Persistence of maternal antibodies against Mycoplasma agassizii in desert tortoise hatchlings.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate Mycoplasma agassizii-specific maternal antibodies in desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) hatchlings.


METHODS
Plasma from 43 captive-reared desert tortoise hatchlings.


METHODS
ELISA for M agassizii-specific antibodies was performed. Four hatchlings from 4 clutches of 3 M agassizii-seropositive females with chronic upper respiratory tract disease (URTD) were tested on the day of hatching (set 1), and 20 hatchlings from 4 clutches of 4 M agassizii-seropositive females with URTD and 19 hatchlings from 4 M agassizii-seronegative healthy females were tested at 4, 8, 12, and 29 months old (set 2). Immunoblot analysis was performed to determine immunoglobulin classes in yolk and plasma of hatchlings. To determine infection status of hatchlings, yolk, egg shell membranes (set 1), and nasal lavage fluid (sets 1 and 2) were examined for M agassizii by use of polymerase chain reaction.


RESULTS
Yolk and hatchling plasma had significantly lower amounts of specific antibodies than did plasma from adult females. The IgG and IgM antibodies were transferred, but M agassizii-specific antibodies were of the IgG class. Hatchlings were not infected with mycoplasmas. Offspring of sick females had significantly higher specific antibody titers than did offspring of healthy females. Titers were still significantly different in 1-year-old hatchlings.


CONCLUSIONS
Desert tortoise females transfer specific IgG and IgM antibodies to their offspring that are still detectable after 1 year.


CONCLUSIONS
Infection with M agassizii may be misdiagnosed in hatchlings with persistent maternal antibodies. Passively acquired antibodies may have a role in pathogenesis of mycoplasma-induced respiratory tract disease and other diseases.
Biotechnologies for the Ecological, Evolutionary, and Conservation Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville 32610, USA.
I M
IM
Schumacher
D C
DC
Rostal
R A
RA
Yates
D R
DR
Brown
E R
ER
Jacobson
P A
PA
Klein
D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D015153:Blotting, Western / Q000662:veterinary; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000737:chemistry; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel / Q000662:veterinary; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D007112:Immunity, Maternally-Acquired / Q000502:physiology*; D009174:Mycoplasma / Q000276:immunology*; D009175:Mycoplasma Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D017817:Nasal Lavage Fluid / Q000276:immunology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014426:Turtles / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D017931:DNA Primers; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S