A septicaemic disease of East African snakes associated with enterobacteriaceae

A bacterial epizootic disease of snakes at a snake farm in Kenya is described. The condition shows characteristic clinical signs and post mortem lesions and is characterized by a bacteraemia and septicaemia. The mortality rate is high and newly captured snakes die within a few weeks. Attempted control of the disease is discussed briefly and attention is drawn to the significance of such a condition in a commercial enterprise.