Cases of photo-kerato-conjunctivitis

The photographs below show a selection of the cases we have reviewed.

The cases reviewed here are from two reports, one submitted to ZooMed in relation to Reptisun Compact Lamps and one submitted to R-Zilla in relation to Desert Series 50 lamps.

ZooMed Reptisun 10.0 Compact Lamps

The report we have submitted to ZooMed contains details of a total of 20 incidents, involving 40 animals, which have developed symptoms of photo-kerato-conjunctivitis as a result of excessive exposure to ultraviolet radiation. Of these, 18 incidents were associated with the use of the latest version of the ZooMed Reptisun 10.0 Compact Lamp and two were associated with use of the latest version of the ZooMed Reptisun 5.0 Compact Lamp. The details of these cases are summarised in the chart below. 7 cases were reported by the veterinary surgeon who examined them (MB) and details of a further 13 cases were reported by the reptiles' owners (and collated by FB).

A summary of all these cases is given in the following table.
The estimated UV Index at the basking spot was calculated from the actual lamp, when that was available, or in all other cases, from data from one of the new sample lamps after 1 - 2 hours burn, at the same distance and in a similar fixture.

Please remember, when considering the basking distances, that with one exception, at the time when these were set up, there were no instructions supplied with the compact lamps, to indicate suitable distances, and several keepers had previously used older style UVB compact lamps at the distances they chose. In the case of the one exception, the lamp had been sold as part of the equipment for use inside a small vivarium, purchased at the same time from a specialist reptile shop.

 

