Arid
DOI10.7589/0090-3558-39.1.35
Clinical disease and laboratory abnormalities in free-ranging desert tortoises in California (1990-1995)
Christopher, MM; Berry, KH; Henen, BT; Nagy, KA
通讯作者Christopher, MM
来源期刊JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE DISEASES
ISSN0090-3558
出版年2003
卷号39期号:1页码:35-56
英文摘要

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 tortoises at three sites in the Mojave Desert of California (USA) between October 1990 and October 1995; 2) to evaluate associations between clinical signs and hematologic, biochemical, serologic, and microbiologic test results; 3) to characterize disease patterns by site, season, and sex; and 4) to assess the utility of diagnostic tests in predicting morbidity and mortality. Venous blood samples were obtained four times per year from tortoises of both sexes at the Desert Tortoise Research Natural Area (DTNA), Goffs/Fenner Valley, and Ivanpah Valley. Tortoises were given a physical examination, and clinical abnormalities were graded by type and severity Of 108 tortoises, 68.5% had clinical signs of upper respiratory. tract disease consistent with mycoplasmosis at least once during the study period. In addition, 48.1% developed moderate to severe shell lesions consistent with cutaneous dyskeratosis. Ulcerated or plaque-like oral lesions were noted on single occasions in 23% of tortoises at Goffs and 6% of tortoises at Ivanpah. Tortoises with oral lesions were significantly more likely than tortoises without lesions to have positive nasal cultures for Mycoplasma agassizii (P=0.001) and to be dehydrated (P=0.0007). Nine tortoises had marked azotemia (blood urea nitrogen [BUN] >100 mg/ dl) or persistent azotemia (BUN 63-76 mg/dl); four of these died, three of which had necropsy confirmation of urinary tract disease. Laboratory tests had low sensitivity but high specificity in assessing morbidity and mortality; there was marked discrepancy between serologic and culture results for M. agassizii. Compared with tortoises at other sites, tortoises at DTNA were more likely to be seropositive for M. agassizii. Tortoises at Goffs were significantly more likely to have moderate to severe shell disease, oral lesions, positive nasal cultures for M. agassizii, and increased plasma aspartate aminotransferase activity. The severe disease prevalence in Goffs tortoises likely contributed to the population decline that occurred during and subsequent to this study.


英文关键词chelonian clinical chemistry cutaneous dyskeratosis desert tortoise hematology Mojave Desert Gopherus agassizii Mycoplasma agassizii mycoplasmosis shell disease upper respiratory tract disease
类型Article
语种英语
国家USA
收录类别SCI-E
WOS记录号WOS:000181880500005
WOS关键词UPPER RESPIRATORY-TRACT ; GOPHERUS-AGASSIZII ; MOJAVE DESERT ; 2 POPULATIONS ; MYCOPLASMA ; NEVADA ; WATER
WOS类目Veterinary Sciences
WOS研究方向Veterinary Sciences
来源机构University of California, Davis ; University of California, Los Angeles
资源类型期刊论文
条目标识符http://119.78.100.177/qdio/handle/2XILL650/145388
作者单位(1)Univ Calif Davis, Sch Vet Med, Dept Pathol Microbiol & Immunol, Davis, CA 95616 USA;(2)Univ Calif Los Angeles, Dept Organism Biol Ecol & Evolut, Los Angeles, CA 90024 USA;(3)Univ Calif Los Angeles, Biomed & Environm Sci Lab, Los Angeles, CA 90024 USA
推荐引用方式
GB/T 7714
Christopher, MM,Berry, KH,Henen, BT,et al. Clinical disease and laboratory abnormalities in free-ranging desert tortoises in California (1990-1995)[J]. University of California, Davis, University of California, Los Angeles,2003,39(1):35-56.
APA Christopher, MM,Berry, KH,Henen, BT,&Nagy, KA.(2003).Clinical disease and laboratory abnormalities in free-ranging desert tortoises in California (1990-1995).JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE DISEASES,39(1),35-56.
MLA Christopher, MM,et al."Clinical disease and laboratory abnormalities in free-ranging desert tortoises in California (1990-1995)".JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE DISEASES 39.1(2003):35-56.
条目包含的文件
条目无相关文件。
个性服务
推荐该条目
保存到收藏夹
导出为Endnote文件
谷歌学术
谷歌学术中相似的文章
[Christopher, MM]的文章
[Berry, KH]的文章
[Henen, BT]的文章
百度学术
百度学术中相似的文章
[Christopher, MM]的文章
[Berry, KH]的文章
[Henen, BT]的文章
必应学术
必应学术中相似的文章
[Christopher, MM]的文章
[Berry, KH]的文章
[Henen, BT]的文章
相关权益政策
暂无数据
收藏/分享

除非特别说明,本系统中所有内容都受版权保护,并保留所有权利。