The New IBD Blood Test - Predictions?

[Skiploder]

I don't see mass testing of large ball python collections becoming commonplace because of the perception that they don't tend to live for months or even years as carriers like the boas do. And, even if one ball python in a collection is a carrier and shows no signs of being infected post-QT, chances are that another BP in the rack will contract and show symptoms of the disease.

There is no proof that balls or other pythons cannot live indefinitely and asymptomatically with the disease. The researchers have stated this - even in correspondence to members of this forum . There is no proof that IBD kills balls quickly or that they come down with it easier.

The early stories of IBD wiping out whole collections were often never accompanied by testing and were spread through Kraplan's site and though other less than reliable avenues. One of the most famous cases was later proven to be meningitis. Another early story was first reported as IBD - a necropsy confirmed it in a deceased boa, but subsequent animals died, including a couple of elapids, some vipers and colubrids. What never made the forums was the fact that OPMV was later ruled the cause of the mass die-offs. The several boas who tested IBD positive were probably just asymptomatic carriers.

My encounter with IBD involved two boas that never showed any symptoms. One was being tested for it as part of a screening to see why he wasn't eating. While I euthanized both snakes, neither snake ever developed full blown symptoms.

Another friend of mine also had a full blown case of OPMV in his QT room. It wiped him out. Again, in the early part of the illness, three boas tested positive for IBD. But, his mass die off were due to OPMV and the symptoms his boas were displaying were consistent with same.

Finally, if I were handling WC imports straight off the plane then they would all be tested as part of the intake process.

Why? Is there any proof that this disease is found in wild boids? It has been found in wild vipers, but not boids.

Let's mix things up a bit. It has been theorized that a certain percentage of boids may carry be natural carriers for the disease and on occasion - may get sick. If this proves to be the case - that a certain percentage a natural carriers, how (if at all) will that change the hobby?