Evidence: Reptile (reptile) clinical cases
Source: Europe PMC (Europe PubMed Central) REST search — first-hand peer-reviewed abstract records, pulled 2026-08-01. Queries covered clinical case reports and case series for reptile. The cluster returns 7 representative clinical cases with abstracts below. Abstract text is verbatim from source; each case is traceable by PMID.
Studies
- PMID 42435881 (2026, Parasitology international) — *[Paraphrased derived summary — non-Open-Access source.]* During a parasitological survey of captive reptiles in Italy, a Yucatán spiny-tailed iguana (Cachryx defensor) passed a cestode proglottid; Mini-FLOTAC and PCR with GenBank comparison (98% similarity to Oochoristica hemidactyli) identified it as Oochoristica sp.—the first molecularly supported detection in a captive reptile in Italy, highlighting exotic pets' role in parasite introduction.
Source: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42435881/
- PMID 41749246 (2026, BMC veterinary research) — First report of an iridophoroma in a Tegu (Salvator merianae).. Abstract (opening): <h4>Background</h4>This case report describes the clinical and histological findings of a rare periocular iridophoroma in a tegu.<h4>Case presentation</h4>Iridophoroma is a rare type of chromatophoroma, a tumor that arises from iridophores, specialized pigment cells responsible for reflecting light. This case report describes a 6-year-old male Argentine black and white tegu (Salvator merianae) presented with a large, irregular, proliferative mass in the periocular region. The mass originated from the upper left eyelid, partially covering the ocular surface, and measured 2.5 cm in diameter. The patient was referred to the department of Surgery and Intensive care for mass removal and underwent two separate surgical resections. Fine needle aspiration from the structure revealed the diagnosis of iridophoroma, which was later confirmed through histology. This case aims to broaden current knowledge in reptile medicine by presenting an iridophoroma in Salvator merianae, highlighting its clinical presentation, cytological features, and histopathological aspects.<h4>Conclusions</h4>This case represents the first documented occurrence of an iridophoroma in a tegu, highlighting the need for increased awareness and precision in diagnosing tumors in reptiles. The findings demonsrate the importance of paraclinical investigations, such as histopathology, not only in confirming rare conditions but also in differentiating iridophoromas from other potential diagnoses, such as squamous cell carcinoma, papilloma, or melanophoroma. Accurate identification is crucial for guiding appropriate treatment and improving outcomes in reptile medicine. *[CC BY — Open Access, verbatim with attribution.]*
Source: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41749246/
- PMID 42017649 (2026, Australian veterinary journal) — *[Paraphrased derived summary — non-Open-Access source.]* A case report of a 7-year-old male central bearded dragon (Pogona vitticeps) in which a routine exam incidentally found a hepatic cystic lesion; imaging and surgery revealed cholangiocarcinoma, confirmed histologically (pankeratin-positive, vimentin/α-SMA-negative) with no metastasis. The dragon recovered and showed no recurrence at 10 months, illustrating that imaging plus early surgery can yield favourable outcomes for reptilian biliary tumours.
Source: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42017649/
- PMID 41745956 (2026, Veterinary sciences) — <i>Nannizziopsis pluriseptata</i>-Associated Skin Lesions in a Shingleback Skink (<i>Tiliqua rugosa</i>) and Spiny-Tailed Skinks (<i>Egernia depressa</i>) in Australia.. Abstract (opening): Both captive and free-living reptiles are susceptible to infection by fungi from the <i>Nannizziopsis</i> genus and are prone to developing severe lesions that can affect skin and deeper tissues, becoming multi-systemic. With Australia having close to 1000 reptile species-of which 93% are endemic-the prevalence, distribution and susceptibility of reptiles to this emerging fungal infection remain unknown. In this case series, captive skinks originating from the states of Queensland and Western Australia were presented to wildlife veterinarians with dermatitis. <i>Nannizziopsis pluriseptata</i> was identified via fungal isolation, PCR (polymerase chain reaction) and sequencing, confirming the first record of this pathogen in the country. *[CC BY — Open Access, verbatim with attribution.]*
Source: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41745956/
- PMID 42376688 (2026, Veterinary medicine and science) — *[Paraphrased derived summary — non-Open-Access source.]* A brief report from Nigeria describes severe Amblyomma latum tick infestation and concurrent Haemogregarina spp. infection in a captive African rock python (Python sebae), with facial swelling, incomplete shedding, anorexia, and inflammatory haematology. Treatment—manual tick removal, oral ivermectin, and improved husbandry—produced clinical improvement within five days and cleared the parasites, underscoring parasitic surveillance and husbandry standards for captive reptiles.
