australian reptiles altogether. I'm sure autopsies are only a new thing as well, it's amazing that people werne't wiped out before- when a snake just died people didn't worry about it or just got a new one.

One theory we have is the strain of OPMV that we have here is different to others. There was no respiratory symptoms whatsoever (which is why the vet was quite sure the diamond didn't have it), but the neuro signs come on a lot sooner. Comparing our results to some others I"ve seen posted up shows that our snake didn't have the extreme damage of it's system as the other one, but from what I know the other one wasn't showing those extreme neuro signs.

The only warning we have here before the snakes starts flipping over is that the snake goes completely rigid and tense for a few days to a week first...usually they are the opposite, floppy and lethargic.

This above sign has happened to the bredli, she went all tense and now she's doing the horrible things like moving backwards. She was fine, eating mating etc a few weeks ago. We thought before the results were back that the rigid thing was due to her coming up for ovulation.

We are hoping to discuss these further with Tim from WA. We have this bredli and the male that was mating with her under the house now in a hospital room, they have both been with Steve for around 4 years. They both will probably be put down this week. She is one of Steve's favourites so it's been a hard decision to make, but really necessary.

Posted: Wed Oct 25, 2006 1:58 am Post subject:

That really sucks Steve and Nomes. Crying or Very sad

I hope this comes to an end for you guys soon without doing too much damage.

I think personally what makes it especially cruel for you guys is the stance that you have taken recently stating that you would divulge any info possible if you were in this position and now you are. Also the steps you guys took to try and avoid it by deciding not to buy any more herps.

My thoughts are with you guys.

Mick