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Animals
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Health and Disease Monitoring of Turtles and Tortoises
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Health and Disease Monitoring of Turtles and Tortoises

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Herpetology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 January 2024) | Viewed by 7507

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Federica Marcer

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
Interests: parasitology and parasitic diseases; aquatic animals; cetaceans; marine turtles; zoonoses
Dr. Erica Marchiori

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
Interests: parasitology and parasitic diseases; wildlife medicine; marine turtles; marine animals health; exotic pet animals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Species of the order Testudines have successfully colonized terrestrial, freshwater and marine habitats for millions of years. Nevertheless, the rapid environmental changes that have been occurring over recent centuries threaten their conservation globally. Climate changes and habitat loss and degradation interlace with old and emerging diseases, altering the equilibrium between turtle hosts and infective and infectious agents. Free-ranging turtles are sentinels for an ecosystems’ health, but the trade of pet species represents a source of disease spreading across geographical areas, including certain zoonoses. The aim of this issue is to publish papers dealing with the monitoring of infectious and noninfectious diseases occurring in both wild and captive turtles across all ecosystems (terrestrial and aquatic), the development of diagnostic techniques and the collection of data for the assessment of health monitoring parameters.

Dr. Federica Marcer
Dr. Erica Marchiori
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Chelonian
  • diagnostics
  • virus
  • parasites
  • bacteria
  • diseases
  • conservation
  • turtles
  • tortoises
  • exotic pets