Source: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42376688/
- PMID 41948532 (2026, Frontiers in veterinary science) — Case Report: Anesthesia for cloacal prolapse fixation surgery in an Argentine black and white tegu (<i>Salvator merianae</i>).. Abstract (opening): Cloacal prolapse is a common surgical condition in captive lizards and frequently requires general anesthesia. Anesthetic management in reptiles is challenging because of their ectothermic physiology, intermittent breathing patterns, and high sensitivity to anesthetic-induced respiratory depression. This report describes the anesthetic management of a juvenile Argentine black and white tegu (<i>Salvator merianae</i>) under surgical reduction of cloacal prolapse. Anesthesia was induced using a multimodal protocol including butorphanol, tiletamine-zolazepam, dexmedetomidine, and maintained with isoflurane. Marked respiratory depression occurred after induction, necessitating controlled mechanical ventilation throughout the procedure. Ventilatory support and active thermal management were applied to maintain physiologic stability. This case support the importance of mechanical ventilation, temperature control, and multimodal analgesia in anesthetic management of large lizard species. *[CC BY — Open Access, verbatim with attribution.]*
Source: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41948532/
- PMID 42255719 (2026, International journal for parasitology. Parasites and wildlife) — First report on a <i>Raillietiella orientalis</i> and <i>Kalicephalus</i> sp. co-infection in a wild-caught red-tailed green rat snake (<i>Gonyosoma</i> <i>oxycephalum</i>).. Abstract (opening): Parasitic diseases are a major but frequently overlooked health concern in reptiles, with consequences that extend beyond individual health issues to broader ecological and conservation concerns. A male red-tailed green rat snake (<i>Gonyosoma oxycephalum</i>), imported from Indonesia, died in quarantine one month after purchase, lacking any signs of illness except for a brief period of anorexia. Following its death, the owner observed a vermicular parasite emerging from the snake's oral cavity, which prompted submission of the animal to necropsy. A high-grade infection with 40 specimens of the pentastomid <i>Raillietiella orientalis</i> was confirmed by morphological and DNA analyses (18s rRNA). Moreover, histological examinations revealed macroscopic and histological evidence of larval migration. This case represents the first documented infection in red-tailed green rat snakes and signifies one of few reports on <i>R. orientalis</i> for Europe. It illustrates the potential introduction of invasive parasites through the exotic pet trade in the absence of adequate pre-import health screening. While the risk of establishment in European ecosystems remains uncertain, such introductions may pose challenges for captive reptiles, zoological collections and the native fauna. In addition, co-infections may alter disease progression and contribute to the pathogenicity of pentastomid infections. *[CC BY — Open Access, verbatim with attribution.]*
Source: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42255719/
Source text: pdf-raw/evidence/europepmc_reptile_clinical_2026-08-01.txt (Europe PMC first-hand abstracts, pulled 2026-08-01).
License & attribution
Mixed licensing per COPYRIGHT_POLICY §3: Open Access (CC BY / CC BY-NC / CC BY-NC-ND) studies are reproduced verbatim with attribution under their specific CC license; non-Open-Access studies are paraphrased as derived fact summaries (numbers and proper nouns preserved, sentences rewritten). Original records:
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42435881/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41749246/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42017649/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41745956/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42376688/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41948532/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42255719/
Cleaning removal log (2026-08-05, codebuddy)
PMID 41623653 — Human woman Salmonella arizonae pneumonia from pet snake exposure — human patient (rule 1). PMID 42188604 — Human male Fea's viper envenoming case — human patient (rule 1). PMID 41568116 — Human child Salmonella Poona bacteremia from pet turtle — human patient (rule 1). PMID 42445928 — Human girl ocular pentastomiasis from eating snake/crocodile meat — human patient (rule 1).