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

Authors

  • Laura Brenes-Chaves Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica
  • Alexis Berrocal Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica
  • Ana I. Meneses Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica
  • Carlos Jiménez-Sánchez Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica
  • Carlos M. Orrego-Vásquez Área de Conservación Tempisque, Costa Rica

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15359/revmar.5.8

Keywords:

Lepidochelys olivacea, fibropapilloma, PCR, herpesvirus

Abstract

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 to the etiology of fibropapillomatosis in olive ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea) nesting in Ostional National Wildlife Refuge. Twenty-six olive ridley turtles with cutaneous fibropapilloma were sampled and 24 healthy olive ridley turtles served as controls. Biopsies were taken of the cutaneous tumors in sick sea turtles, 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 histological factors resulting from the disease pathogenesis, where the main histological findings were papillary epidermal hyperplasia, orthokeratotic hyperkeratosis, spirorchid-like eggs in the dermis, and eosinophilic cytoplasmic inclusion. Hematology and blood chemistry studies were conducted on blood samples, and MCHC, heterophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, AST, total protein, albumin and globulin values were significantly different between healthy turtles and turtles with tumors. A PCR test was also conducted in the samples to determine the presence of herpesvirus and papillomavirus as possible etiologic agents, where the 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.

Author Biographies

Laura Brenes-Chaves, Universidad Nacional

Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria

Alexis Berrocal, Universidad Nacional

Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria

Ana I. Meneses, Universidad Nacional

Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria

Carlos Jiménez-Sánchez, Universidad Nacional

Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria

Carlos M. Orrego-Vásquez, Área de Conservación Tempisque

Sistema Nacional de Áreas de Conservación

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Published

2013-12-10

How to Cite

Brenes-Chaves, L., Berrocal, A., Meneses, A. I., Jiménez-Sánchez, C., & Orrego-Vásquez, C. M. (2013). Study on the etiology of fibropapillomatosis of olive ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea) nesting in the National Wildlife Refuge at Ostional, Guanacaste, Costa Rica. Journal of Marine and Coastal Sciences, 5, 119-134. https://doi.org/10.15359/revmar.5.8

Issue

Section

Scientific articles

How to Cite

Brenes-Chaves, L., Berrocal, A., Meneses, A. I., Jiménez-Sánchez, C., & Orrego-Vásquez, C. M. (2013). Study on the etiology of fibropapillomatosis of olive ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea) nesting in the National Wildlife Refuge at Ostional, Guanacaste, Costa Rica. Journal of Marine and Coastal Sciences, 5, 119-134. https://doi.org/10.15359/revmar.5.8

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