| taxonomic analysis of the tortoise mycoplasmas mycoplasma agassizii and mycoplasma testudinis by 16s rrna gene sequence comparison. | the nucleotide sequences of the 16s rrna genes of two mycoplasmas, mycoplasma agassizii (proposed sp. nov.) and mycoplasma testudinis, isolated from tortoises were determined and used for taxonomic comparisons. signature nucleotide sequence motifs and overall sequence similarities to other mollicutes positioned these mycoplasmas in the m. hyorhinis and m. pneumoniae phylogenetic groups, respectively. a third, previously unrecognized tortoise mycoplasma was detected by 16s rrna gene amplification ... | 1995 | 7537069 |
| mycoplasma agassizii causes upper respiratory tract disease in the desert tortoise. | the desert tortoise is listed by the united states government as a threatened species in part of its range. a major contributing factor in the decline of this animal has been the presence of an upper respiratory tract disease (urtd) which is characterized by a chronic disease which eventually leads to severe occlusion of the nares with viscous exudate and destruction of the respiratory epithelium. electron microscopy of infected tissues demonstrated the presence of a mycoplasma-like organism att ... | 1994 | 7927724 |
| detection of antibodies to a pathogenic mycoplasma in desert tortoises (gopherus agassizii) with upper respiratory tract disease. | mycoplasma agassizii (proposed species novum) is the etiologic agent of an upper respiratory tract disease in the desert tortoise (gopherus agassizii), which is threatened in most of its range. an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (elisa) for the detection of m. agassizii-specific antibodies in desert tortoises was developed with a monoclonal antibody with specificity for desert tortoise immunoglobulin light chain. plasma samples from one group of tortoises were tested immediately before and 1 m ... | 1993 | 8314986 |
| relationship between clinical signs of upper respiratory tract disease and antibodies to mycoplasma agassizii in desert tortoises from nevada. | plasma samples collected in 1990 from free-ranging desert tortoises (gopherus agassizii) with and without clinical signs of upper respiratory tract disease (urtd) from las vegas valley, clark county, nevada (usa), were tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (elisa) for antibodies to mycoplasma agassizii, a causative agent of urtd. the relationship between clinical signs and elisa test results was evaluated. of the 144 tortoises tested, 45 (31%) had clinical signs while 72 (50%) were seropos ... | 1997 | 9131556 |
| upper respiratory tract disease and mycoplasmosis in desert tortoises from nevada. | a population of desert tortoises (gopherus agassizii) at yucca mountain (nevada, usa) was monitored during four sampling periods using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (elisa) to determine the percentage of individuals that had been exposed to mycoplasma agassizii, a causative agent of upper respiratory tract disease. respiratory tract disease has been considered a significant factor in the decline of desert tortoise populations in the mojave desert (usa). few differences between sexes in elis ... | 1997 | 9391959 |
| a novel mycoplasma sp. associated with proliferative tracheitis and pneumonia in a burmese python (python molurus bivittatus). | proliferative lymphocytic tracheitis and pneumonia were observed histologically in the respiratory tract of a captive burmese python (python molurus bivittatus). a mycoplasma species was isolated from the respiratory tissue. polymerase chain reaction analysis of the 16s rrna gene sequence of the isolate showed 0.90 similarity to mycoplasma agassizii, an organism previously shown to cause respiratory disease in reptiles. based on these findings, a novel mycoplasma species was suspected to be the ... | 1997 | 9447490 |
| upper respiratory tract disease in the gopher tortoise is caused by mycoplasma agassizii. | upper respiratory tract disease (urtd) has been observed in a number of tortoise species, including the desert tortoise (gopherus agassizii) and the gopher tortoise (gopherus polyphemus). clinical signs of urtd in gopher tortoises are similar to those in desert tortoises and include serous, mucoid, or purulent discharge from the nares, excessive tearing to purulent ocular discharge, conjunctivitis, and edema of the eyelids and ocular glands. the objectives of the present study were to determine ... | 1999 | 10364595 |
| persistence of maternal antibodies against mycoplasma agassizii in desert tortoise hatchlings. | to investigate mycoplasma agassizii-specific maternal antibodies in desert tortoise (gopherus agassizii) hatchlings. | 1999 | 10407474 |
