Adenoviral hepatitis in a female bearded dragon (Amphibolurus barbatus)

A female bearded dragon (Amphibolurus barbatus) died following intermittent periods of inappetance. No significant gross lesions were found at autopsy, but histological examination revealed disordered liver architecture with numerous foci of coagulative necrosis. Eosinophilic intranuclear inclusions were present in many hepatocytes, some epithelial cells of the bile ductules and occasional epithelial cells of renal tubes and glomeruli. Large numbers of viral particles within many nuclei, associated with the intranuclear inclusion were demonstrated by electronmicroscopy. Similar particles, sometimes in paracrystalline arrays, were also seen within membrane-bound vesicles located next to the nuclei and to a lesser degree within the cytoplasm and extracellular spaces. The virus was considered to be an adenovirus on the basis of its size, morphology, site of formation and lack of envelopment. It was considered to he the cause of the hepatitis.