Pathology of skin diseases in crocodiles.

OBJECTIVE To establish which skin diseases occur in crocodiles, particularly those on farms, to indicate the relative frequency of each particular disease and to provide information on pathogenesis, especially in regard to lesions with two or more pathogens present. DESIGN A gross and microscopic retrospective (period of 1989 to 1995) and current (1996 to 1997) examination of skin lesions in crocodiles in Queensland and the Northern Territory. RESULT Skin lesions were obtained from crocodiles on nine farms, from a group of experimental animals and from one adult found dead in the wild. A total of 203 lesions from 180, mostly young, crocodiles was examined; 119 lesions were from retrospectively examined cases and 84 were recent. The relative frequencies of four presumed primary pathogens in lesions were Dermatophilus sp 28.1%, fungi 14.8%, poxvirus 3.4% and probable Mycobacterium sp 2.5%. In addition, other bacteria of unknown significance were present in many lesions, and there was one case of presumed Paratrichosoma crocodilus infection. In 32.5% of lesions, multiple pathogens were identified. CONCLUSION Dermatophilosis is the most common and probably the most important skin disease of crocodiles in Australia, but it is frequently complicated by concurrent infection with fungi or other microorganisms.