| seroepidemiology of upper respiratory tract disease in the desert tortoise in the western mojave desert of california. | several factors have combined with an upper respiratory tract disease (urtd) to produce declines on some population numbers of desert tortoises (gopherus agassizii) in the western usa. this study was designed to determine the seroepidemiology of urtd in a population of wild adult tortoises at the desert tortoise research natural area (dtna) study site in kern county (california, usa). prior to initiation of the study, there was a dramatic decline in the number of individuals in this population. ... | 1999 | 10574531 |
| pathology of upper respiratory tract disease of gopher tortoises in florida. | between august 1993 and september 1995, 24 gopher tortoises (gopherus polyphemus) were received for pathological evaluations from various locations in florida (usa). all tortoises were examined for clinical signs of upper respiratory tract disease (urtd) including nasal and ocular discharge, palpebral edema, and conjunctivitis. of the 24 tortoises, 10 had current or previously observed clinical signs of urtd and 14 did not. a blood sample was drawn for detection of anti-mycoplasma antibodies by ... | 2000 | 10813609 |
| mycoplasma agassizii sp. nov., isolated from the upper respiratory tract of the desert tortoise (gopherus agassizii) and the gopher tortoise (gopherus polyphemus). | biochemical, serological and molecular genetic studies were performed on seven mycoplasma isolates that were recovered from the upper respiratory tract of clinically ill desert tortoises. the isolates were serologically related to each other but serologically distinct from previously described species. unique mycoplasma species-specific 16s rrna nucleotide sequences were found in the proposed type strain. the name mycoplasma agassizii is proposed for these isolates. the type strain is ps6t (= at ... | 2001 | 11321087 |
| clinical disease and laboratory abnormalities in free-ranging desert tortoises in california (1990-1995). | desert tortoise (gopherus agassizii) populations have experienced precipitous declines resulting from the cumulative impact of habitat loss and human and disease-related mortality. diagnosis of disease in live, free-ranging tortoises is facilitated by evaluation of clinical signs and laboratory test results but may be complicated by seasonal and environmental effects. the goals of this study were: 1) to describe and monitor clinical and laboratory signs of disease in adult, free-ranging desert t ... | 2003 | 12685067 |
| prevalence of mycoplasma agassizii and chelonian herpesvirus in captive tortoises (testudo sp.) in the united kingdom. | during the months of april to august in 1999 and 2002, oral swabs were collected from 146 tortoises (testudo sp.) in private collections in the united kingdom and tested by polymerase chain reaction (pcr) for the presence of mycoplasma agassizii and chelonian herpesvirus (chhv). the presence of m. agassizii was confirmed by restriction digestion of the pcr product. a 307-bp fragment of the chhv ul5 homologue gene was sequenced and found to show most similarity to equine herpesvirus type 1. a pre ... | 2004 | 15193070 |
| mycoplasmosis in free-ranging desert tortoises in utah and arizona. | upper respiratory tract disease (urtd) has been associated with major losses of free-ranging desert tortoises (gopherus agassizii) in the southwestern united states. this prompted a clinical examination of 63 free-ranging desert tortoises for signs of urtd and sampling for mycoplasma agassizii, the causative agent of urtd. tortoises were sampled from three sites in the eastern mojave desert (1992-93), and from three sites in the sonoran desert (1992-94). plasma samples were tested for antibodies ... | 2005 | 16456181 |
| herpesvirus outbreak in a group of mediterranean tortoises (testudo spp). | chhv and mycoplasma agassizii infections in tortoises share similar clinical signs of lethargy, anorexia, rhinitis, and conjunctivitis. in addition, chhv infection is associated with glossitis and stomatitis and often causes high morbidity and mortality. as was seen in this case, chhv infection tends to cause higher mortality in t hermanni compared with t graeca and t marginata. t horsfieldi is also considered highly susceptible to chhv but appeared unaffected in this outbreak. | 2006 | 16931376 |
| improved enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to reveal mycoplasma agassizii exposure: a valuable tool in the management of environmentally sensitive tortoise populations. | the precarious status of desert (gopherus agassizii) and gopher (gopherus polyphemus) tortoises has resulted in research and conservation efforts that include health assessments as a substantial component of management decision-making. therefore, it is critical that available diagnostic tests for diseases impacting these species undergo rigorous standardization and validation. since 1992, analysis of exposure of tortoises to mycoplasma agassizii, an etiological agent of upper respiratory tract d ... | 2007 | 17626160 |
