EXAM 2 - 10 Lectures Flashcards
Chelonian (turtles) Upper Respiratory Disease - Overall Clinical Signs
ocular discharge
nasal discharge
blepharoedema - eye swelling
oral plaques
depression/lethargy
asymmetrical nares
nasal erosion
skin depigmentation
Chelonian URD - Ranavirus (FV3)
causes local outbreaks with high morbidity and mortality
survives can become carriers - consider euthanasia
Chelonian URD - Ranavirus Transmission
direct contact
indirectly through water, sediment, ingestion
Chelonian URD - Ranavirus Epidemiology
outbreaks cause 28-71% declines in focal populations
outbreaks may occur as spillover events from amphibians
survivors becoming carriers
- possible role in viral persistence in wetlands
- prolonged shedding in re-infected turtles
Chelonian URD - Ranavirus Disease Presentation
lethargy
anorexia
ophthalmic signs
nasal discharge
oropharyngeal lesions
edema
respiratory distress
mortality within 30 days of developing clinical signs
indistinguishable from mycoplasma, herpesviruses - coinfections possible
Chelonian URD - Ranavirus Pathogenesis and Treatment
pathologic changes are severe and systemically distributed
death due to multiorgan failure
treatment typically not recommended
- not often successful
- carriers
Chelonian URD - Mycoplasma
chronic upper respiratory tract disease recognized in desert and gopher tortoises
agassizii and tesudineum
tiny bacteria that lack cell walls - don’t persist in the environment
causes local outbreaks with moderate morbidity and low mortality - or can be endemic
survivors become chronically infected - disease recurs with stress
- euthanasia not recommended
Chelonian URD - Mycoplasma Transmission
direct contact
fomites
Chelonian URD - Mycoplasma Clincal Signs
nasal and ocular discharge
conjunctivitis
palpebral edema
intermittent
Chelonian URD - Mycoplasma Contributing Factors
environmental stressors
human factors
toxicant esposure
capture and release of ill animals
Chelonian URD - Herpesviruses
many different viruses affect turtles
large enveloped dsDNA
associated with respiratory disease, fibropapilloma, and other presentations
epidemiology not well understood
survivors become chronically infected
- disease recurs with stress
- euthanasia not recommended
Chelonian URD - Herpesviruses Transmission
direct
mother to offspring
URD Diagnostics
cannot be clinically distinguished
- requires diagnosis
most practical approach in live animals
- oral/cloacal swab PCR for all 3
- optimal sensitivity vs oral or cloacal swab alone
- whole blood PCR for FV3
some labs offer UR panel
postmortem histopathology and molecular testing
URD Management
treatment not recommended for FV3
herpes and mycoplasma treatment
- supportive care - heat, fluids, nutrition, nebulization
- decrease stress
- manage secondary infections
- antibiotics - mycoplasma
- antiviral - herpes
biosecurity
- gloves
- treatment order
- disinfection - remove organic debris - 3% bleach x 1 min
Ophidiomycosis (Snake Fungal Disease) Background
emerging disease in snakes worldwide
all species appear to be susceptible
impacts species of conservation concern
caused by fungus Ophidiomyces ophidiicola - snake fungal disease
- can persist in soil over wide temps and pH
- keratinophilic
- opportnistic
SFD Transmission
not fully understood
contact with infected snakes?
contact with infected soils?
at birth?
SFD Disease Presentation
general signs
- lethargy
- difficulty shedding
skin lesions
- raised and discolored scales
- necrotic scales
- pustules and granulomas
- crusts
- ulcers
additional lesions
- oclar
- ventral neck swelling
- jaw deformit
- rostrum crusting
- rostrum ulceration
secondary impacts of infection
- difficulty eating, reproducing, defecating
FSD Diagnosis
from dermal punch
- qPCR
- histopathology
- fungal culture
swab
- from qPCR
FSD Treatment
can take months to years
medication
- antifungal
- terbinafine greatest success
administration
- oral, injectable
- nebulization
monitoring
- physical exams for skin lesion improvement
- skin swabbing to detect fungus DNA every 30 days of nebulization
FSD Management
population-level impacts unclear
- need more surveillance
biosecurity
- gloves
- clean boots and equipment between sites
- disinfect natural materials before use in snake enclosures
environmental management?
Sea Turtle Fibropapillomatosis Background
likely caused by ChHV5
multifactorial etiology of tumor development and progression
mainly effects green sea turtles but reported in all marine turtle species
does not appear as a threat at population level
geographic distribution
- coastlines and continental shelf
- associated with pollution, anthropogenic impacts
Sea Turtle FP Clinical Presentation
single or multiple tumors that occur anywhere on the body
chronic condition - severity varies between individuals
histologically benign but can be detrimental based on size, location, and number
can become ulcerated and develop secondary bacterial or fungal infections
can impair vision and feeding
associated with emaciation and immunosuppresssion
Sea Turtle FP Transmission
viral shedding into the environment
potentially magnified by mechanical vectors - marine leeches
non-clinically infected turtles may also spread virus
biosecurity is important
Sea Turtle FP Diagnosis
cutaneous tumors are easily recognizable
definitive diagnosis requires histopathology
detection of ChHV5 from swabs or tissue
check for visceral disease using imaging, radiography, CT, MRI, ultrasound