Aural-pharyngeal Polyps Associated with Cryptosporidium Infection in Three Iguanas (Iguana iguana)

Cryptosporidium spp. infection was associated with aural-pharyngeal polyps in three iguanas (Iguana iguana). All iguanas were presented for masses protruding from the ear canal, and the disease was characterized by a chronic clinical course. The masses consisted of nests of cystic glands surrounded by abun- dant fibrous connective tissue and lined by hyperplastic cuboidal to pseudostratified columnar epithelium that was moderately to heavily colonized by cryptosporidial organisms. Electron microscopy revealed that the ma- jority of organisms were trophozoites. cies and the predominant site and lesion vary among mam- mals, birds, fish, and reptiles. C. parvum is an intestinal path- ogen of mammals that is a significant cause of diarrhea in calves and humans, especially immunocompromised individ- uals. 3 In domestic chickens, C. baileyi infects both the gastro- intestinal and respiratory tracts, but clinical signs and lesions are mostly associated with respiratory tract infections. 2 In con- trast, C. meleagridis induces enteritis and diarrhea in turkeys. 2 In fish,Cryptosporidiuminfection in the stomach and intestine has been associated with severe wasting.6 Most Cryptosporid- ium infections described in reptiles are also gastrointestinal and are often characterized by a chronic course of disease. Hypertrophic or proliferative gastritis is a common manifes- tation of Cryptosporidium infections in snakes, 1 and atropic gastritis has been described in lacertas. 5 Recently, a case of cryptosporidiosis associated with an aural polyp was de- scribed in an iguana (Iguana iguana). 4 Here, we describe three more cases of Cryptosporidium infection associated with au- ral-pharyngeal polyps in iguanas, implying the ear canal may be a site of infection in this species. Clinically, all three affected iguanas presented for masses