Fibropapillomatosis In Sea Turtles Research Articles

Future research avenues for the study of fibropapillomatosis in sea turtles

Fibropapillomatosis (FP) is a debilitating tumoral disease affecting sea turtles worldwide. While mainly afflicting immature individuals and potentially altering vital functions, the precise impact of this panzootic on turtle health and survival remains unclear. Moreover, the etiological factors implicated in the FP emergence, development and transmission are not yet definitively identified. Among them, an infection by a spreading herpesvirus and the contamination by pollutants (either organic pollutants and trace elements) are suspected. Here, we provide an overview of discoveries, knowledge and propose hypotheses related to FP within five key FP research areas, i.e., virology studies, transmission studies, contamination studies, host genomic studies, and veterinary treatment assays. Moreover, we recommend urgent research avenues to develop at the interface of virology, epidemiology, ecotoxicology, oncology, physiology, immunology, cellular and evolutionary biology, in order to characterize the dynamics of FP and to predict its consequences on sea turtle populations. Importantly, extending the implementation and development of strong collaborations between rehabilitation centers, field biologists and research laboratories at large geographical scale is required to rapidly increase our knowledge on FP and work towards its effective management.

Fibropapillomatosis: A Review of the Disease with Attention to the Situation Northern Coast of Brazil.

Fibropapillomatosis in sea turtles is a potentially debilitating and fatal disease for which there is still a lack of knowledge, especially for specific regions of Brazil. The diagnosis is made through the observation of clinical manifestations, and despite its association with Chelonid Alphaherpesvirus 5 (ChHV5) as the etiological agent, the expression of the disease may also be related to immunological and environmental factors caused by anthropic degradation of the environment. Thus, this review aims to elucidate what is known about this disease globally, and especially in various regions of Brazil, promoting a better understanding of its evolution, spatiotemporal prevalence, and relationship with human activities. Furthermore, the review explores the molecular biology of ChHV5, including its genomic structure, replication cycle, and mechanisms of pathogenesis. The role of environmental factors, such as temperature and pollution, in modulating ChHV5 infection and FP development is also discussed. Additionally, the review summarizes current diagnostic methods for detecting ChHV5 infection in sea turtles, highlighting the importance of early detection and monitoring for effective disease management and conservation efforts. Finally, the review outlines future research directions aimed at improving our understanding of ChHV5 and developing strategies for FP control and prevention in sea turtle populations.

Herpesvirus (CHHV-5) associated with fibropapillomatosis in sea turtles in Brazil: an integrative review

A presente pesquisa teve como objetivo compreender como o herpesvírus associado a fibropapilomatose afeta as tartarugas marinhas no litoral brasileiro. Para isso, realizou-se um estudo de revisão integrativa, guiado pela seguinte pergunta norteadora: Quais as evidências científicas sobre como o herpesvírus (ChHV-5) associado a fibropapilomatose afetam as tartarugas marinhas no litoral brasileiro?. Para o levantamento dos artigos na literatura, realizou-se uma busca nas seguintes bases de dados: 1. Portal de periódicos da Capes (CAPES) e 2. Science Direct. Foram utilizados, para busca dos artigos, os seguintes descritores e suas combinações na língua portuguesa e inglesa: fibropapilomatose e tartarugas verdes; herpesvírus e fibropapilomatose; fibropapilomatose e tartarugas marinhas; fibropapilomatose e Chelonia mydas; fibropapilomatose e costa brasileira. Tratando-se dos critérios de inclusão definidos para a seleção dos artigos estes foram: publicações disponibilizadas em portugues, inglês e espanhol; disponibilidade dos textos na versão integral; periódicos revisados por pares; período de publicação entre janeiro de 2017 e abril de 2022; busca por artigos científicos, excluindo-se outros tipos de trabalhos (teses, dissertações, livros e resenhas). Quanto aos critérios de exclusão foram as publicações em duplicidade e aquelas em que o objeto de estudo não estabelecia relação com o tema abordado. A partir das definições, critérios e combinações de palavras-chaves definidas para o estudo foram localizadas 161 publicações. A amostra final foi composta por cinco artigos. De acordo com os resultados foi possível constatar que todas as diferentes avaliações encontradas na presente revisão integrativa, demonstraram a presença do agente e da doença em tartarugas verdes no Brasil. Devido à história de vida complexa das tartarugas-verdes (Chelonia mydas), é difícil quantificar o impacto que a fibropapilomatose ocasiona na população destes indivíduos. No entanto, a presença em alta frequência de indivíduos portadores, o caráter multifatorial da fibropapilomatose, as ações antrópicas e as atividades econômicas desenvolvidas na região contribuem tanto para a manutenção do ChHV-5 como para o desenvolvimento da forma clínica da doença. Sendo assim, mesmo perante a dificuldade de quantificar o impacto do ChHV-5, a ocorrência agente infeccioso interfere negativamente na população Chelonia mydas. Dessa forma, estudos futuros são necessários para elucidar os efeitos intra e interpopulacionais da fibropapilomatose entre Chelonia mydas e as correlações com os fatores ambientais e atividades antrópicas.

