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Monteiro J, Duarte M, Amadou K, Barbosa C, El Bar N, Madeira FM, Regalla A, Duarte A, Tavares L, Patrício AR. Fibropapillomatosis and the Chelonid Alphaherpesvirus 5 in Green Turtles from West Africa. Ecohealth 2021; 18:229-240. [PMID: 34241724 PMCID: PMC8463353 DOI: 10.1007/s10393-021-01526-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2020] [Revised: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Fibropapillomatosis (FP) is a tumorigenic panzootic disease of sea turtles, most common in green turtles (Chelonia mydas). FP is linked to the chelonid alphaherpesvirus 5 (ChAHV5) and to degraded habitats and, though benign, large tumours can hinder vital functions, causing death. We analyse 108 green turtles, captured in 2018 and 2019, at key foraging grounds in Guinea-Bissau and Mauritania, West Africa, for the presence of FP, and use real-time PCR to detect ChAHV5 DNA, in 76 individuals. The prevalence of FP was moderate; 33% in Guinea-Bissau (n = 36) and 28% in Mauritania (n = 72), and most turtles were mildly affected, possibly due to low human impact at study locations. Juveniles had higher FP prevalence (35%, n = 82) compared to subadults (5%, n = 21), probably because individuals acquire resistance over time. ChAHV5 DNA was detected in 83% (n = 24) of the tumour biopsies, consistent with its role as aetiological agent of FP and in 26% (n = 27) of the 'normal' skin (not showing lesions) from FP turtles. Notably, 45% of the asymptomatic turtles were positive for ChAHV5, supporting multifactorial disease expression. We report the first baselines of FP and ChAHV5 prevalence for West Africa green turtles, essential to assess evolution of disease and future impacts of anthropogenic activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Monteiro
- Centro de Investigação Interdisciplinar em Sanidade Animal (CIISA), Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade de Lisboa, Avenida da Universidade Técnica, 1300-477, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Margarida Duarte
- Centro de Investigação Interdisciplinar em Sanidade Animal (CIISA), Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade de Lisboa, Avenida da Universidade Técnica, 1300-477, Lisboa, Portugal
- Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária (INIAV), 1500-310, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Kidé Amadou
- Observatoire, Parc National du Banc d'Arguin, Chami, Mauritania
| | - Castro Barbosa
- Instituto da Biodiversidade e das Áreas Protegidas, Av. Dom Settimio Arturro Ferrazzetta, CP 70, Bissau, Guinea-Bissau
| | - Nahi El Bar
- Observatoire, Parc National du Banc d'Arguin, Chami, Mauritania
| | - Fernando M Madeira
- cE3c Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, Campo Grande 016, I749-016, Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Aissa Regalla
- Instituto da Biodiversidade e das Áreas Protegidas, Av. Dom Settimio Arturro Ferrazzetta, CP 70, Bissau, Guinea-Bissau
| | - Ana Duarte
- Centro de Investigação Interdisciplinar em Sanidade Animal (CIISA), Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade de Lisboa, Avenida da Universidade Técnica, 1300-477, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Luís Tavares
- Centro de Investigação Interdisciplinar em Sanidade Animal (CIISA), Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade de Lisboa, Avenida da Universidade Técnica, 1300-477, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Ana Rita Patrício
- MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, ISPA - Instituto Universitário, Rua Jardim do Tabaco 34, 1149-041, Lisbon, Portugal.
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, TR10 9EZ, UK.
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