Septicemia and Chronic Abscesses in Iguanas (Cyclura cornuta and Iguana iguana) Associated with a Neisseria Species

A Neisseria species was isolated from septicemic, abscessed, and healthy iguanid lizards at the National Zoological Park in Washington, D.C., between August 1984 and November 1985. Neisseria septicemia caused the death of one rhinoceros iguana in 1984. Of seven common iguanas, four had chronic, recurrent tail abscesses from which a Neisseria species was isolated in 3 cases. Microscopically, all four iguanas with tail lesions had colonies of gram-negative diplococci surrounded by a Splendore-Hoeppli reaction. A Clostridium species was cultured from the tail abscess of the fourth iguana and recovered initially from another affected iguana that later yielded Neisseria; Clostridium was considered to be a wound contaminant. The mouths of the living rhinoceros iguanas and of both healthy and abscessed common iguanas were cultured, and 50% were found to be oral carriers of Neisseria. All isolates of Neisseria were the same species, but did not correspond to any currently described species. Common iguanas were successfully treated by tail amputation, but debridement followed by local and parenteral antibiotic therapy was associated with delayed healing and incomplete resolution of the lesions.