The olm (Proteus anguinus) is a troglomorphic, neotenous amphibian with extraordinary life expectancy and unique adaptations that deserve further investigation. A low reproductive rate and habitat decline render it threatened by extinction. Establishing captive populations for maintenance and artificial breeding may one day become crucial to the species. Longitudinal, in-vivo assessment of inner organs is invaluable to our understanding of reproductive physiology, health, and behavior. Using ultrasound, we measured heart rate and assessed health and reproductive status of 13 captive olms at Zagreb Zoo. Heart rate averaged 42.9 ± 4.6 bpm (32–55 bpm), as determined via pulsed-wave Doppler at 4–12 MHz. By using frequencies of up to 70 MHz (ultrasound biomicroscopy), inner organs were visualized in detail. Assessment of the gastrointestinal tract provided insights into feeding status and digestive processes. Several subclinical pathologies were detected, including biliary sludge, subcutaneous edema, ascites, and skin lesions. Detection of skin lesions by ultrasound was more sensitive than visual adspection. Olms with ultrasonographically detected skin lesions tested positive for Saprolegnia and were treated. Three of the four affected individuals survived and subsequently tested negative for Saprolegnia. Sex was reliably determined; only one individual proved male. The reason for this extreme female-biased sex-ratio remains unknown. However, as most of the individuals were flushed from the caves by strong currents in spring, the sample may not be representative of natural populations. In female olms, different stages of ovarian follicular development were observed with diameters ranging between 0.1 and 1.1 mm. Results were confirmed by comparing ultrasound, necropsy, and histological findings of one dead specimen. In summary, ultrasound proved a valuable tool to support conservation and captive breeding programs by allowing non-invasive assessment of physiological parameters, clinical condition, and reproductive status in olms.

Actinobacteria are common agents that cause skin diseases in captive desert lizards, including the recently described Devriesea agamarum. To date, infections caused by D. agamarum, their symptoms, and treatment have been described only by the research group from Belgium that isolated the species in 2008. This article presents the symptoms that indicate the possibility of a D. agamarum–associated infection, such as scaly changes around the mouth in a juvenile lizard (Uromastyx ocelatta) and dermatitis in the form of skin scaling around the mouth and cloaca and over the dorsal part of the body in a group of four spiny-tailed lizards (Uromastyx geyri). In two animals, swelling of the front limbs with the loss of some toes was also noted, a symptom not previously described with D. agamarum infections. Bacteriologic analysis of dermal lesion samples confirmed the presence of D. agamarum in all subjects. Treatment with ceftazidime was carried out, and the symptoms of dermatitis resolved, followed by negative bacteriologic findings. This is the first report, to our knowledge, that describes the diagnostics, detailed clinical picture with newly described symptoms, and treatment of lizards with D. agamarum–associated skin lesions that reside outside of Belgium. The results also confirm the effectiveness of the systemic administration of third-generation cephalosporin antibiotics in combination with local chlorhexidine in the treatment of D. agamarum infections.

Numerous previous studies indicate that both wild hedgehogs and those kept as pets pose a significant risk to human health. At the same time, humans can also transmit various pathogens to hedgehogs (e.g., human herpesvirus 1). The risk of human infection from hedgehogs by various bacteria, viruses, fungi, rickettsiae, and parasites, and of hedgehog infection from humans, arises from close contact with pet hedgehogs, wild hedgehogs, and/or the contaminated environment which they cohabit with humans. People can also come into close contact with hedgehogs in city parks, rescue and rehabilitation centers, gardens, suburbs, and zoos. Numerous zoos keep different species of hedgehogs, which are often used for education and interaction with visitors, especially children. In spite of certain preventive measures, periodic examinations, and disease controls being carried out, the possibility of the transmission of infectious diseases from hedgehogs to visitors and employees is not excluded. Close contact poses a risk, especially if biosecurity is not properly maintained. The anthropological effects of coexistence, habitat sharing, and frequent human intrusion into hedgehog habitats have disrupted the natural relationship between humans and animals, and have led to an increase in the prevalence of various pathogens. Although many different pathogens have been isolated in hedgehogs, there is a need to study some of them in more detail and to understand their interaction and transmission possibilities, as well as zoonotic and reverse zoonotic pathogens.