The tale of the sea turtle flipper tagging technique, a global environmental impact assessment

AbstractAlthough sea turtle flipper tagging is a tenet field technique generating irreplaceable scientific data worldwide since the inception of sea turtle conservation in 1920s along the Great Barrier Reef, the procedure was reported to trigger outbreaks of sea turtle fibropapillomatosis (FP) in 2018. This global environmental impact assessment performed during 2020–2023 meta‐analyzed three impacts on sea turtles health and conservation of the presence of visible flipper tags: a risk of clinical expression of FP lesions at the tag insertion point, a deterrent effect of the presence of flipper tags on sea turtle fishing, and a risk of entanglement of sea turtles in fishing gears. This essay concluded that the risk of expression of a FP lesion at the flipper tag insertion point is most probably correlated to a direct inoculation of ChHV5 via infected tagging equipment, and that the risk of entanglement in fishing gears can be mitigated by the choice of metallic flipper tags over plastic flipper tags. This essay also strongly recalls the sea turtle flipper tagging technique represents a remedy to knowledge gaps relevant to climate velocity research and can be a deterrent on sea turtle fishing in a frame of strong partnerships with indigenous people, independently of communities' socio‐cultural backgrounds.

Anthropogenic nutrients and phytoplankton diversity in Kenya's coastal waters: An ecological quality assessment of sea turtle foraging sites

We assessed ecological quality status (EQS) of coastal waters following claims of increasing sea turtle fibro-papillomatosis (FP) infections in Kenya, a disease hypothesized to be associated with ‘poor’ ecological health. We established widespread phosphate (P) and silicate (Si) limitation, dissolved ammonium contamination and an increase in potential harmful algal blooming species. Variations in the EQS was established in the sites depending on the indicators used and seasons. Generally, more sites located near hotels, tidal creeks, and estuarine areas showed ‘poor’, and ‘bad’ EQS during rainy period compared to dry season. Additionally, 90.1 % of the sites in ‘poor’ and ‘bad’ EQS based on dissolved inorganic nitrogen. Low dissolved oxygen, elevated temperature, salinity and ammonium, ‘poor’ EQS based on DIN, and potential bio-toxin-producing phytoplankton species characterized the FP prevalent areas, specifically during the dry season suggesting environmental stress pointing to the hypothesized connection between ecological and sea turtle health.

What do we know about sea turtle fibropapillomatosis studies in the American continent? A bibliographic review

Fibropapillomatosis (FP) is a debilitating neoplastic infectious disease that affects sea turtles globally. Researchers on the American continent have generated valuable information about FP that can serve as the current source of biological knowledge on the disease, but this information is scattered throughout many scientific journals, books, thesis, and conference proceedings. Through a systematic literature review, the present study intends to summarize the current state of knowledge available on the American continent and highlight the knowledge gaps regarding FP in sea turtles. We reviewed 192 studies published from 1938 to 2021 performed on the American continent. The maximum annual number of publications occurred in 2019 with 15 publications, and there is an increasing trend in studies published over the past 25 years. One hundred thirty studies were performed in North America, 43 in South America, 14 in the Caribbean region, and 5 in Central America. The USA, Brazil, and Mexico were the most productive countries for FP research. The main topics addressed were pathological findings, records/incidences of FP, and molecular characterization. The most studied species with FP is the green turtle (Chelonia mydas). Our results show a lack of geographical information about FP, particularly in the Central American region and the Pacific coast of South America. While there has been a significant increase in FP knowledge in the last two decades, most of the studies focused on pathological findings, while viral replication and transmission of this disease remains unknown, highlighting the need for studies that describe immune characteristics, stressful environmental conditions, or disorders in blood chemical values in organisms affected by FP.