| evanescent-wave biosensor for field serodiagnosis of tortoise mycoplasmosis. | disease has become an increasingly important issue for wildlife management over the past two decades. adequate surveillance is fundamental for disease prevention and control, thus there is an increasing need for diagnostic assays for wildlife management. the objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of a field-portable biosensor adapted for rapid detection of specific antibodies in tortoise plasma that reflect a history of exposure to mycoplasma agassizii, which is an agent of tort ... | 2008 | 18499267 |
| western blot can distinguish natural and acquired antibodies to mycoplasma agassizii in the desert tortoise (gopherus agassizii). | mycoplasma agassizi has been identified as a cause of upper respiratory tract disease (urtd) in the threatened mojave population of the desert tortoise (gopherus agassizii), and anti-m. agassizii antibodies have been found by elisa in as many as 15% of these animals across their geographic range. here we report that a cohort of 16 egg-reared desert tortoises never exposed to m. agassizii had elisa antibody titers to this organism that overlapped with titers obtained from some m. agassizii-infect ... | 2008 | 18708096 |
| adenovirus and mycoplasma infection in an ornate box turtle (terrapene ornata ornata) in hungary. | a female, adult ornate box turtle (terrapene ornata ornata) with fatty liver was submitted for virologic examination in hungary. signs of an adenovirus infection including degeneration of the liver cells, enlarged nuclei and intranuclear inclusion bodies were detected by light microscopic examination. the presence of an adenovirus was later confirmed by obtaining partial sequence data from the adenoviral dna-dependent dna-polymerase. phylogenetic analyses revealed that this novel chelonian adeno ... | 2009 | 19375875 |
| upper respiratory tract disease, force of infection, and effects on survival of gopher tortoises. | upper respiratory tract disease (urtd) caused by mycoplasma agassizii has been hypothesized to contribute to the decline of some wild populations of gopher tortoises (gopherus polyphemus). however, the force of infection (foi) and the effect of urtd on survival in free-ranging tortoise populations remain unknown. using four years (2003-2006) of mark-recapture and epidemiological data collected from 10 populations of gopher tortoises in central florida, usa, we estimated the foi (probability per ... | 2009 | 19425439 |
| flow cytometric method for quantifying viable mycoplasma agassizii, an agent of upper respiratory tract disease in the desert tortoise (gopherus agassizii). | mycoplasma agassizii can cause upper respiratory tract disease in the threatened desert tortoise of the southwestern united states. two technical challenges have impeded critical microbiological studies of this microorganism: (i) its small size limits the use of light microscopy for cell counting and (ii) its extremely slow growth in broth and agar cultures impedes colony counting. our aim was to develop a rapid and sensitive flow cytometric method using a vital fluorescent dye to enumerate viab ... | 2010 | 20132436 |
| social behavior drives the dynamics of respiratory disease in threatened tortoises. | since the early 1990s, morbidity and mortality in tortoise populations have been associated with a transmissible, mycoplasmal upper respiratory tract disease (urtd). although the etiology, transmission, and diagnosis of urtd have been extensively studied, little is known about the dynamics of disease transmission in free-ranging tortoise populations. to understand the transmission dynamics of mycoplasma agassizii, the primary etiological agent of urtd in wild tortoise populations, we studied 11 ... | 2010 | 20503858 |
| effects of mycoplasmal upper respiratory tract disease on morbidity and mortality of gopher tortoises in northern and central florida. | gopher tortoise (gopherus polyphemus) populations on four tracts of public lands in northern and central florida were studied from 1998 to 2001 to assess the effects of mycoplasmal upper respiratory tract disease (urtd). adult gopher tortoises (n=205) were marked for identification, serum and nasal flush samples were obtained for mycoplasmal diagnostic assays, and clinical signs of urtd (nasal discharge, ocular discharge, palpebral edema, and conjunctivitis) were evaluated. a subset of tortoises ... | 2010 | 20688675 |
