Identification of bacteria present in ulcerative stomatitis lesions of captive sea turtles Chelonia mydas

AbstractAnthropogenic activities, predation, and diseases have contributed to a decrease in the sea turtle population in recent years. Ulcerative stomatitis is a condition that occurs in both wild and captive populations. The etiology of this condition is associated with bacteria such asE. coli,Citrobacter diversus,Klebsiella spp.,Pseudomonas spp.,Flavobacter calcoaceticus,Staphylococcus spp., andFlavobacterium spp. Some of these microorganisms are part of the oral microbiota of turtles, but alterations in the immune response can disturb the homeostatic relationship and cause an increase in the population of microorganisms, which in turn can cause disease. This work presents results on the isolation and identification of bacteria present in ulcerative stomatitis lesions in captiveC. mydas turtles. Oral mucosa samples from 20 clinically healthy turtles and ten animals with ulcerative stomatitis lesions were studied. The samples were cultivated in enriched and differential media, and the identification was made using an automated method. The results showed a great diversity of bacteria in animals with ulcerative stomatitis with a higher prevalence ofS. lentus andC. braakii was higher (60 and 50%, respectively) than in healthy animals.E. faecium was identified in 40% of diseased animals and 55% healthy animals. Turtles in this study had a diverse oral microbiota, andS. lentus andC. braakii may be involved in the etiopathogenesis of ulcerative stomatitis.
Source: Veterinary Research Communications - Category: Veterinary Research Source Type: research