Health assessment of wild speckled dwarf tortoises, CHERSOBIUS SIGNATUS
Open Access
- 4 March 2021
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Springer Science and Business Media LLC in BMC Veterinary Research
- Vol. 17 (1), 1-11
- https://doi.org/10.1186/s12917-021-02800-5
Abstract
BackgroundIn free-ranging reptile populations, bacterial, fungal, viral and parasitic pathogens may affect hosts through impairment in movements, thermoregulation, reproduction, survival, and population dynamics. The speckled dwarf tortoise (Chersobius [Homopus] signatus) is a threatened species that is mostly restricted to the Succulent Karoo biome in South Africa, and little information on pathogens of this species is available yet. We derived baseline parameters for five males and five females that were captured to genetically enhance a conservation breeding program in Europe. Upon collection of the tortoises, ticks were removed and identified. Immediately upon arrival in Europe, ocular, nasal, oral and cloacal swabs were taken for viral, bacteriological and mycological examinations. Fecal samples were collected before and 1 month after fenbendazole treatment, and analyzed for parasites. A panel of PCR, aiming to detect herpesviruses, adenoviruses and iridoviruses, was carried out.ResultsSamples were negative for viruses, while bacteriological examination yielded detectable growth in 82.5% of the swabs with a mean load of 16x10(7)61x10(8) colony forming units (CFU) per swab, representing 34 bacterial species. Cloacal and oral swabs yielded higher detectable growth loads than nasal and ocular swabs, but no differences between sexes were observed. Fungi and yeasts (mean load 5x10(3)+/- 13x10(3) CFU/swab) were detected in 25% of the swabs. All pre-treatment fecal samples were positive for oxyurid eggs, ranging from 200 to 2400 eggs per gram of feces, whereas after the treatment a significantly reduced egg count (90-100% reduction) was found in seven out of 10 individuals. One remaining individual showed 29% reduction, and two others had increased egg counts. In five tortoises, Nycthocterus spp. and coccidian oocysts were also identified. Soft ticks were identified as Ornithodoros savignyi.Conclusions Our baseline data from clinically healthy individuals will help future studies to interpret prevalences of microorganisms in speckled dwarf tortoise populations. The study population did not appear immediately threatened by current parasite presence.Keywords
This publication has 62 references indexed in Scilit:
- Survey of co-infection by Salmonellaand oxyurids in tortoisesBMC Veterinary Research, 2012
- Parasites, emerging disease and wildlife conservationInternational Journal for Parasitology, 2010
- Aerobic Bacterial Infections in Captive Juvenile Green Turtles (Chelonia mydas) and Hawksbill Turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) from ThailandChelonian Conservation and Biology, 2010
- Yeasts Occurring in Surface and Mouth Cavity of Two Chelonian Species,Podocnemis expansaSchweigger andP. unifilisTroschel (Reptilia: Chelonia: Pelomedusidae), in the Javaés River Border of Araguaia National Park in BrazilInternational Journal of Microbiology, 2010
- Salmonella in free-living exotic and native turtles and in pet exotic turtles from SW SpainResearch in Veterinary Science, 2008
- Detection of Salmonellae in Captive and Free-Ranging Turtles Using Enrichment Culture and Polymerase Chain ReactionJournal of Herpetology, 2008
- Case report of systemic coccidiosis in a radiated tortoise (Geochelone radiata)Zeitschrift Fur Parasitenkunde-Parasitology Research, 2007
- AEROBIC BACTERIAL FLORA OF NESTING GREEN TURTLES (CHELONIA MYDAS) FROM TORTUGUERO NATIONAL PARK, COSTA RICAJournal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine, 2006
- Efficacy of oxfendazole and fenbendazole against tortoise (Testudo hermanni) oxyuridsZeitschrift für Parasitenkunde, 2006
- Epidemiology and biology of nematodofauna affecting Testudo hermanni, Testudo graeca and Testudo marginata in ItalyZeitschrift für Parasitenkunde, 2005