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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13 pages, 1846 KiB  
Article
Spatiotemporal Analysis of Stranded Loggerhead Sea Turtles on the Croatian Adriatic Coast
by Željko Mihaljević, Šimun Naletilić, Jasna Jeremić, Iva Kilvain, Tina Belaj and Tibor Andreanszky
Animals 2024, 14(5), 703; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14050703 - 23 Feb 2024
Viewed by 518
Abstract
This study investigates the spatiotemporal trends of loggerhead turtles along the Croatian Adriatic coast by using stranding data and post-mortem analyses. Information on 620 loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta), collected in the period between 2010 and 2022, has been analysed. Seasonal stranding [...] Read more.
This study investigates the spatiotemporal trends of loggerhead turtles along the Croatian Adriatic coast by using stranding data and post-mortem analyses. Information on 620 loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta), collected in the period between 2010 and 2022, has been analysed. Seasonal stranding variations reveal distinct patterns, indicating season-specific abundance and age-specific mortality in different areas, particularly in the key neritic habitat of the northern Adriatic. The analysis identifies four critical areas in the northeast and central Adriatic showing high stranding densities and provides regional managers with a tool with which to effectively conserve and manage this species. Fishing-induced mortality, collision with vessels, and potential cold stunning are identified as major threats to loggerhead turtles. Post-mortem investigations reveal that longline fishing gear and collisions with vessels are significant age-specific mortality contributors, underscoring the need for targeted conservation efforts in high-risk areas. The study acknowledges potential biases in strandings records but highlights the importance of post-mortem investigations in understanding mortality causes. The findings provide valuable insights for improving conservation strategies, emphasizing the importance of focused surveillance and conservation efforts in identified high-risk locations to mitigate human–turtle interactions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health and Disease Monitoring of Turtles and Tortoises)
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16 pages, 2496 KiB  
Article
Variations in the Intestinal Microbiota of the Chinese Soft-Shelled Turtle (Trionyx sinensis) between Greenhouse and Pond Aquaculture
by Naicheng Liu, Peng Zhang, Mingyang Xue, Zidong Xiao, Mengjie Zhang, Yan Meng, Yuding Fan, Junqiang Qiu, Qinghua Zhang and Yong Zhou
Animals 2023, 13(18), 2971; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13182971 - 20 Sep 2023
Viewed by 829
Abstract
The microbial community structure in aquaculture water plays an important role in the intestinal microbial diversity of aquatic animals. The Chinese soft-shelled turtle (SST) (Trionyx sinensis) is an important aquaculture species of high economic value in the Asia-Pacific region. An intuitive [...] Read more.
The microbial community structure in aquaculture water plays an important role in the intestinal microbial diversity of aquatic animals. The Chinese soft-shelled turtle (SST) (Trionyx sinensis) is an important aquaculture species of high economic value in the Asia-Pacific region. An intuitive understanding of the microbial diversity and abundances of SST aquaculture is crucial for comprehending these ecosystems. Herein, the evolutionary characteristics of the bacterial communities in the SST and its aquaculture water systems were investigated using Illumina MiSeq sequencing. This experiment sampled nine SSTs from a pond outside a greenhouse and was repeated three times. The sequencing results revealed significant differences in the microflora composition at the phylum and genus levels in both the intestine and aquaculture water of the SSTs in the greenhouse and pond aquaculture environments. A total of 1039 genera belonging to 65 phyla were identified. At the phylum level, the relative abundances of Chloroflexi (24%), Acidobacteria (5%), and Nitrospira (3%) were higher in the greenhouse water than in the pond water. The relative abundances of Bacteroidetes (35%), Actinobacteria (8%), and Cyanobacteria (4%) were higher in the pond water than in the greenhouse water. The intestinal microorganisms in the SSTs experienced significant changes after the SSTs were transferred from a greenhouse culture to a pond culture environment for 28 days. After the SSTs were cultured in the ponds, we observed decreases in the relative abundances of Actinobacteria (39% to 25%), Cyanobacteria (24% to 0.8%), Chlorobacteria (9% to 3%), and Firmicutes (5.5% to 0.8%. However, we observed increases in the relative abundances of Bacteroidetes (2% to 35%) and Acidobacteria (0.3% to 25%). These results showed that the bacterial diversity and richness compositions in the intestinal tract and aquaculture water were the same. However, the relative abundances of bacterial communities varied. The results of this study are of great significance in understanding how the environment affects SST cultures. These data may provide valuable instructions for Chinese soft-shelled turtle aquaculture management. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health and Disease Monitoring of Turtles and Tortoises)
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10 pages, 578 KiB  
Article
Trace Amounts of Ranavirus Detected in Common Musk Turtles (Sternotherus odoratus) at a Site Where the Pathogen Was Previously Common
by Rachel M. Goodman, Henry R. Carman, R. Paul Mahaffy and Nathan S. Cabrera
Animals 2023, 13(18), 2951; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13182951 - 18 Sep 2023
Viewed by 863
Abstract
Ranaviruses are global multi-host pathogens that infect ectothermic vertebrates and cause mass mortality events in some species. In 2021–2022, we surveyed two species of aquatic turtles in a Virginia site where previous research found ranavirus in lizards (Sceloporus undulatus) and turtles [...] Read more.
Ranaviruses are global multi-host pathogens that infect ectothermic vertebrates and cause mass mortality events in some species. In 2021–2022, we surveyed two species of aquatic turtles in a Virginia site where previous research found ranavirus in lizards (Sceloporus undulatus) and turtles (Chrysemys picta picta and Terrapene carolina carolina). We sampled tissues from 206 turtles and tested 249 samples (including recaptures) for ranavirus using qPCR. We detected trace amounts of ranavirus DNA in 2.8% of Common Musk Turtles (Sternotherus odoratus). We did not detect the virus in Eastern Painted Turtles (C. p. picta). The Ct values from animals carrying ranavirus corresponded to positive controls with a concentration of one copy of ranavirus DNA per microliter and likely reflect DNA in the environment rather than ranavirus infection in turtles. Turtles carrying ranavirus DNA came from only one pond in one year. The amount of ranavirus in our study site, as indicated by tissue samples from turtles, appears to have dropped dramatically since previous research conducted over a decade ago. This study represents the first report of ranavirus detected in S. odoratus and contributes to the scarce literature on longitudinal surveys of ranavirus in wild chelonians. We emphasize the need for large sample sizes and multi-year sampling to detect this pathogen in wild populations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health and Disease Monitoring of Turtles and Tortoises)
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9 pages, 415 KiB  
Article
Detection and Identification of Mycoplasmopsis agassizii in Captive Tortoises with Different Clinical Signs in Italy
by Livio Galosi, Nicola Ridolfi, Cristina Fellini, Igor Pelizzone, Stefano Cusaro, Gianluca Marchetti, Matteo Canonico, Elena Ghelfi, Nicola Di Girolamo and Silvia Preziuso
Animals 2023, 13(4), 588; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13040588 - 07 Feb 2023
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Abstract
Mycoplasmopsis agassizii causes the Upper Respiratory Tract Disease (URTD) in tortoises. The severity of the disease usually ranges from mild to severe respiratory signs. Animals can recover, die, or become asymptomatic carriers and are source of infection for other tortoises. This study describes [...] Read more.
Mycoplasmopsis agassizii causes the Upper Respiratory Tract Disease (URTD) in tortoises. The severity of the disease usually ranges from mild to severe respiratory signs. Animals can recover, die, or become asymptomatic carriers and are source of infection for other tortoises. This study describes (i) the clinical history and the results obtained in ten years of diagnostic PCR activity for detecting M. agassizii in different species of captive tortoises in Italy, and (ii) the phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequences of M. agassizii. A total of 26.0% out of 169 samples resulted positive by PCR and 32 out of 75 (42.7%) animals with symptoms were positive. Sequences ob-tained from the PCR products were conserved, differed from the sequence of the M. agassizii type strain PS6, and were identical to many M. agassizii sequences deposited in databases. In particular, the sequences were identical or very similar to sequences obtained previously from tortoises in It-aly. Since samples collected from different anatomical sites resulted positive, it is suggested that pools of conjunctival, nasal and oral swabs are tested for diagnostic purpose in both symptomatic and asymptomatic animals. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health and Disease Monitoring of Turtles and Tortoises)
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Review

