Association of herpesvirus with fibropapillomatosis of the green turtle Chelonia mydas and the loggerhead turtle Caretta caretta in Florida

Abstract

Sea turtle fibropapillomatos~s (FP) is a disease marked by proliferat~on of b e n~g n but debilitating cutaneous fibropapillomas and occasional visceral fibromas Transmission experiments have implicated a chloroform-sensltlve transforming agent present in filtered cell-free tumor homogenates in the etiology of FP In t h~s study, consensus pnmer PCR methodology was used to test the a s s o c~a t~o n of a chelonian herpesvirus with f~bropapillomatosis Fibiopap~lloma and skin samples were obtalned f~o m 17 green and 2 loggerhead turtles affected iwth FP stranded along the Flor~da coastline Ninety-three cutaneous and vlsceral tumors fiom the 19 turtles, and 33 skln samples from 16 of the turtles, were tested All turtles affected with FP had herpesvlrus associated w t h thelr tumors as detected by PCR N~nety-six percent (89/93) of the tumors but only 9 % (3/33) of the skin samples from affected turtles contained detectable herpesvirus The skin samples that contained herpesvirus were all within 2 cm of a flbropapillo~na Also. 1 of 11 scar tissue samples from sites where fibropapillomas had been removed 2 to 51 wk earlier from 5 green turtles contalned detectable herpesvirus None of 18 normal skln samples from 2 green and 2 loggerhead turtles stranded without FP contained herpesvirus The data indicated that heipesvlrus was detectable only withln or close to tumors To determine if the same vlrus infected both turtle specles, partial nucleotide sequences of the herpesvlrus DNA polymerase gene were determined from 6 loggerhead and 2 green turtle samples The sequences predicted that herpesviius of loggerhead turtles dlffered from those of green turtles by only 1 of 60 a m~n o acids In the sequence examined, Indicating that a chelonlan herpesvlrus exhibltlng minor intratyplc vanation was the only helpesvlrus present in tumors of both green and loggerhead turtles The FP-assoc~ated herpesvlrus reslsted cultlvat~on on chelonian cell hnes whlch support the replicat~on of other chelonian herpesvlruses These results lead to the conclus~on that a chelonian herpesvirus IS regularly associated with f~bropap~llomatosis and 1s not merely an ~ncldental flndlng in affected turtles

Hematological and histopathological evaluation of wildlife green turtles (Chelonia mydas) with and without fibropapilloma from the north coast of São Paulo State, Brazil

“…Some records indicate that over 50% of animals caught in the region of Florida have the disease (Brill et al 1995); according Ehrhart (1991) and Lackovich et al (1999), this variation can be from 0 to 72.5%. Some data from the base of Ubatuba/SP indicate the increase in prevalence from 0 to 24% in the period 1986 to 1998.…”

“…Studies detected the presence of C-FP-HV (Chelonid fibropapilloma-associated herpesvirus) in samples of fibropapillomas (Lackovich et al 1999, Ene et al 2005, Work et al 2009). However, interference by human industrial and agricultural activities in areas close to beaches, bays and lakes can contribute to the increase of the disease (Balazs 1991, Adnyana et al 1997.…”

“…Fibropapillomas are benign tumors that can achieve 30cm of diameter (Lackovich et al 1999) and can involve the tegument of the fins, eyes, base of the tail, oral regions, cervical, inguinal, axillary, carapace and cloacal region (Jacobson et al 1989, Herbst 1994). The disease is characterized by the presence of internal and external tumors (Herbst 1994).…”

Characterization of fibropapillomatosis in green turtles Chelonia mydas (Cheloniidae) captured in a foraging area in southeastern Brazil

“…However, compared with some regions in other countries, the prevalence found in this study was lower than average, e.g. Hawaiian Islands: 0 to 92% (Balazs 1991); Florida: up to 72.5% (Lackovich et al 1999); Western coast of Florida (Gulf of Mexico): 51.9% (Foley et al 2005); Indian River Lagoon, Florida: 61.6% (Hirama & Ehrhart 2007); Moreton Bay, Australia: up to 70% (Aguirre et al 2000).…”

“…Fibropapillomatosis (FP) is a multifactorial infectious disease affecting marine turtles, including the green turtle Chelonia mydas (Barragan & Sarti 1994, Herbst 1994, Limpus & Miller 1994, Aguirre et al 1999, Lackovich et al 1999, D'Amato & Moraes-Neto 2000, Huerta et al 2002. The disease is characterised by the development of single or multiple tumorous masses in the ocular region, bucal cavity, skin, carapace, plastron or internal organs (Jacobson et al 1989, Balazs 1991, Herbst 1994, Aguirre et al 2002.…”