Previous reports on skeletal pathology in captive snakes did not clarify the relationship of lesions to captive or free-ranging status. In this study, post-cranial skeletons from 7,950 captive and free-ranging snakes in nine of the major North American collections were examined macroscopically, microscopically and radiologically for the presence of pathology. Micro-computerized tomography was performed on two skeletons on which surface microscopy failed to provide a definitive diagnosis. Osteomyelitis was identified in the vertebrae of 24 snakes and spondyloarthropathy in one snake. Neoplasia or congenital anomalies were not found. Osteomyelitis was four times as common in Viperidae than in Colubridae and twice as common as in Boidae, independent of captive or free-ranging status. A lytic lesion in the vertebrae of one snake was suggestive of fungal disease. The progression of bone lesions was greater in captive snakes, but the prevalence was independent of captive or free-ranging status. The results of this study indicate that bone alterations, previously proposed as neoplastic disease, in archival snake skeletons were most likely of infectious aetiology, and establish macroscopic examination as a useful technique for characterizing skeletal pathology in snakes.

先前关于圈养蛇骨骼病理学的报告没有阐明病变与圈养或自由放养状态的关系。在这项研究中，对北美九个主要收藏品中的 7,950 条圈养和自由放养蛇的颅后骨骼进行了宏观、微观和放射学检查，以确定是否存在病理学。对两个骨骼进行了微计算机断层扫描，表面显微镜未能提供明确的诊断。在 24 条蛇的椎骨中发现了骨髓炎，在 1 条蛇中发现了脊椎关节病。未发现肿瘤或先天性异常。骨髓炎在蝰科中是蝾螈科的四倍，是蝾螈科的两倍，与圈养或自由放养状态无关。一条蛇椎骨的溶解性病变提示真菌病。圈养蛇的骨骼病变进展更大，但患病率与圈养或自由放养状态无关。这项研究的结果表明，档案蛇骨骼中以前被认为是肿瘤性疾病的骨骼改变最有可能是传染性病因，并将宏观检查确立为表征蛇骨骼病理学的有用技术。