Here are some things sent to me by my vet on this matter. Be careful if you read this you might just learn something, best to just skim it for words like may, might, probably, could, and should. This is however a professionals writings on releases anywhere in the world based on the KNOWN pathogens which are listed per animal type and region. Sorry no corns listed so keep on resting on the fact that no one is studing a non endangered animal for pathogens to watch out for prior to release...:headbang:
REPTILIA 3, 7, 12, 13
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It has been stated that most translocation projects involving amphibians and reptiles have
not been successful and that they should not be advocated as conservation techniques.
Consequently, if and when it is decided to release confiscated or unwanted pet reptiles into
the wild, it is particularly important to screen them carefully, so as to minimise the risk of
introducing a dangerous infection into the wild population.1
Health screening while in quarantine
Quarantine for reptiles should last for 90 days. Quarantine facilities should be adequate for
the thermal requirements of the species under quarantine and allow for thermo-regulatory
behaviour.
1. Faecal examination, direct and flotation, for protozoan 6 (especially Cryptosporidia sp.
4 and Amoeba sp.) and metazoan parasites. Three or more consecutive tests should
be negative.
2. Culture faeces for Salmonella sp.
Note: Since > 80% of reptiles can test positive for Salmonella sp. evidence of infection may
not preclude release.
3. Carry out complete Blood Count and PCV.
4. Examine blood smears for haemoparasites.
5. Swab/nasal wash and examination for Mycoplasma sp. and Mycobacteria.sp.
Note: Check the wild, recipient chelonian population for enzootic mycoplasmal infection,
too. If the wild population is already infected, it may be unnecessary to disallow the
release of infected chelonians.
6. Serology for antibodies of Mycoplasma sp.and herpes virus for chelonians (especially
Testudo hermanni and T. graeca) and orphidian paramyxovirus for reptiles 2, 5.
7. Check for tick infestation, especially Amblyomma sp. that can be vectors of
cowdriosis-heartwater. If present, treat with an acaricide.
Note: Green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) which have been treated surgically for fibropapillomatosis
should be released only in the area in which they were found, since
this condition seems to occur in certain defined geographic areas.
Crocodylia
(Compiled by F. Huchzermeyer,3 IUCN/SSC Crocodile Specialist Group).
3 F. Huchzemeyer, Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute, P.O. Box 12499, Onderstepoort 0110, Republic of South Africa.
E-mail:
[email protected].
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Pre-release quarantine for farm–bred crocodylia, beyond the time required to carry out a
clinical examination, apply specific serological tests and where appropriate, pre-release
treatment for parasitic worms, is considered to be stressful and unnecessary.
Wild populations are often reservoirs of the known crocodile-specific diseases: caiman
pox, crocodile pox, adenoviral hepatitis, chlamydiosis, mycoplasmosis (arthritis) and
coccidiosis.
Most of the specific diseases of crocodylia listed above are enzootic in wild populations
and wild crocodiles thus present a greater danger to captive (farmed) crocodiles than the
reverse.
Unfortunately, except for chlamydiosis, there are no serological tests for the above
diseases. Tests for mycoplasmosis might be possible if the relevant test antigens could be
prepared. Pre-release testing for chlamydiosis in Nile crocodiles and clinical examination
for mycoplasmosis in Nile crocodiles and American alligators should be carried out as a
routine.
Crocodile coccidial oocysts are extremely fragile and are rarely detected in faecal
flotations or direct smears. However, coccidiosis is considered to be a major disease of
farmed crocodiles in Zimbabwe.8
The examination of blood smears from crocodiles serves little purpose since the known
blood parasites of crocodiles appear to be harmless.
Gastrointestinal nematode infections are usually asymptomatic in crocodiles but may
occasionally be associated with disease. Infection with Dujardinascaris sp. may cause
disease and can be associated with gastric ulceration and runting in hatchlings.8, 11
Nematode larvae in the muscles of slaughtered Nile crocodiles from farms in Zimbabwe
have been tentatively identified as Trichinella spiralis nelsoni but this identification has
since been questioned and it has been suggested that they may represent a new taxon of
Trichinella. The distribution of T.spiralis is cosmopolitan and it can transmit to domestic
livestock and humans.9
Pentastomes often occur in crocodilians in great numbers, both as adults and also as
larvae and nymphs. Pentastomiasis is regarded as a major disease on crocodile farms in
Australia.10
Pre-release clinical examination of crocodiles should exclude cases of dermatitis.
If farmed crocodilians are to be released into the wild, a health certificate covering the
farm of origin and a clinical examination of the animals to be released should be obtained.
No runts, animals in poor condition or with visible abnormalities should be released.
Crocodiles from farms with a recent history of disease and mortality should not release
animals into the wild and juvenile crocodiles which have been fed on river fish should be
treated with an anthelmintic before release.
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When possible, release should not take place in winter or during the cold months of the
year.
The release area should be ecologically correct for the age group to be released and the
behaviour and movement patterns of the species concerned should be considered.
References
1. Dodd, C.K. and R.A. Seigel (1991). Relocation, repatriation and
translocation of amphibians and reptiles: Are they conservation strategies
that work? Herpetologica, 47 (3), pp. 336-350.
