Inclusion body disease

Chronic and fatal viral disease observed in Boid snakes

Inclusion body disease (IBD) is an infectious and invariably fatal viral disease affecting captive specimens of the boid family of snakes, particularly Boa constrictor. It has been recognized since the mid-1970s. It is so named because of the characteristic intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies that are observed in clinical examinations in epidermal cells, oral mucosal epithelial cells, visceral epithelial cells, and neurons. In the 1970s and 1980s, the disease was most commonly observed in Burmese pythons. From the 1980s on, it has been most commonly observed in boa constrictors. To date, no treatment for IBD is known, and snakes that are diagnosed with IBD should generally be euthanized to prevent suffering in the snake and to reduce the risk of further infections.

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