Histopathological and virus-associated features of Boid Inclusion Body Disease in Boa constrictor

In a retrospective cohort of 50 captive Boa constrictor, 84% showed histopathological changes and 2020–2025 cases had significantly higher inclusion body (IB) and nucleoprotein (NP) scores than 2000–2003.

• Why it matters: BIBD is a fatal reptarenavirus disease, but its pathomorphology and how viral replication relates to pathology and clinical signs remain incompletely defined.
• What they did: The study examined histopathology and in situ expression of NP and GP2 in 50 captive male and female boas (neonate to 25 years), scoring IB formation and NP semiquantitatively and comparing 2020–2025 versus 2000–2003.
• The result: Inflammatory processes dominated among affected snakes (93% of those with changes), yet NP scores were not linked to inflammatory processes in general or by organ, while GP2 was less consistent and restricted to individual cells.

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