Genotype data not consistent with clonal transmission of sea turtle fibropapillomatosis or goldfish schwannoma

Recent discoveries of transmissible cancers in multiple bivalve species suggest that direct transmission of cancer cells within species may be more common than previously thought, particularly in aquatic environments. Fibropapillomatosis occurs with high prevalence in green sea turtles ( Chelonia mydas) and the geographic range of disease has increased since fibropapillomatosis was first reported in this species. Widespread incidence of schwannomas, benign tumours of Schwann cell origin, reported in aquarium-bred goldfish (Carassius auratus), suggest an infectious aetiology. We investigated the hypothesis that cancers in these species arise by clonal transmission of cancer cells. Through analysis of polymorphic microsatellite alleles, we demonstrate concordance of host and tumour genotypes in diseased animals. These results imply that the tumours examined arose from independent oncogenic transformation of host tissue and were not clonally transmitted. Further, failure to experimentally transmit goldfish schwannoma via water exposure or inoculation suggest that this disease is unlikely to have an infectious aetiology.

Genotype data not consistent with clonal transmission of sea turtle fibropapillomatosis or goldfish schwannoma.

Recent discoveries of transmissible cancers in multiple bivalve species suggest that direct transmission of cancer cells within species may be more common than previously thought, particularly in aquatic environments. Fibropapillomatosis occurs with high prevalence in green sea turtles ( Chelonia mydas) and the geographic range of disease has increased since fibropapillomatosis was first reported in this species. Widespread incidence of schwannomas, benign tumours of Schwann cell origin, reported in aquarium-bred goldfish (Carassius auratus), suggest an infectious aetiology. We investigated the hypothesis that cancers in these species arise by clonal transmission of cancer cells. Through analysis of polymorphic microsatellite alleles, we demonstrate concordance of host and tumour genotypes in diseased animals. These results imply that the tumours examined arose from independent oncogenic transformation of host tissue and were not clonally transmitted. Further, failure to experimentally transmit goldfish schwannoma via water exposure or inoculation suggest that this disease is unlikely to have an infectious aetiology.

Evolutionary Comparisons of Chelonid Alphaherpesvirus 5 (ChHV5) Genomes from Fibropapillomatosis-Afflicted Green (Chelonia mydas), Olive Ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea) and Kemp's Ridley (Lepidochelys kempii) Sea Turtles.

Simple SummaryOur research aims to unravel uncertainties relating to the genetic and viral causes of the debilitating sea turtle disease fibropapillomatosis, which affects all seven species of sea turtle. This disease is likely caused by an alphaherpesvirus (ChHV5) and an environmental trigger (e.g., pollution). Fibropapillomatosis is characterised by multiple benign tumours which grow on the skin, eyes and internal organs, and is becoming a threat to sea turtle conservation globally. ChHV5 research is crucial to better provide effective management and conservation of turtles from this disease. This study aimed to compare ChHV5 genomes between geographic regions and sea turtle species and observe how this virus has evolved and changed. ChHV5 genomes harboured differences within and between geographic regions (88–2793 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) per sequenced genome). Multiple ChHV5 genes were also found to be under varying selective pressures. Phylogenomic and phylogenetic analyses revealed grouping of the virus, mostly by geography rather than by species, and found differences in ChHV5 genomes between tumours from the same individual. This study pioneers the phylogenomic approach to ChHV5 research. This study provides the most comprehensive picture to-date of whole-genome inter-species ChHV5 diversity and provides important baseline ChHV5 genomic data for future comparisons.The spreading global sea turtle fibropapillomatosis (FP) epizootic is threatening some of Earth’s ancient reptiles, adding to the plethora of threats faced by these keystone species. Understanding this neoplastic disease and its likely aetiological pathogen, chelonid alphaherpesvirus 5 (ChHV5), is crucial to understand how the disease impacts sea turtle populations and species and the future trajectory of disease incidence. We generated 20 ChHV5 genomes, from three sea turtle species, to better understand the viral variant diversity and gene evolution of this oncogenic virus. We revealed previously underappreciated genetic diversity within this virus (with an average of 2035 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), 1.54% of the ChHV5 genome) and identified genes under the strongest evolutionary pressure. Furthermore, we investigated the phylogeny of ChHV5 at both genome and gene level, confirming the propensity of the virus to be interspecific, with related variants able to infect multiple sea turtle species. Finally, we revealed unexpected intra-host diversity, with up to 0.15% of the viral genome varying between ChHV5 genomes isolated from different tumours concurrently arising within the same individual. These findings offer important insights into ChHV5 biology and provide genomic resources for this oncogenic virus.