2. Jacobson, E.R., J.L. Behrer and J.L. Jarchow. (1999). Health Assessment of
Chelonians and Release into the wild. In: Fowler, M.E. and E.R. Miller (eds.),
Zoo and Wild Animal Medicine: Current Therapy, 4, chapter 30, pp. 232-241.
W.B. Saunders & Co., Philadelphia.
3. Merck Veterinary Manual, 8th Edition, 1998. Reptiles, pp.1402-1419.
4. Agnew, D.W., (1992). Cryptosporidiosis in Reptiles. In: AAZV Infectious
Diseases Notebook.
5. Flannagan, J., (1992). Paramyxovirus Infection of Snakes. In: AAZV
Infectious Diseases Notebook.
6. Willette-Frahm, M., K.M.Wright, and B.C.Thode. (1994). Select Protozoal
Diseases in Amphibians and Reptiles. In: AAZV Infectious Diseases
Notebook.
7. Cooper, J.E. and Jackson, O.F. (1981). Diseases of the Reptilia. Academic
Press, London and New York.
8. Foggin, C.M. (1992). Diseases of farmed crocodiles, In: Conservation and
Utilisation of the Nile crocodile in Southern Africa: Handbook on crocodile
farming, Ed: G.A.Smith and J.Marais pp.107-140.
9. Foggin, C.M. and Widdowson, M.A., (1996). A Trichinella-like parasite in
farmed crocodiles in Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe Veterinary Journal, 27: 86.
10. Buenaviage, G.N., Ladds, P.W., Melville, L. and Manolis S.C. (1994).
Disease husbandry associations in farmed crocodiles in Queensland and the
Northern Territory. Australian Veterinary Journal, 71: 165-73.
11. Ladds, P.W. and Sims, L. (1990). Diseases of young farmed crocodiles in
Papua New Guinea. Australian Veterinary Journal, 67: 323-330
12. Jacobsen, E.R. (1993). Implications of infectious diseases for captive
propagation and introduction programs of threatened/endangered reptiles.
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Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine, 24 (3): 245-255
13. Jacobsen, E.R. E.R. (1986). Viruses and viral associated diseases of
reptiles. In: Acta zoologica et pathologica antverpiensis, Vol.2, No: 79.
Maintenance and Reproduction of Reptiles in Captivity, Pp. 79-90, V.L. Bels
and A.P. Van den Sande (eds).
For a full account of the diseases of crocodiles See: Import Risk Analysis Paper for
Live Crocodilians and their Eggs. January, 2000. Australian Quarantine and
Inspection Service (AQIS), GPO Box 858, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
http://www.iucn-isg.org/actionplan/ch3/reintroduction.php
The potential to introduce exotic pathogens into naive natural populations through release of captive reptiles is widely recognized. This route of transmission has been implicated in an epizootic outbreak of upper respiratory tract disease (URTD) in wild desert tortoises, Gopherus agassizii, in the Mojave Desert of California (Jacobsen et al. 1991). Jacobsen (1993, 1994) stresses that while reptiles can harbor an array of pathogens, the ability to screen for those few that are known to be significant is crude at best. The importance of developing pre-release health screening protocols and methods has been emphasized by a number of workers (Beck 1992; Dodd and Seigel 1991; Jacobsen 1994; Raphael 1994). Whenever feasible, in situ rearing and headstarting facilities are preferable to reduce the chances of introduction of exotic pathogens.
http://www.asih.org/files/hacc-final.pdf
c. Repatriation into the wild
Repatriation of research animals into the wild is a controversial issue. Pough (1992)
argues that release of reptiles and amphibians held in captivity “...should be prohibited in almost
all cases”, due to risk of pathogen introduction, and potential effects on natural gene pools.
However, under some circumstances, especially with respect to ecological studies that involve
integrated laboratory and field components, repatriation of captive animals may be a necessary
element to a successful research program. Release of research animals needs to be considered and
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incorporated into the design of the study from its inception. Releases should be limited to cases
of short-term captivity where healthy animals are released at their capture location. Furthermore,
published protocols for planned releases should be followed (Jacobson, 1993; Woodford, 2001).
As a general rule, field-trapped animals should be released only:
(i) If release is not specifically prohibited by national, state, or local law.
(ii) If they are currently healthy and have been held in isolation from exotic species and
other research collections. Animals returned to the wild should never be in contact
with other species, especially exotics. Two major pathogens in amphibians,
chytrid fungi and ranavirus may have been introduced into wild populations by
humans (Daszak et al., 1999). Relatively few infectious diseases have been studied
in wild amphibians and reptiles and the exact origin of these pathogens is
unknown. Captive amphibians and reptiles can harbor pathogens that were
acquired in captivity and may serve as a vector for infecting wild populations.
(iii) At the original site of capture. Preservation of the integrity of natural gene pools
should be paramount. Conservation efforts or safety considerations may dictate
that animals be translocated. For these exceptional circumstances, prior approval
of relocation should be obtained from appropriate state and/or federal agencies,
and approved relocations should be noted in subsequent publication of research
results.
(iv) If their ability to survive in nature has not been irreversibly impaired.
(v) Where there is reasonable expectation that the released animal will re- establish its
former social status.
(vi) When local and seasonal conditions are conducive to survival.
....