Cases of photo-kerato-conjunctivitis in association with the use of ZooMed Reptisun compact fluorescent lamps
Species	No. of animals affected	Symptoms	UVB lamp installed	Position and type of fixture	Date lamp installed	When symptoms appeared	When lamp removed	When symptoms resolved	Estimated UV Index at basking spot
Bearded dragon sub-adults (Pogona vitticeps) case ref: MB1	2	Inactivity, eyes closed, inappetance, swollen eyelids	New ZooMed Reptisun 10.0 compact	15cm (6in) above, mounted vertically on solid roof of vivarium -no reflector or dome.	April 2007	5 – 7 days later	After 7 days	Swelling gone in 4-5 days, allnormal in 7 – 10 days	15.7
Spur-thighed tortoise (Testudo graeca) case ref: DM1	1	Anorexia, swollen eyelids, serous eye discharge.	New ZooMed Reptisun 10.0 compact	20cm (8in) above -no reflector or dome.	April 2007	4 days later	When symptoms seen	Within 10 days	9.1
Yellow-footed Tortoises (Geochelone denticulata) case ref: FC1	2	Anorexia, swollen eyelids	New ZooMed Reptisun 10.0 compact	10cm (4in) above -no reflector or dome.	May 2007	3 days later	When symptoms seen	After 10 days	33.1
Bearded dragon juveniles (Pogona vitticeps) case ref: DM2	3	Swollen eyelids.	New ZooMed Reptisun 10.0 compact	20cm (8in) above basking spot -no reflector or dome.	May 2007	2-3 days	When symptoms seen	Within a few days	9.1
Veiled Chameleon juvenile (Chamaeleo calyptratus) case ref: MB2	2	Eyes closed inactivity, anorexia	ZooMed Reptisun 10.0 compact in use 1 month	< 15cm (6in) to side of basking branches - no reflector or dome.	(1) May 2007 (2) June 2007	2-3 days	(1) lamp not removed (2) After 7 days	(1) died after 1 month (2) healed 7 days later	29.7
Bearded dragon juveniles (Pogona vitticeps) case ref: FC2	2	Inactivity, inappetance, eyes closed	New ZooMed Reptisun 10.0 compact	< 15cm (6in) above and to the side of basking rock -no reflector or dome.	June 2007	2-3 days	After 7 days	Swelling gone in 5 days, all normal in 10 days	15.7
Veiled Chameleon (Chamaeleo calyptratus) case ref: GB	1	Inactivity, eyes closed.	New ZooMed Reptisun 10.0 compact	15cm (6in) to side of basking branches -no reflector or dome.	July 2007	3 days later	When symptoms seen	Recovery over 4 – 15 days	29.7
Red-eared slider turtle (Trachemys scripta elegans) case ref: SC	2	Swollen eyelids, cessation of basking	New ZooMed Reptisun 10.0 compact	6 – 9 in above, set at an angle in white dome	4 July 2006	5 – 8 July 2006	20 Jan 2007	22 Jan 2007 – then re-occurrence when light used again	10.9 at 6in 4.9 at 9in
Red-eared slider turtle (Trachemys scripta elegans) case ref: GG	3	Swollen eyelids	10-day-old ZooMed Reptisun 10.0 compact	12 in above, horizontally mounted in steel reflector hood	Sept 2006	4 days later	As soon as symptoms seen	Within a few days	14.4
Painted Turtle hatchlings (Chrysemys picta) case ref: J	2	Swollen eyelids, eyes closed	New ZooMed Reptisun 10.0 compact	6 in above, 10 in to the side, in aluminium dome	7 Nov 2006	9 Nov 2006	12 Nov 2006	15 Nov 2006 – then re-occurred when light used again	32.5
Red-eared slider turtle (Trachemys scripta elegans) case ref: N	1	Refused to bask, hiding, inappetance, swollen eyelids	New ZooMed Reptisun 10.0 compact	Not recorded	19 Dec 2006	21 Dec 2006	21 Dec 2006	26 Dec 2006
Bearded dragon hatchlings (Pogona vitticeps) case ref: JP	8	Eyes closed	New ZooMed Reptisun 5.0 compact	10 -18 cm (4 -7 ins) above sloping ramp. No reflector or dome	20 Dec 2006	21 Dec 2006	21 Dec 2006	4 had recovered by 23 Dec, all by 2 Jan	9.8 at 4in 4.1 at 7in
Red-eared slider turtle (Trachemys scripta elegans) case ref: OG	1	Eyes closed, swollen eyelids, lethargic. Skin peeled from eyelids.	New ZooMed Reptisun 10.0 compact	6 in above, set at an angle in white dome	17 Feb 2007	21 Feb 2007	22 Feb 2007	27 Feb 2007	14.9
Red-eared slider turtle (Trachemys scripta elegans) case ref: CS	1	Swollen eyelids	New ZooMed Reptisun 10.0 compact	5 in above, set at an angle in small white lampholder	6 April 2007	7 April 2007	8 April 2007	10 April 2007	21.0
Red-eared slider turtle (Trachemys scripta elegans) case ref: SS	2	Refusing to bask, eyes closed, swollen eyelids	New ZooMed Reptisun 10.0 compact	(1) 10in above at angle, in aluminium dome then (2) 15in, in white dome	(1) 8 April 2007 (2) 15 April 2007	(1) 8 April 2007 (2) 16 April 2007	(1) 12 April 2007 (2) 16 April 2007	(1) 14 April 2007 (2) 18 April 2007	(1) 41.8 (2) 2.2
Red-eared slider turtle (Trachemys scripta elegans) case ref: V	1	Inappetance lethargy, swollen eyelids	New ZooMed Reptisun 10.0 compact	4 – 5 in above, set at an angle. No reflector or dome	10 April 2007	11 April 2007	12 April 2007	14 April 2007	31.9 at 4in 21.0 at 5in
Red-eared slider turtle (Trachemys scripta elegans) case ref: L	1	Eyes closed, staying out of water, swollen eyelids	New ZooMed Reptisun 10.0 compact	6 in above, set at an angle. No reflector or dome	25 April 2007	27 April 2007	28 April 2007	29 April 2007	14.9
Red-eared slider turtle hatchlings (Trachemys scripta elegans) case ref: R	2	Refusing to bask, eyes closed, swollen eyelids	New ZooMed Reptisun 5.0 compact)	5 – 6 in above, set at an angle in white dome	2 May 2007	5 May 2007	6 May 2007	7 May 2007	21.0 at 5in 14.9 at 6in
Blue Tongue Skink (Tiliqua scincoides) case ref: AM	1	Eyes closed, eyelids swollen, lower eyelid skin peeled from eyelids.	New ZooMed Reptisun 10.0 compact	12 in directly above tank floor in 10” aluminium dome	8 July 2007	9 July 2007	12 July 2007	21 July 2007	25.1
Bearded dragon hatchlings (Pogona vitticeps) case ref: AR	2	Eyes closed, swollen eyelids, anorexia.	New ZooMed Reptisun 10.0 compact	6 in to side of basking rock and 4 in above vivarium floor. No reflector or dome	31 Aug 2007	2 Sept 2007	Lamp not removed	First hatchling died 6 Sept 2007; second died 9 Sept 2007	31.9 at 4in above 28.9 at 6in to side

