Emerging Insights into Brevetoxicosis in Sea Turtles.

Simple Summary: Florida red tides are large algal blooms of the toxic organism Karenia brevis and can have severe ecological impacts along the Gulf Coast regions of Florida, USA. K. brevis blooms produce potent neurotoxins, known as brevetoxins, which are known to cause disease and mortality in various marine species, including sea turtles. This review examines the impact of red tides on sea turtle health by discussing K. brevis blooms in general, as well as the toxin exposure routes and mechanisms of disease. Diagnostic and treatment options are also discussed. Significant research efforts have focused on developing improved therapeutic interventions, and intravenous lipid emulsion therapy has proven highly effective at rapidly alleviating symptoms and accelerating brevetoxin removal from sea turtles. This review synthesizes the current scientific understanding of red tide impacts on threatened and endangered sea turtle health. Continued investigations of outstanding knowledge gaps may help mitigate the threat of harmful algal blooms on sea turtles in the future and may contribute to the conservation of sea turtles. This review summarizes the current understanding of how brevetoxins, produced by Karenia brevis during harmful algal blooms, impact sea turtle health. Sea turtles may be exposed to brevetoxins through ingestion, inhalation, maternal transfer, and potentially absorption through the skin. Brevetoxins bind to voltage-gated sodium channels in the central nervous system, disrupting cellular function and inducing neurological symptoms in affected sea turtles. Moreover, the current evidence suggests a broader and longer-term impact on sea turtle health beyond what is seen during stranding events. Diagnosis relies on the detection of brevetoxins in tissues and plasma from stranded turtles. The current treatment of choice, intravenous lipid emulsion therapy, may rapidly reduce symptoms and brevetoxin concentrations, improving survival rates. Monitoring, prevention, and control strategies for harmful algal blooms are discussed. However, as the frequency and severity of blooms are expected to increase due to climate change and increased environmental pollution, continued research is needed to better understand the sublethal effects of brevetoxins on sea turtles and the impact on hatchlings, as well as the pharmacokinetic mechanisms underlying brevetoxicosis. Moreover, research into the optimization of treatments may help to protect endangered sea turtle populations in the face of this growing threat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]