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Silva MADA, Medina RM, Leandro HJ, Ribeiro RB, Petronilha MBRG, Carvalho ECQDE, Silveira RL, Werneck MR, Shimoda E. Pathological changes by spirorchiid eggs in hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) stranded off brazilian coast. AN ACAD BRAS CIENC 2022; 94:e20201107. [PMID: 35830069 DOI: 10.1590/0001-3765202220201107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Accepted: 06/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Eretmochelys imbricata (hawksbill turtle) is classified as a critically endangered species at world level; in Brazil, it is listed among the threatened species. Spirorchiids are parasites of the circulatory system of chelonians which may cause serious lesions in the various tissues of the host due to deposition of eggs in the bloodstream. In this context, the aim of the present study was to describe the pathology caused by spirorchiid eggs in E. imbricata from the Brazilian over a five year period. A total of 29 animals were analyzed, of which nine (31%) presented lesions associated to spirorchiids eggs. The lesions were: granulomatous enteritis in six (66.66%), granulomatous splenitis in five (55.55%), granulomatous hepatitis in three (33.33%), granulomatous pneumonia in three (33.33%), granulomatous pancreatitis in two (22.22%), and granulomatous adrenalitis in one specimen (11.11%). Concluded the main lesion in Eretmochelys imbricata was giant-cell granulomatous inflammatory reaction to the parasite's eggs. Animals exhibiting poor physical health were more susceptible to presenting such lesions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Aparecida DA Silva
- Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo/UFES, Departamento de Biologia, Programa de Pós garaduação em Ciências Veterinárias, Alto Universitário, sn, Guararema, 29500-000 Alegre, ES, Brazil
| | - Raphael M Medina
- Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro/UENF, Setor de Patologia Animal, Avenida Alberto Lamego, 2000, Parque Califórnia, 28013-602 Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ, Brazil
| | - Hassan J Leandro
- Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro/UENF, Setor de Patologia Animal, Avenida Alberto Lamego, 2000, Parque Califórnia, 28013-602 Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ, Brazil
| | - Rachel B Ribeiro
- Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro/UENF, Setor de Patologia Animal, Avenida Alberto Lamego, 2000, Parque Califórnia, 28013-602 Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ, Brazil
| | - Mariah B R G Petronilha
- Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro/UENF, Setor de Patologia Animal, Avenida Alberto Lamego, 2000, Parque Califórnia, 28013-602 Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ, Brazil
| | - Eulógio Carlos Q DE Carvalho
- Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro/UENF, Setor de Patologia Animal, Avenida Alberto Lamego, 2000, Parque Califórnia, 28013-602 Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ, Brazil
| | - Renato Luiz Silveira
- , Centro de Ciências Médicas, Departamento de Morfologia, Rua Professor Hernani Mello, 101, Centro, 24210-130 Niterói, RJ, Brazil
| | - Max R Werneck
- BW Consultoria Veterinária, Rua Sueli Brazil Flores, 88, Praia Seca, 28970-000 Araruama, RJ, Brazil
| | - Eduardo Shimoda
- Universidade Cândido Mendes, Rua Anita Peçanha, 100, Parque São Caetano. 28030-335 Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ, Brazil
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Corner RD, Cribb TH, Cutmore SC. Vermetid gastropods as key intermediate hosts for a lineage of marine turtle blood flukes (Digenea: Spirorchiidae), with evidence of transmission at a turtle rookery. Int J Parasitol 2021; 52:225-241. [PMID: 34742720 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2021.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Revised: 08/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Blood flukes of the family Spirorchiidae Stunkard, 1921 are significant pathogens of marine turtles, both in the wild and in captivity. Despite causing considerable disease and mortality, little is known about the life cycles of marine species, with just four reports globally. No complete life cycle has been elucidated for any named species of marine spirorchiid, but the group is reported to use vermetid and fissurellid gastropods, and terebelliform polychaetes as intermediate hosts. Here we report molecular evidence that nine related spirorchiid species infect vermetid gastropods as first intermediate hosts from four localities along the coast of Queensland, Australia. ITS2 rDNA and cox1 mtDNA sequence data generated from vermetid infections provides the first definitive identifications for the intermediate hosts for the four species of Hapalotrema Looss, 1899 and Learedius learedi Price, 1934. Additionally, we provide a new locality report for larval stages of Amphiorchis sp., and evidence of three additional unidentified spirorchiid species in Australian waters. Based on the wealth of infections from vermetids during this study, we conclude that the previous preliminary report of a fissurellid limpet as the intermediate host for L. learedi was likely mistaken. The nine species found infecting vermetids during this study form a strongly supported clade exclusive of species of the other two marine spirorchiid genera for which sequence data are available; Carettacola Manter & Larson, 1950 which falls sister to the vermetid-infecting clade + a small clade of freshwater spirorchiids, and Neospirorchis Price, 1934 which is distantly related to the vermetid-infecting clade. We provide further evidence that spirorchiid transmission can occur in closed system aquaria and show that spirorchiid transmission occurs at both an important turtle rookery (Heron Island, southern Great Barrier Reef, Australia) and foraging ground (Moreton Bay, Australia). We discuss the implications of our findings for the epidemiology of the disease, control in captivity, and the evolution of vermetid exploitation by the Spirorchiidae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard D Corner
- The University of Queensland, School of Biological Sciences, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia.