| mycoplasma agassizii strain variation and distinct host antibody responses explain differences between enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and western blot assays. | the precarious status of desert (gopherus agassizii) and gopher (g. polyphemus) tortoises has resulted in conservation efforts that now include health assessment as an important component of management decision-making. mycoplasmal upper respiratory tract disease (urtd) is one of very few diseases in chelonians for which comprehensive and rigorously validated diagnostic tests exist. in this study, serum samples obtained from eight gopherus tortoises documented at necropsy to (i) be enzyme-linked ... | 2010 | 20810678 |
| mycoplasma and herpesvirus pcr detection in tortoises with rhinitis-stomatitis complex in spain. | chelonid herpesvirus (chhv) and mycoplasmal infections cause similar clinical signs in terrestrial tortoises and may be the most important causative agents of rhinitis-stomatitis complex, a common disease in captive tortoises worldwide. currently, diagnosis of chhv and mycoplasma spp. infections is most often based on serologic testing. however, serologic results only detect past exposure, and the specificity of these tests can be reduced due to antigenic cross-reactions with other pathogens. mo ... | 2011 | 21270008 |
| quantitative pcr method for detection of mycoplasma spp. dna in nasal lavage samples from the desert tortoise (gopherus agassizii). | mycoplasma agassizii and m. testudineum have been associated with upper respiratory tract disease (urtd) in the threatened desert tortoise (gopherus agassizii). because microbiological culture methods have proven difficult to employ in wild desert tortoises, our goal was to develop a sensitive and specific qpcr method for detecting and quantifying mycoplasma dna in nasal lavage fluid collected in the field. primers for 16s ribosomal rna gene sequences specific for m. agassizii and m. testudineum ... | 2011 | 21565225 |
| detection and characterization of mycoplasma spp. and salmonella spp. in free-living european tortoises (testudo hermanni, testudo graeca, and testudo marginata). | free-living and captive chelonians might suffer from upper respiratory tract disease (urtd), a pathology primarily caused by mycoplasma agassizii. wild tortoises can also be an important reservoir of salmonella spp., which are commensal in the host reptile but are potential zoonotic agents. between july 2009 and june 2010, we screened free-living european tortoises (spur-thighed tortoises testudo graeca, hermann's tortoises testudo hermanni, marginated tortoises testudo marginata) temporarily ho ... | 2011 | 21719840 |
| comparison of current methods for the detection of chronic mycoplasmal urtd in wild populations of the mojave desert tortoise (gopherus agassizii). | pathogens that cause subclinical diseases or exhibit low infection intensities are difficult to quantify in wild populations. mojave desert tortoises ( gopherus agassizii ) have been the focus of much research aimed at measuring the presence of upper respiratory disease (urtd) and urtd-associated pathogens, and techniques used to quantify disease in gopherus species have also been used for disease surveillance in other species of turtles and tortoises of conservation concern. published surveys o ... | 2017 | 27788056 |
| host contact and shedding patterns clarify variation in pathogen exposure and transmission in threatened tortoise gopherus agassizii: implications for disease modelling and management. | most directly transmitted infections require some form of close contact between infectious and susceptible hosts to spread. often disease models assume contacts are equal and use mean field estimates of transmission probability for all interactions with infectious hosts. such methods may inaccurately describe transmission when interactions differ substantially in their ability to cause infection. understanding this variation in transmission risk may be critical to properly model and manage some ... | 2016 | 26935482 |
| health assessment of free-living eastern box turtles (terrapene carolina carolina) in and around the maryland zoo in baltimore 1996-2011. | health data for free-living eastern box turtles (terrapene carolina carolina) at the maryland zoo in baltimore were analyzed. one hundred and eighteen turtles were captured on or near zoo grounds over the course of 15 yr (1996-2011), with recapture of many individuals leading to 208 total evaluations. of the 118 individuals, 61 were male, 50 were female, and 7 were of undetermined sex. of the 208 captures, 188 were healthy, and 20 were sick or injured. complete health evaluations were performed ... | 2015 | 25831575 |
| mycoplasma agassizii in morafka's desert tortoise (gopherus morafkai) in mexico. | we conducted health evaluations of 69 wild and 22 captive morafka's desert tortoises (gopherus morafkai) in mexico between 2005 and 2008. the wild tortoises were from 11 sites in the states of sonora and sinaloa, and the captive tortoises were from the state-managed centro ecológico de sonora zoo in hermosillo and a private residence in the town of alamos. we tested 88 tortoises for mycoplasmal upper respiratory tract disease (urtd) using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for specific antibody ... | 2015 | 25375948 |
