Relationship Between Clinical Signs of Upper Respiratory Tract Disease and Antibodies to Mycoplasma Agassizii in Desert Tortoises From Nevada

Schumacher, Isabella M.; Hardenbrook, D. Bradford; Brown, Mary Bomberger; Jacobson, Elliott R.; Klein, Paul

doi:10.7589/0090-3558-33.2.261

Cited by 42 publications

(34 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…Studies have shown that tortoises may maintain subclinical upper respiratory tract infection that results in extensive tissue damage over time (Jacobson et al 1991;Schumacher et al 1997;McLaughlin et al 2000). Because antibodies to Mycoplasma are not frequently detected in juveniles, transmission likely occurs as individuals reach sexual maturity Gonynor 2013).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

EFFECTS OF MYCOPLASMAL UPPER-RESPIRATORY-TRACT DISEASE ON MOVEMENT AND THERMOREGULATORY BEHAVIOR OF GOPHER TORTOISES (GOPHERUS POLYPHEMUS) IN GEORGIA, USA

McGuire

Smith

Guyer

et al. 2014

Journal of Wildlife Diseases

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ABSTRACT:From 2011-12, we studied a gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) population with a historically high prevalence of antibodies to Mycoplasma agassizii to assess long-term effects of upper-respiratory-tract disease (URTD) on tortoise behavior. We radiotracked 30 adult tortoises (16 males, 14 females) from a long-term study site with the use of mark-recapture methods to determine site fidelity and to compare home-range size to that of a study in 1997. An additional 10 tortoises (six males, four females) with severe clinical signs of URTD from elsewhere in the study area were radiotracked and compared to tortoises that were asymptomatic or had only mild clinical signs. We also monitored thermoregulatory behavior of tortoises with the use of data loggers affixed to the carapace. There was no significant difference in home-range size between the asymptomatic tortoises and those with mild symptoms. Home ranges of tortoises with severe URTD were significantly larger than asymptomatic or mildly affected tortoises. Tortoises with severe clinical signs moved long distances over short periods, contradicting a hypothesis that chronically infected tortoises are less likely to emigrate. Prevalence of M. agassizii antibodies was similar among the three groups (98% overall), but prevalence of antibodies to a second pathogen associated with URTD, Mycoplasma testudineum, was lower in the asymptomatic (n514, 7%) and mild-symptoms (n57, 14%) groups than the severe-symptoms group (n58, 50%). Variation in the average carapacial temperatures of tortoises with severe URTD was significantly different from carapacial temperatures of mild and asymptomatic tortoises, suggesting differences in thermoregulatory behavior of severely ill tortoises. Our 15-yr recapture data suggest that, despite high prevalence of M. agassizii, population density has not decreased over time. However, emigration, especially of tortoises with severe clinical disease, may play an important role in dispersal and persistence of pathogens.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

EFFECTS OF MYCOPLASMAL UPPER-RESPIRATORY-TRACT DISEASE ON MOVEMENT AND THERMOREGULATORY BEHAVIOR OF GOPHER TORTOISES (GOPHERUS POLYPHEMUS) IN GEORGIA, USA

McGuire

Smith

Guyer

et al. 2014

Journal of Wildlife Diseases

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“…Antibody to the mycoplasma species was found in 15 of 16 tortoises with respiratory lesions (Schumacher et al, 1993). In a serological survey of desert tortoises in Nevada, 84 % of animals with clinical signs of URTD tested positive by ELISA (Schumacher et al, 1997). In experimental infection studies (Brown et al, 1994(Brown et al, , 1999 clinical isolates of the new mycoplasma caused URTD in both the desert and gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus), fulfilling the majority of the Koch-Henle-Evans postulates and demonstrating the pathogenic potential of the species (Evans, 1976).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Mycoplasma agassizii sp. nov., isolated from the upper respiratory tract of the desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) and the gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus).

Brown¹,

Brown²,

Klein³

et al. 2001

International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology

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Biochemical, serological and molecular genetic studies were performed on seven mycoplasma isolates that were recovered from the upper respiratory tract of clinically ill desert tortoises. The isolates were serologically related to each other but serologically distinct from previously described species. Unique mycoplasma species-specific 16S rRNA nucleotide sequences were found in the proposed type strain. The name Mycoplasma agassizii is proposed for these isolates. The type strain is PS6T (l ATCC 700616 T ) which caused upper respiratory tract disease (URTD) in experimentally infected tortoises.

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“…The time between infection and immune response can take up to 8 wk in desert and gopher tortoises. Tortoises infected with M. agassizii typically present with chronic or subclinical infection (Schumacher et al, 1997;Brown et al, 2002).…”

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confidence: 99%

Detection of Mycoplasma agassizii in the Texas Tortoise (Gopherus berlandieri)

Guthrie

White

Brown

et al. 2013

Journal of Wildlife Diseases

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ABSTRACT:Mycoplasma agassizii causes upper respiratory tract disease (URTD) in Texas tortoises (Gopherus berlandieri). To determine exposure to and shedding of M. agassizii, we collected blood samples and nasal swabs from 40 free-ranging Texas tortoises on public and private lands in Texas, USA, from May to October 2009. We used an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to detect M. agassizii-specific antibodies. Eleven (28%) tortoises were antibody positive, three (8%) were suspect, and the remaining 26 (65%) were negative. Nasal lavage samples were collected from 35 of the 40 tortoises for M. agassizii culture and PCR to detect shedding of M. agassizii. Current infection with M. agassizii was confirmed in one tortoise that had mild clinical signs of URTD and was positive by ELISA (antibody titer .512), PCR, and culture. The clinical isolate was confirmed as M. agassizii by restriction fragment length polymorphism and immunobinding.

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Relationship Between Clinical Signs of Upper Respiratory Tract Disease and Antibodies to Mycoplasma Agassizii in Desert Tortoises From Nevada

Cited by 42 publications

References 3 publications

EFFECTS OF MYCOPLASMAL UPPER-RESPIRATORY-TRACT DISEASE ON MOVEMENT AND THERMOREGULATORY BEHAVIOR OF GOPHER TORTOISES (GOPHERUS POLYPHEMUS) IN GEORGIA, USA

EFFECTS OF MYCOPLASMAL UPPER-RESPIRATORY-TRACT DISEASE ON MOVEMENT AND THERMOREGULATORY BEHAVIOR OF GOPHER TORTOISES (GOPHERUS POLYPHEMUS) IN GEORGIA, USA

Mycoplasma agassizii sp. nov., isolated from the upper respiratory tract of the desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) and the gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus).

Detection of Mycoplasma agassizii in the Texas Tortoise (Gopherus berlandieri)

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