| | - Thomas H Cribb
- The University of Queensland, School of Biological Sciences, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Scott C Cutmore
- The University of Queensland, School of Biological Sciences, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
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Epidemiology of blood flukes (Digenea: Spirorchiidae) in sea turtles from Tyrrhenian and Adriatic Seas, off Italy. Parasit Vectors 2020; 13:52. [PMID: 32033615 PMCID: PMC7006393 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-020-3922-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2019] [Accepted: 01/31/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The Spirorchiidae is a family of blood flukes parasitizing turtles. Spirorchiids may cause a wide range of inflammatory reactions in the vascular system of their host being frequently implicated with stranding and death of sea turtles worldwide. Recent studies revealed the presence of two spirorchiid species in the Mediterranean basin. Our study presents comparative epidemiological data of spirorchiid infections in loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) stranded during an eight-year period from Adriatic and Tyrrhenian Seas, and the first report of Neospirorchis Neogen-11 in a green turtle (Chelonia mydas). Methods We screened a total of 319 carcasses of loggerhead turtles stranded from January 2011 to December 2018 along the Tyrrhenian coast (n = 111) and the north-western Adriatic coast (n = 208) of Italy using traditional (copromicroscopy and histopathology) and molecular assays. Three green turtles from the Tyrrhenian coast were also included in the study. Results A total of 56 (17.5%) loggerhead turtles and one green turtle (33.3%) were found to be infected with spirorchiid flukes. Amplification, sequencing of the ITS2 region of the ribosomal RNA gene cluster and BLAST analysis confirmed the presence of Hapalotrema mistroides and Neospirorchis Neogen-11 in 51 (16.0%) and 24 (7.5%) loggerhead turtles, respectively, and Neospirorchis Neogen-11 in an infected green turtle. Differences in prevalence of infection between the two sampling areas were found. Conclusions The risk of spirorchiid infection in the Tyrrhenian Sea is lower than in the Adriatic Sea and in general the risk of infection in the Mediterranean is lower than in other geographical locations. Differences in the prevalence of infection between the two sampling areas were related to the differences of regional habitats supporting different abundance of spirorchiid intermediate hosts. A systematic monitoring to evaluate the progress of the infection is recommended, as well as studies on the occurrence and distribution of spirorchiid species from other Mediterranean areas.![]()
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Abstract
The causes of the beaching and death of sea turtles have not been fully clarified and continue to be studied. Mild, moderate and severe lesions caused by spirorchiidiosis have been seen for decades in different organs and were recently defined as the cause of death of a loggerhead turtle. In the present study, eyes and optic nerves were analysed in green sea turtles with spirorchiidiosis and no other debilitating factors. Injuries to the optic nerve and choroid layer were described in 235 animals (90%) infected with spirorchiids. Turtles with ocular spirorchiidiosis are approximately three times more likely to be cachectic than turtles with spirorchiidiosis without ocular involvement.
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Chapman PA, Cribb TH, Flint M, Traub RJ, Blair D, Kyaw-Tanner MT, Mills PC. Spirorchiidiasis in marine turtles: the current state of knowledge. DISEASES OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS 2019; 133:217-245. [PMID: 31187736 DOI: 10.3354/dao03348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Blood flukes of the family Spirorchiidae are important disease agents in marine turtles. The family is near cosmopolitan in distribution. Twenty-nine marine species across 10 genera are currently recognized, but taxonomic problems remain and it is likely that more species will be discovered. Spirorchiids infect the circulatory system, where they and their eggs cause a range of inflammatory lesions. Infection is sometimes implicated in the death of the turtle. In some regions, prevalence in stranded turtles is close to 100%. Knowledge of life cycles, important for control and epidemiological studies, has proven elusive until recently, when the first intermediate host identifications were made. Recent molecular studies of eggs and adult worms indicate that a considerable level of intrageneric and intraspecific diversity exists. The characterization of this diversity is likely to be of importance in exploring parasite taxonomy and ecology, unravelling life cycles, identifying the differential pathogenicity of genotypes and species, and developing antemortem diagnostic tools, all of which are major priorities for future spirorchiid research. Diagnosis to date has been reliant on copromicroscopy or necropsy, which both have significant limitations. The current lack of reliable antemortem diagnostic options is a roadblock to determining the true prevalence and epidemiology of spirorchiidiasis and the development of effective treatment regimes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phoebe A Chapman
- Veterinary-Marine Animal Research, Teaching and Investigation, School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, Queensland 4343, Australia
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