A Hidden Disease Crisis Is Spreading Among Snakes — and Scientists Want to Know Why

  • تاريخ النشر: الأربعاء، 10 يونيو 2026 زمن القراءة: دقيقة قراءة

New study reveals widespread infections, coinfections, and conservation risks in native snake populations.

The Study Looked Beyond One Disease

More Than 500 Snakes Were Tested

The Southeast Was the Main Focus

Most Snakes Carried at Least One Pathogen

Salmonella Was the Most Common Finding

A New Wild-Snake Bacterium Raised Concern

Coinfections Were Widespread

Pygmy Rattlesnakes Stood Out

Location and Skin Lesions Mattered

The Crisis Matters for Conservation

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Wild snakes in the southeastern United States are facing a disease problem that is harder to see than a sudden die-off. A new study found that many free-ranging snakes are carrying pathogens, with fungal disease, parasites, bacteria, and coinfections appearing across native snake populations.

The research, published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science and reported by SciTechDaily, examined more than 500 snakes from 29 species. Most were captured at wildlife refuges in South Carolina and Florida, with additional samples collected across the southeastern US, giving scientists a broader look at a hidden health crisis affecting rattlesnakes and other native snakes.

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