| molecular methods to detect mycoplasma spp. and testudinid herpesvirus 2 in desert tortoises (gopherus agassizii) and implications for disease management. | abstract mycoplasmas are an important cause of upper respiratory tract disease (urtd) in desert tortoises (gopherus agassizii) and have been a main focus in attempts to mitigate disease-based population declines. infection risk can vary with an animal's population of origin, making screening tests popular tools for determining infection status in individuals and populations. to provide additional methods for investigating urtd we developed quantitative pcr (qpcr) assays specific for agents causi ... | 2014 | 25121400 |
| effects of mycoplasmal upper-respiratory-tract disease on movement and thermoregulatory behavior of gopher tortoises (gopherus polyphemus) in georgia, usa. | abstract from 2011-12, we studied a gopher tortoise (gopherus polyphemus) population with a historically high prevalence of antibodies to mycoplasma agassizii to assess long-term effects of upper-respiratory-tract disease (urtd) on tortoise behavior. we radiotracked 30 adult tortoises (16 males, 14 females) from a long-term study site with the use of mark-recapture methods to determine site fidelity and to compare home-range size to that of a study in 1997. an additional 10 tortoises (six males, ... | 2014 | 25121399 |
| surveillance for upper respiratory tract disease and mycoplasma in free-ranging gopher tortoises (gopherus polyphemus) in georgia, usa. | abstract upper respiratory tract disease (urtd) in the gopher tortoise (gopherus polyphemus) is highly contagious and has been implicated in the reduction of populations throughout the range. with the exception of a few limited studies, the prevalence of urtd in georgia, usa tortoise populations is poorly known. we found that exposure to mycoplasma agassizii and mycoplasma testudineum, associated with urtd, varied geographically among 11 georgia tortoise populations. the prevalence of antibodies ... | 2014 | 25098305 |
| mycoplasmosis and upper respiratory tract disease of tortoises: a review and update. | tortoise mycoplasmosis is one of the most extensively characterized infectious diseases of chelonians. a 1989 outbreak of upper respiratory tract disease (urtd) in free-ranging agassiz's desert tortoises (gopherus agassizii) brought together an investigative team of researchers, diagnosticians, pathologists, immunologists and clinicians from multiple institutions and agencies. electron microscopic studies of affected tortoises revealed a microorganism in close association with the nasal mucosa t ... | 2014 | 24951264 |
| impacts of upper respiratory tract disease on olfactory behavior of the mojave desert tortoise. | upper respiratory tract disease (urtd) caused by mycoplasma agassizii is considered a threat to desert tortoise populations that should be addressed as part of the recovery of the species. clinical signs can be intermittent and include serous or mucoid nasal discharge and respiratory difficulty when nares are occluded. this nasal congestion may result in a loss of the olfactory sense. turtles are known to use olfaction to identify food items, predators, and conspecifics; therefore, it is likely ... | 2014 | 24506425 |
| detection of mycoplasma agassizii in the texas tortoise (gopherus berlandieri). | mycoplasma agassizii causes upper respiratory tract disease (urtd) in texas tortoises (gopherus berlandieri). to determine exposure to and shedding of m. agassizii, we collected blood samples and nasal swabs from 40 free-ranging texas tortoises on public and private lands in texas, usa, from may to october 2009. we used an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (elisa) to detect m. agassizii-specific antibodies. eleven (28%) tortoises were antibody positive, three (8%) were suspect, and the remaining ... | 2013 | 23778626 |
| mycoplasmal upper respiratory tract disease across the range of the threatened mojave desert tortoise: associations with thermal regime and natural antibodies. | most research of upper respiratory tract disease (mycoplasmal urtd) in the threatened mojave desert tortoise (gopherus agassizii) has worked under the hypothesis that the pathogen, mycoplasma agassizii, has a relatively consistent and predictable effect on tortoise populations across their natural range. in contrast, we hypothesized that multiple factors influence the prevalence of disease and analyzed biological and environmental variables that vary significantly across the mojave desert. we us ... | 2013 | 23579813 |