All the cases involving red eared slider turtles were first reported by members of a popular hobbyists’ website forum in the USA, www.redearslider.com.
One of the organisers of the forum collected more detailed, written reports, photographs and the “problem” Reptisun 10.0 compact lamps from three members, SC (New York, USA), SS (Florida, USA) and GG (New Jersey, USA). She sent these to FB, (lamp refs. BW3, 4 and 5) along with two brand new lamps sourced from two different suppliers in the USA, lamp refs BW1 (Reptilesupply.com, Florida, USA) and BW2 (BigAlsOnline.com, New York, USA).

Individual reptile owners who contacted FB directly by email, enquiring about their problem, submitted other case reports and photographs. A Reptisun 5.0 compact lamp which had apparently caused problems in bearded dragon hatchlings in the Netherlands (lamp ref. BJP1) was submitted by their owner JP.

Two Reptisun 10.0 compact lamps from Italy, one brand new and one old lamp of the original design, were contributed by MB, (lamp refs. MB1 and MB2) and two burned-in lamps of the original design, originally donated by Peregrine Livefoods Ltd. to FB in the UK, were also used for making comparisons (lamp refs. BZC1 and BZC4).

More detailed case histories of all animals examined by MB and five cases submitted to FB are available.

These case histories each open in a new browser window:

AM - Blue Tongue Skink (Tiliqua scincoides)	GG - Red-eared slider turtle (Trachemys scripta elegans)
AR - Bearded dragon hatchlings (Pogona vitticeps)	SS - Red-eared slider turtle (Trachemys scripta elegans)
DM1 - Spur-thighed tortoise (Testudo graeca)	SC - Red-eared slider turtle (Trachemys scripta elegans)
DM2 - Bearded dragon juveniles (Pogona vitticeps)	GB - Veiled Chameleon (Chamaeleo calyptratus)
FC1 - Yellow-footed Tortoises (Geochelone denticulata)	MB1 - Bearded dragon sub-adults (Pogona vitticeps)
FC2 - Bearded dragon juveniles (Pogona vitticeps)	MB2 - Veiled Chameleon juvenile (Chamaeleo calyptratus)

R-Zilla Desert 50 Series lamps

The report we have submitted to R-Zilla is incomplete, since the cases are so recent that details are still being collected. We are currently investigating reports of five incidents, involving at least 40 animals, which have occurred in association with the use of lamps from the new R-Zilla Desert 50 Series of fluorescent UVB lamps. At the time of writing, we only have one fully documented report and bare outlines of the four other cases. More details of these will be added to the report as soon as possible. These new cases follow a similar pattern to those reported for the ZooMed Compact Lamps. The affected chameleons also demonstrated skin problems. A veiled chameleon which was suffering from photo-kerato-conjunctivitis developed an apparent desire to keep his skin wet, and the owner reported that he "became very thirsty all of the time and would sit wanting to have his body misted as if he received relief from the shower". A panther chameleon which died had developed strange, extensive skin lesions resembling burns on both sides of its body, limbs and tail and the owner also noticed an increased thirst during its short illness.

The details of these cases are summarised in the chart below.

The estimate for Case RW is based upon the measurements taken from the R-Zilla Desert 50 Series T8 lamp which caused the photo-kerato-conjunctivis. Other estimates are based upon measurements from the brand new sample R-Zilla Desert 50 Series T5 lamp BZL1 after 0.5 hours burn, with its acrylic cover in place.

The incident involving the R-Zilla T8 lamp was reported to FB by the owner of the affected bearded dragons, who also submitted the lamp for testing. All other cases were associated with the R-Zilla Desert Series 50 T5 Low Profile Single Bulb Fixture. The incidents involving chameleons were reported to chameleon keeper DW by his local reptile store. He is making further investigations and sent a brand new T5 lamp to FB for testing. The other incidents have been reported on a popular hobbyists' website forum and FB is collecting further information from the owners.

A more detailed case history for one incident reported to FB is available:

This case history opens in a new browser window:

• RW - Bearded dragon juveniles (Pogona vitticeps)

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