Environmental DNA monitoring of oncogenic viral shedding and genomic profiling of sea turtle fibropapillomatosis reveals unusual viral dynamics

Pathogen-induced cancers account for 15% of human tumors and are a growing concern for endangered wildlife. Fibropapillomatosis is an expanding virally and environmentally co-induced sea turtle tumor epizootic. Chelonid herpesvirus 5 (ChHV5) is implicated as a causative virus, but its transmission method and specific role in oncogenesis and progression is unclear. We applied environmental (e)DNA-based viral monitoring to assess viral shedding as a direct means of transmission, and the relationship between tumor burden, surgical resection and ChHV5 shedding. To elucidate the abundance and transcriptional status of ChHV5 across early, established, regrowth and internal tumors we conducted genomics and transcriptomics. We determined that ChHV5 is shed into the water column, representing a likely transmission route, and revealed novel temporal shedding dynamics and tumor burden correlations. ChHV5 was more abundant in the water column than in marine leeches. We also revealed that ChHV5 is latent in fibropapillomatosis, including early stage, regrowth and internal tumors; higher viral transcription is not indicative of poor patient outcome, and high ChHV5 loads predominantly arise from latent virus. These results expand our knowledge of the cellular and shedding dynamics of ChHV5 and can provide insights into temporal transmission dynamics and viral oncogenesis not readily investigable in tumors of terrestrial species.

Transcriptomic Profiling of Fibropapillomatosis in Green Sea Turtles (Chelonia mydas) From South Texas.

Sea turtle fibropapillomatosis (FP) is a tumor promoting disease that is one of several threats globally to endangered sea turtle populations. The prevalence of FP is highest in green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) populations, and historically has shown considerable temporal growth. FP tumors can significantly affect the ability of turtles to forage for food and avoid predation and can grow to debilitating sizes. In the current study, based in South Texas, we have applied transcriptome sequencing to FP tumors and healthy control tissue to study the gene expression profiles of FP. By identifying differentially expressed turtle genes in FP, and matching these genes to their closest human ortholog we draw on the wealth of human based knowledge, specifically human cancer, to identify new insights into the biology of sea turtle FP. We show that several genes aberrantly expressed in FP tumors have known tumor promoting biology in humans, including CTHRC1 and NLRC5, and provide support that disruption of the Wnt signaling pathway is a feature of FP. Further, we profiled the expression of current targets of immune checkpoint inhibitors from human oncology in FP tumors and identified potential candidates for future studies.

Sea turtle fibropapilloma tumors share genomic drivers and therapeutic vulnerabilities with human cancers

Wildlife populations are under intense anthropogenic pressures, with the geographic range of many species shrinking, dramatic reductions in population numbers and undisturbed habitats, and biodiversity loss. It is postulated that we are in the midst of a sixth (Anthropocene) mass extinction event, the first to be induced by human activity. Further, threatening vulnerable species is the increased rate of emerging diseases, another consequence of anthropogenic activities. Innovative approaches are required to help maintain healthy populations until the chronic underlying causes of these issues can be addressed. Fibropapillomatosis in sea turtles is one such wildlife disease. Here, we applied precision-medicine-based approaches to profile fibropapillomatosis tumors to better understand their biology, identify novel therapeutics, and gain insights into viral and environmental triggers for fibropapillomatosis. We show that fibropapillomatosis tumors share genetic vulnerabilities with human cancer types, revealing that they are amenable to treatment with human anti-cancer therapeutics.

Phylogenetic Variation of Chelonid Alphaherpesvirus 5 (ChHV5) in Populations of Green Turtles Chelonia mydas along the Queensland Coast, Australia.

Sea turtle fibropapillomatosis (FP) is a disease marked by the proliferation of benign but debilitating cutaneous and occasional visceral tumors, likely to be caused by chelonid alphaherpesvirus 5 (ChHV5). This study presents a phylogeny of ChHV5 strains found on the east coast of Queensland, Australia, and a validation for previously unused primers. Two different primer sets (gB-1534 and gB-813) were designed to target a region including part of the UL27 glycoprotein B (gB) gene and part of UL28 of ChHV5. Sequences obtained from FP tumors found on juvenile green turtles Chelonia mydas (<65 cm curved carapace length) had substantial homology with published ChHV5 sequences, while a skin biopsy from a turtle without FP failed to react in the PCRs used in this study. The resulting sequences were used to generate a neighbor-joining tree from which three clusters of ChHV5 from Australian waters were identified: north Australian, north Queensland, and Queensland clusters. The clusters reflect the collection sites on the east coast of Queensland with a definitive north-south trend. Received October 22, 2016; accepted May 7, 2017.

