Nannizziopsis arthrosporioides infection mimicking ophidiomycosis in ball pythons (Python regius)

A wild caught snake presented with progressive dermatopathy and was euthanized due to a clinical suspicion for ophiomycosis. Over the next 7 days, six additional ball pythons, maintained in the same room but in separate cages from the index case developed similar progressive dermatomycoses and were euthanized. Histopathologic evaluation showed dermal granulomas with intralesional fungi and DNA from the lesions clustered in a monophyletic group with other isolates of N. athrosporioides. Colony and microscopic morphology of fungus from these cases matched published descriptions of N. arthrosporioides. While ophidiomycosis may be a major differential for dermatomycosis in snakes, molecular confirmation should be pursued, as additional fungi may cause similar lesions in this taxon.