PARAMYXOVIRUS outbreak??

[sparkle]

I have had to think long and hard bfore i posted this but i see no other way for people to obtain the information I have...

After admitting my snake to the vets this week for critical care of a suspected RI that developed overnight I have since discovered there are reported cases of... PARAMYOVIRUS.. there has already been one death his week of a snake that mine had been in the same house as .. a friends snake who was euthanised this week. this snake appeared to havehad an RI but when the vet performed the initial autopsy he felt the RI was secondary and the possible cause of death had been viral.. this has not yet been confirmed so i cannot confirm this.. however results wil be back within the next week.



My snake ( a carpet python) is under critical care at the vets just now. The vet mentioned they were incredibly concerned that this virus could easily be spreading throughout the UK... at this point they did not confirm what they thought the virus might be...

I have spent the last hour trying to persuade someone on msn to give me the names of the people who have said this has been found in their collection, however as often in the snake/reptile community people want to protect one another.. which is understandable but also worrying...

i feel this is not in the best interests of the reptile community at the moment...

I called a breeder I trust in Scotland who gave me the information that the virus is usually incurable and presents with symtoms of common respiritory infections or neurological symtoms..

the latter usually means this virus is incurable.. the RI symtoms can sometimes be treated however success rates are NOT known

I have also been given info today that COLOMBOVAC ( a treatment for PARAMYXOVIRUS ) has been tried and seems to be helpful..



The herp vet that MY snake is with and perfomed the autopsy on the OTHER snake that was euthanised this week had a HUNCH it was viral and explained this could mean it was far more serious than a basic RI. I can only hope that if this is spreading that we can al work together to try and stop further contamination...

this virus i have been told can affect not only Boids but colubrids and other species of snake...

I have been advised by the vet not to bring anythign into my collection at the moment and to contact as many people who may have been in contact with my collection or I have been in their house to see their collection as it may have spread..


I appreciate we all try to be as hygenic as possible but admittedly occasionally people do slip up..

without autopsy on dead snakes do any of us know at the moment if we have been affected...

I wil be calling the vet on monday to explain what i have discovred today.. if my python does have this virus i will be letting people know immediately ..

I have recently sold corns to people... I have recently bought from people so it is impossible to tell where this may have begun..

Please be vigilant of your collections at the moment and if you do buy any snakes quarentine them very carefully for at least 3 months.. this was what the vet advised me on friday before i even knew about the PARAMTXOVIRUS...

it is very worrying this is happening but if you notice any RI symtoms or neuroligical ones bear in mind to mention this to your herp vet as it could possibly be this virus

it has an icubation period of 6 to 10 weeks seemingly ( although i have been informed it can be as long as 10 months) so colelctions or pets that seem fine now.. may not be ok..

I am so sorry to have posted such a distressing piece of information and wil update with all findings from the vet regarding the autopsy results and also the python who is in critical care..

if my python does have the virus and they manage to save him.. this could be important information for any other snake who is found to have the virus in the future ....

I wil update as soon as possible.


it is also worth noting my snake may NOT have this virus... but it was mentioned to me by several UK snake keepers today as they knew my snake was ill and could have been in contact with one who has had this virus.... they have had wind that there has been other cases and possible outbreaks.. this is why i felt it necessary to post.. whether you have ONE snake as a pet or are a breeder please be vigilant.

I am sorry my post is not more scientific and the results are not back yet.. but i felt this was too important not to mention.


although this link is regarding humans it gives information about the virus as it affects vertebrates

Paramyxovirus Information

[sparkle]

if anyone has any information can we all pull together here.. info such as.. is it species specific etc

can it be passed to lizards from snakes... if were not super careful.. can it be passed to humans.. sorry for not knowing my stuff scientifically...

[sparkle]

Originally Posted by feorag

A hard thing to do, but a very responsible one!

The only way enthusiasts can care properly for any animal is to come out in the open and admit if they have a problem within their home and this applies for any animal or reptile - they all have incurable diseases and if people admit this it must help others.

Whether it be a viral outbreak or not, at least you have informed everyone and those who have been in touch with you or your collection will know to keep a very watchful eye on their snakes.

I'm so sorry you have this worry to contend with, but I commend you on your honesty!

thank you... we just do not know where it originated,,, my carpet python has only been with me for 2weeks.. he was fine one day... next day bad respiritory symtoms..

so it looks as though he had it before he came here...

as long as 10 months seemingly as it can harbour that long accrding to info i reeived today

[brittone05]

Hunny I am sorry you are going through this right now I know how hard it must have been for you to post this up

I shall see if I can dig up anything ont he virus and shall buzz a few people this end to see if anyone can shed any further light for you.

Big hugs hun for you and the wee snakey xxxxx

[feorag]

Originally Posted by sparkle

thank you... we just do not know where it originated,,, my carpet python has only been with me for 2weeks.. he was fine one day... next day bad respiritory symtoms..

so it looks as though he had it before he came here...

as long as 10 months seemingly as it can harbour that long accrding to info i reeived today

I remember being told bt Dave Kershaw that the snake's metablism is so slow that it can carry an infection for a year before it manifests itself, which I found pretty scary!

[brittone05]

Another link with info about the virus

Ophidian Paramyxovirus information - Aussie Pythons and Snakes

From what I have breifly read, there are also human, lizard and bird strains of the virus BUT I don't know whether it is contractable from 1 tot he other.

I will do my best to find you some more info Sparkly xx

[Furrag]

Best info I've found on it - Ophidian Paramyxovirus information - Aussie Pythons and Snakes

[mEOw]

there are other strains that affect snakes aswell, not just opmv, theres lpmv aswell as a couple of others.. Paramyxovirus is just the name given to that specific type of virus, many different strains of it and there are strains of it that affect pretty much everything unfortunatley
owen

[sparkle]

Im not sure right now if any of us can say 100% were ok... I know im not adding anymore into my collection or buying a single thing just now...

ive had snakes in and out my house this year from as far afield as the states...

and then sold them...

this is not about where it begun its about what we can do now..

if we can all just share info and be honest and if anything suspect happens get snnakes tested or dead snakes autopsied we are doing all we can

[Athravan]

I had a corn snake this year die suddenly with no apparent symptoms not long after I bought it from another forum member.

All I can say is make sure you get a PM if a snake dies even with no symptoms - I was worried sick about crypto, as that spreads so fast and decimates corn snake collections..... luckily it was not a contagious cause of death, I made them run every test in the book and all were negative.

If you don't know why your animal died - get it tested, find out what killed it - and if it's something contagious, inform the seller, and anyone who has bought anything from your collection... even if you quarantined.

Hopefully if people are vigilant and responsible when snakes die, and aware that there are contagious reptilian diseases, then they won't spread too far.