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16 pages, 1047 KiB  
Review
A Coupled Human and Natural Systems Framework to Characterize Emerging Infectious Diseases—The Case of Fibropapillomatosis in Marine Turtles
by Costanza Manes, Raymond R. Carthy and Vanessa Hull
Animals 2023, 13(9), 1441; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13091441 - 23 Apr 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2445
Abstract
Emerging infectious diseases of wildlife have markedly increased in the last few decades. Unsustainable, continuous, and rapid alterations within and between coupled human and natural systems have significantly disrupted wildlife disease dynamics. Direct and indirect anthropogenic effects, such as climate change, pollution, encroachment, [...] Read more.
Emerging infectious diseases of wildlife have markedly increased in the last few decades. Unsustainable, continuous, and rapid alterations within and between coupled human and natural systems have significantly disrupted wildlife disease dynamics. Direct and indirect anthropogenic effects, such as climate change, pollution, encroachment, urbanization, travel, and trade, can promote outbreaks of infectious diseases in wildlife. We constructed a coupled human and natural systems framework identifying three main wildlife disease risk factors behind these anthropogenic effects: (i) immune suppression, (ii) viral spillover, and (iii) disease propagation. Through complex and convoluted dynamics, each of the anthropogenic effects and activities listed in our framework can lead, to some extent, to one or more of the identified risk factors accelerating disease outbreaks in wildlife. In this review, we present a novel framework to study anthropogenic effects within coupled human and natural systems that facilitate the emergence of infectious disease involving wildlife. We demonstrate the utility of the framework by applying it to Fibropapillomatosis disease of marine turtles. We aim to articulate the intricate and complex nature of anthropogenically exacerbated wildlife infectious diseases as multifactorial. This paper supports the adoption of a One Health approach and invites the integration of multiple disciplines for the achievement of effective and long-lasting conservation and the mitigation of wildlife emerging diseases. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health and Disease Monitoring of Turtles and Tortoises)
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Other

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11 pages, 1857 KiB  
Brief Report
Eight-Year Study of Haemogregarina stepanowi Infection in Poached European Pond Turtles (Emys orbicularis) Held in Belgrade Zoo Quarantine
by Sanja Aleksić-Kovačević, Miloš Vučićević, József Özvegy, Stefan Jelisić, Biljana Djurdjević, Jasna Prodanov-Radulović, Milan Došenović and Darko Marinković
Animals 2023, 13(15), 2429; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13152429 - 27 Jul 2023
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Abstract
The eight-year study (2015–2023) was performed on a large sample of poached European pond turtles infected with Haemogregarina stepanowi and held in a pond that belongs to a quarantine section of Belgrade Zoo. The protected species of European pond turtles have been found [...] Read more.
The eight-year study (2015–2023) was performed on a large sample of poached European pond turtles infected with Haemogregarina stepanowi and held in a pond that belongs to a quarantine section of Belgrade Zoo. The protected species of European pond turtles have been found in poor health, with general weakness, anorexia, and low motility. Comprehensive cytological, hematological, molecular, and postmortem evaluations have been performed. Initially, Diff Quick staining of the blood smears revealed rounded or elongated erythrocytes, often bearing premeront or U-shaped gamont of the hemogregarines inside. The reduced erythrocyte numbers, hemoglobin, and hematocrit values found in the examined population of infected turtles indicated anemia. Macroscopically, shell necrosis and massive skin hemorrhages were the most prominent findings observed in diseased turtles. Microscopically, the lungs, liver, kidneys, and spleen revealed hyperemia, hemorrhages, and the presence of parasitic stages in tissue samples in 31 of 40 necropsied turtles. Cytological and microscopic examination of the samples proved to be sufficient for establishing the infection, but molecular analyses of the 18S sequence were used for phylogenetic studies. Over the years, the number of diseased and dead turtles has decreased, which could be hypothetically attributed to the elimination of leeches as the definitive host. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health and Disease Monitoring of Turtles and Tortoises)
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