High prevalence of diseases in two invasive populations of red-eared sliders (Trachemys scripta elegans) in southwestern Spain
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Abstract
Non-native turtles are susceptible to pathogenic infections that may be transmitted to native species. We performed hematological, biochemical, histopathological, and microbiological analyses in two invasive populations of red-eared sliders (Trachemys scripta elegans), which were living alongside native turtle species in southwestern Spain. The red-eared sliders that were captured had a healthy external appearance. However, the histopathological analyses revealed that up to 88% of these turtles had internal pathologies. The most common were hepatic lipidosis and chronic nephritis, which frequently co-occurred with each other or with pulmonary or pancreatic lesions. A high proportion of turtles were susceptible to infections caused by common bacteria in these habitats. We detected Herpesvirus, Mycoplasma spp. and more than 18 Gram-negative bacteria. The high prevalence of disease recorded in the two populations suggests that red-eared sliders are poorly suited to the conditions in their non-native range.
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| All Time | Past 365 days | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 1925 | 497 | 65 |
| Full Text Views | 380 | 7 | 0 |
| PDF Views & Downloads | 384 | 13 | 0 |
High prevalence of diseases in two invasive populations of red-eared sliders (Trachemys scripta elegans) in southwestern Spain
In: Amphibia-ReptiliaSearch for other papers by Judit Hidalgo-Vila in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Albert Martínez-Silvestre in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Natividad Pérez-Santigosa in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Luis León-Vizcaíno in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Carmen Díaz-Paniagua in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Abstract
Non-native turtles are susceptible to pathogenic infections that may be transmitted to native species. We performed hematological, biochemical, histopathological, and microbiological analyses in two invasive populations of red-eared sliders (Trachemys scripta elegans), which were living alongside native turtle species in southwestern Spain. The red-eared sliders that were captured had a healthy external appearance. However, the histopathological analyses revealed that up to 88% of these turtles had internal pathologies. The most common were hepatic lipidosis and chronic nephritis, which frequently co-occurred with each other or with pulmonary or pancreatic lesions. A high proportion of turtles were susceptible to infections caused by common bacteria in these habitats. We detected Herpesvirus, Mycoplasma spp. and more than 18 Gram-negative bacteria. The high prevalence of disease recorded in the two populations suggests that red-eared sliders are poorly suited to the conditions in their non-native range.
| All Time | Past 365 days | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 1925 | 497 | 65 |
| Full Text Views | 380 | 7 | 0 |
| PDF Views & Downloads | 384 | 13 | 0 |