Potential Noncutaneous Sites of Chelonid Herpesvirus 5 Persistence and Shedding in Green Sea Turtles Chelonia mydas.

Chelonid herpesvirus 5 (ChHV5), the likely etiologic agent of sea turtle fibropapillomatosis (FP), is predicted to be unevenly distributed within an infected turtle, in which productive virus replication and virion shedding occurs in cutaneous tumor keratinocytes. In this study, we measured and compared ChHV5 DNA quantities in tumors, skin, urine, major organs, and nervous tissue samples from green turtles Chelonia mydas. These samples were taken from the carcasses of 10 juvenile green turtles with and without clinical signs of FP that stranded in Florida during 2014. Quantitative PCR for ChHV5 UL30 was used to identify ChHV5 DNA in tumors, skin, heart, kidney, nerves, and urine sampled from five out of five FP-positive and three out of five FP-free turtles. The most frequently co-occurring sites were cutaneous tumor and kidney (n = 4). Novel data presented here include the identification of ChHV5 DNA in kidney, heart, and nerve samples from three FP-free turtles. These data support candidate nontumored anatomic sites of ChHV5 DNA localization and mobilization during two different disease states that may be involved in the ChHV5 infection cycle. Received September 8, 2016; accepted April 17, 2017.

Investigating the Potential Role of Persistent Organic Pollutants in Hawaiian Green Sea Turtle Fibropapillomatosis

It has been hypothesized for decades that environmental pollutants may contribute to green sea turtle fibropapillomatosis (FP), possibly through immunosuppression leading to greater susceptibility to the herpesvirus, the putative causative agent of this tumor-forming disease. To address this question, we measured concentrations of 164 persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and halogenated phenols in 53 Hawaiian green turtle (Chelonia mydas) plasma samples archived by the Biological and Environmental Monitoring and Archival of Sea Turtle Tissues (BEMAST) project at the National Institute of Standards and Technology Marine Environmental Specimen Bank. Four groups of turtles were examined: free-ranging turtles from Kiholo Bay (0% FP, Hawaii), Kailua Bay (low FP, 8%, Oahu), and Kapoho Bay (moderate FP, 38%, Hawaii) and severely tumored stranded turtles that required euthanasia (high FP, 100%, Main Hawaiian Islands). Four classes of POPs and seven halogenated phenols were detected in at least one of the turtles, and concentrations were low (often <200 pg/g wet mass). The presence of halogenated phenols in sea turtles is a novel discovery; their concentrations were higher than most man-made POPs, suggesting that the source of most of these compounds was likely natural (produced by the algal turtle diet) rather than metabolites of man-made POPs. None of the compounds measured increased in concentration with increasing prevalence of FP across the four groups of turtles, suggesting that these 164 compounds are not likely primary triggers for the onset of FP. However, the stranded, severely tumored, emaciated turtle group (n=14) had the highest concentrations of POPs, which might suggest that mobilization of contaminants with lipids into the blood during late-stage weight loss could contribute to the progression of the disease. Taken together, these data suggest that POPs are not a major cofactor in causing the onset of FP.

Study on the etiology of fibropapillomatosis of olive ridley sea turtles (&lt;i&gt;Lepidochelys olivacea&lt;/i&gt;) nesting in the National Wildlife Refuge at Ostional, Guanacaste, Costa Rica

