Monday, September 29, 2008

If you have a pet lizard ...

... listen up.

New bacterial organism identified which can cause fatal disease in lizards.
Skin infections are common in pet lizards and can lead to fatal organ disease and septicaemia. Infections are particularly risky in lizards that are bred in captivity for release into the wild, as they can spread into the wild population. The cause of these diseases has been unclear but now researchers in Belgium have discovered a new bacterium responsible for dermatitis in desert lizards.
The organism? Devriesea agamarum

The name is derived from Devriesea referring to the veterinary microbiologist L.A. Devriese and agamarum after Agama, an Old World reptile. See, that's the cool thing about getting to name a new species of life. Heck, they even identified a new genus so they achieved double glory!

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