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Allain SJR, Leech DI, Hopkins K, Seilern-Moy K, Rodriguez-Ramos Fernandez J, Griffiths RA, Lawson B. Characterisation, prevalence and severity of skin lesions caused by ophidiomycosis in a population of wild snakes. Sci Rep 2024; 14:5162. [PMID: 38431688 PMCID: PMC10908839 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-55354-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Ophidiomycosis is an emerging infectious disease affecting wild snakes in the Northern Hemisphere. Recently confirmed in Great Britain, the prevalence, severity and significance of ophidiomycosis has yet to be characterised in free-living snakes at a population level in Europe. Therefore, a population of barred grass snakes (Natrix helvetica) in eastern England was monitored for three seasons (May 2019 to October 2021), to investigate the prevalence (25.5%; 191/750 snakes) and severity of skin lesions and their aetiology. The most frequently observed skin lesion characteristics were changes in scale colour, crusting, and scale margin erosion. The majority of such lesions (96.9%; 185/191 snakes) was observed on the ventral surface along the length of the body. The severity of skin lesions was considered mild in more than half of the cases (53.1%; 98/191 snakes). Predominantly, skin lesions were observed in adult snakes (72.8%; 139/191 snakes). Combined histological examinations and qPCR tests of skin lesions from N. helvetica sloughs and/or carcasses confirmed a diagnosis of ophidiomycosis. Further targeted surveillance, supported by molecular and histological examinations to confirm skin lesion aetiology, is required to determine the extent to which our findings reflect the occurrence of ophidiomycosis in populations within wider landscapes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven J R Allain
- Durrell Institute of Ecology and Conservation, School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, CT2 7NR, UK
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London, NW1 4RY, UK
| | - David I Leech
- British Trust for Ornithology, The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk, IP24 2PU, UK
| | - Kevin Hopkins
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London, NW1 4RY, UK
| | - Katharina Seilern-Moy
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London, NW1 4RY, UK
| | | | - Richard A Griffiths
- Durrell Institute of Ecology and Conservation, School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, CT2 7NR, UK.
| | - Becki Lawson
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London, NW1 4RY, UK
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Allain SJR, Duffus ALJ, Marschang RE. Editorial: Emerging infections and diseases of herpetofauna. Front Vet Sci 2022; 9:909616. [PMID: 36238439 PMCID: PMC9552943 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.909616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Steven J. R. Allain
- Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, University of Kent, Canterbury, United Kingdom
| | - Amanda L. J. Duffus
- Health of Herpetofauna Communities Research Group, Department of Natural Sciences, Gordon State College, Barnesville, GA, United States
- *Correspondence: Amanda L. J. Duffus
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Shin Y, Jang Y, Allain SJR, Borzée A. Catalogue of herpetological specimens of the Ewha Womans University Natural History Museum (EWNHM), Republic of Korea. Zookeys 2020; 965:103-139. [PMID: 32973383 PMCID: PMC7483326 DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.965.52976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2020] [Accepted: 07/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The herpetology collection of the Ewha Womans University Natural History Museum (EWNHM) represents one of the oldest and largest institutional collections in the Republic of Korea. The specimens deposited in the EWNHM represent a major historical collection of the native herpetofauna, both in species diversity and time span. However, the full inventory of the herpetology collection has never been conducted and thus the collection has received little attention from researchers. Here, the first full account of the herpetology specimens held at the EWNHM is provided, with voucher information for all documented specimens to make the collection accessible for future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yucheol Shin
- Laboratory of Animal Behaviour and Conservation, College of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China Nanjing Forestry University Nanjing China.,Division of EcoScience and Department of Life Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 03760, South Korea Ewha Womans University Seoul South Korea.,Department of Biological Sciences, College of Natural Science, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341, South Korea Kangwon National University Chuncheon South Korea
| | - Yikweon Jang
- Division of EcoScience and Department of Life Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 03760, South Korea Ewha Womans University Seoul South Korea
| | - Steven J R Allain
- Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Canterbury, United Kingdom University of Kent Canterbury United Kingdom
| | - Amaël Borzée
- Laboratory of Animal Behaviour and Conservation, College of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China Nanjing Forestry University Nanjing China
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