Sea turtle fibropapillomatosis is an emerging disease characterized by a proliferation of cutaneous papillomas, fibromas, and fibropapillomas and occasional visceral fibromas. This paper aims to contribute tothe etiology of fibropapillomatosis in olive ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea) nesting in OstionalNational Wildlife Refuge. Twenty six olive ridley turtles with cutaneous fibropapilloma were sampled and24 healthy olive ridley turtles served as controls. Biopsies were taken of the cutaneous tumors in sick seaturtles, as well as skin biopsies from control subjects, and blood samples were collected from all turtles.Tumorous samples and skin samples were microscopically analyzed in order to differentiate the histologicalfactors resulting from the disease pathogenesis, where the main histological findings were papillaryepidermal hyperplasia, orthokeratotic hyperkeratosis, spirorchid-like eggs in the dermis, and eosinophilic cytoplasmic inclusion. Hematology and blood chemistry studies were conducted on blood samples, andMCHC, heterophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, AST, total protein, albumin and globulin values were significantlydifferent between healthy turtles and turtles with tumors. A PCR test was also conducted in thesamples to determine the presence of herpesvirus and papillomavirus as possible etiologic agents, wherethe papilomavirus was absent in all the samples, while the herpesvirus was present in 69.23% of the tumors,this being the most probable etiological agent of fibropapillomatosis.La fibropapilomatosis de la tortuga marina es una enfermedad emergente caracterizada por múltiples papilomas, fibromas y fibropapilomas cutáneos, así como ocasionales fibromas viscerales. El presente trabajo tiene como objetivo contribuir a la etiología de la fibropapilomatosis en la tortuga lora (Lepidochelys olivacea) que anida en el Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Ostional. Se muestrearon 26 tortugas lora con fibropapilomas cutáneos y 24 tortugas lora sanas que sirvieron de control. Se tomaron biopsias excisionales de los tumores cutáneos de las tortugas enfermas y biopsias de piel de las tortugas control, además se recolectaron muestras de sangre de todas las tortugas. Las muestras tumorales y de piel se analizaron microscópicamente para diferenciar los factores histológicos que resultan de la patogénesis de la enfermedad, donde los hallazgos histopatológicos principales en los fibropapilomas fueron: crecimiento papiliforme, hiperqueratosis ortoqueratótica, huevos de parásitos similares a espiróquidos en la capa dérmica e inclusión eosinofílica citoplasmática. A las muestras de sangre se les realizó análisis hematológico y de química sanguínea, donde los valores de CHCM, heterófilos, linfocitos, monocitos, AST, proteínas totales, albúmina y globulinas resultaron significativamente diferentes entre las tortugas sanas y las tortugas con tumores. Se realizó PCR a las muestras para determinar la presencia de genoma de herpesvirus y papilomavirus como posibles agentes etiológicos, donde el papilomavirus estuvo ausente en la totalidad de las muestras, mientras el virus Herpes se presentó en el 69.23% de los tumores posicionándose como el posible agente etiológico de la enfermedad.

CONDIÇÃO DE SAÚDE DAS TARTARUGAS MARINHAS DO LITORAL CENTRO-NORTE DO ESTADO DO RIO DE JANEIRO, BRASIL: AVALIAÇÃO SOBRE A PRESENÇA DE AGENTES BACTERIANOS, FIBROPAPILOMATOSE E INTERAÇÃO COM RESÍDUOS ANTROPOGÊNICOS

Normal 0 21 false false false PT-BR X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0cm; mso-para-margin-right:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0cm; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi; mso-fareast-language:EN-US;} HEALTH STATUS OF SEA TURTLES FROM THE CENTRAL-NORTH COAST OF RIO DE JANEIRO STATE, BRAZIL: EVALUATION ABOUT THE PRESENCE OF BACTERIAL AGENTS, FIBROPAPILLOMATOSIS AND INTERACTION WITH ANTHROPOGENIC DEBRIS. In Brazil, there are five species of sea turtles, commonly known as loggerhead ( Caretta caretta ), green turtle ( Chelonia mydas ), hawksbill ( Eretmochelys imbricata ), olive ridley ( Lepidochelys olivacea ) and leatherback turtle ( Dermochelys coriacea ). All are considered endangered under national and international criteria. Human action has caused many impacts on marine ecosystem and threatened its biodiversity. Several microorganisms inhabit this ecosystem and are able to cause infectious diseases. Therefore, marine environment changes contribute to the emergence of diseases, such as fibropapillomatosis in sea turtles. The ingestion of solid anthropogenic debris is another important menace to many marine organisms. In this context, the present study aims to investigate the presence of bacterial agents of the Vibrionaceae and Aeromonadaceae Families, the occurrence of fibropapillomatosis, and the interaction with anthropogenic debris in stranded sea turtles found along the central-north coast of Rio de Janeiro state, and thus assess the health status of these organisms and their environment. For this, beach monitoring was made at intervals of 15 days along the study area by GEMM-Lagos / Oceanites staff in 2009. Sea turtles were identified at species level and checked for the presence of external tumors. Specimens, when fresh, were necropsied and gastrointestinal contents screened to evaluate the presence of anthropogenic debris. Swabs were also collected for bacteriological analysis conducted by LRNCEB / FIOCRUZ -- an innovative survey for sea turtles in Brazil. 143 sea turtles were found stranded in the study area, and only four of the 68 analyzed turtles had tumors. 44% of the 32 gastrointestinal contents screened had anthropogenic debris, indicating a potential cause of sea turtles' death in the region, specially of Chelonias mydas . 88% of swabs were positive for Vibrio and 53% for Aeromonas. Thus, sea turtles, as sentinels of marine ecosystem health, indicate the environmental degradation of the central-north coast of Rio de Janeiro state, prompting the need for urgent mitigation actions. Keywords: Marine chelonians; pathogenic microorganisms; tumors; plastic debris; environmental health.

