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Fibropapillomatosis and the Chelonid Alphaherpesvirus 5 in green turtles from West Africa
- Source :
- Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal, Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (RCAAP), instacron:RCAAP, Ecohealth
- Publication Year :
- 2021
- Publisher :
- SPRINGER, 2021.
-
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.
- Subjects :
- 0106 biological sciences
Skin Neoplasms
Fibropapillomatosis
Chelonid alphaherpesvirus 5
Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis
Zoology
Alphaherpesvirinae
Biology
01 natural sciences
West africa
ChAHV5
03 medical and health sciences
Prevalence
Animals
Guinea-Bissau
Panzootic
030304 developmental biology
0303 health sciences
Ecology
Chelonia mydas
Emerging diseases
010604 marine biology & hydrobiology
Multifactorial disease
Mauritania
Original Contribution
Herpesviridae Infections
Turtles
Africa, Western
Guinea bissau
Animal ecology
DNA, Viral
Etiology
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal, Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (RCAAP), instacron:RCAAP, Ecohealth
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....567c478afaab853a8e8623c3e6ce2f24