Small intestinal adeno-like virus in a mountain chameleon (Chameleo montium)

An adult male mountain chameleon (Chameleo montium), one of 92 individuals recently caught in the wild and transported, died after a 28-day history of anorexia. Gross examination revealed marked emaciation and enteric nematodiasis. Histopathologic examination of the small intestine revealed moderate numbers of enterocytes containing 2-15 micrometer-diameter round to ellipsoid, basophilic, intranuclear inclusions. Ultrastructurally, the inclusions consisted of crystalline arrays of hexagonal viral particles 67-76 nm in diameter with electron-dense cores. The viral particles were consistent with an adenovirus. No pathologic changes were associated with the adenoviral infection.