Relationship between fibropapillomatosis and environmental quality: a case study with Chelonia mydas off Brazil

We documented the presence of fibropapillomatosis (FP), a debilitating tumor-forming disease, in marine turtles in Espirito Santo Bay (Brazil) from March 2007 to April 2008, and assessed the value of a specific environmental index for predicting the prevalence of FP. Turtles were captured monthly with entanglement nets and scored for presence and severity of FP. For the assessment of habitat quality, we used the ecological evaluation index (EEI) based on benthic macrophytes. The FP-free control area was classified as good quality (EEI = 8) and the study area, with high FP prevalence, was classified as bad quality (EEI= 2). Prevalence of FP in the study area was 58.3% with an average of 40 tumors per individual, and prevalence varied positively with curved carapace length (CCL). No FP was seen in the control area. The number of turtles heavily afflicted (tumor score category 3) was 10 times larger than those lightly affected (tumor score category 1). Most tumors were found on or near the front and rear flippers; no oral tumors or internal tumors were found. At recapture, 41% of formerly tumor-free turtles revealed FP, often increasing in severity with time, and very few turtles showed signs of disease regression. From the results of this study we concluded that FP is particularly severe in Espírito Santo Bay. Future studies should focus on evaluating how widespread FP is in Brazil, whether prevalence is increasing or decreasing, and elucidating the pathology and pathogenesis of FP in sea turtles in Brazil.

Wildlife cancer: a conservation perspective

Until recently, cancer in wildlife was not considered to be a conservation concern. However, with the identification of Tasmanian devil facial tumour disease, sea turtle fibropapillomatosis and sea lion genital carcinoma, it has become apparent that neoplasia can be highly prevalent and have considerable effects on some species. It is also clear that anthropogenic activities contribute to the development of neoplasia in wildlife species, such as beluga whales and bottom-dwelling fish, making them sensitive sentinels of disturbed environments.

Discovery of a Novel Single-Stranded DNA Virus from a Sea Turtle Fibropapilloma by Using Viral Metagenomics

Viral metagenomics, consisting of viral particle purification and shotgun sequencing, is a powerful technique for discovering viruses associated with diseases with no definitive etiology, viruses that share limited homology with known viruses, or viruses that are not culturable. Here we used viral metagenomics to examine viruses associated with sea turtle fibropapillomatosis (FP), a debilitating neoplastic disease affecting sea turtles worldwide. By means of purifying and shotgun sequencing the viral community directly from the fibropapilloma of a Florida green sea turtle, a novel single-stranded DNA virus, sea turtle tornovirus 1 (STTV1), was discovered. The single-stranded, circular genome of STTV1 was approximately 1,800 nucleotides in length. STTV1 has only weak amino acid level identities (25%) to chicken anemia virus in short regions of its genome; hence, STTV1 may represent the first member of a novel virus family. A total of 35 healthy turtles and 27 turtles with FP were tested for STTV1 using PCR, and only 2 turtles severely afflicted with FP were positive. The affected turtles were systemically infected with STTV1, since STTV1 was found in blood and all major organs. STTV1 exists as a quasispecies, with several genome variants identified in the fibropapilloma of each positive turtle, suggesting rapid evolution of this virus. The STTV1 variants were identical over the majority of their genomes but contained a hypervariable region with extensive divergence. This study demonstrates the potential of viral metagenomics for discovering novel viruses directly from animal tissue, which can enhance our understanding of viral evolution and diversity.