title: Prevalence of Mycoplasma agassizii and Chelonian herpesvirus in captive tortoises (Testudo sp.) in the United Kingdom.
abstract: During the months of April to August in 1999 and 2002, oral swabs were collected from 146 tortoises (Testudo sp.) in private collections in the United Kingdom and tested by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the presence of Mycoplasma agassizii and Chelonian herpesvirus (ChHV). The presence of M. agassizii was confirmed by restriction digestion of the PCR product. A 307-bp fragment of the ChHV UL5 homologue gene was sequenced and found to show most similarity to equine herpesvirus type 1. A prevalence of 15.8 and 8.2% was found for M. agassizii and ChHV, respectively. Comparison of the carriage of both M. agassizii and ChHV in different species of tortoises correlated the presence of M. agassizii with Testudo horsfieldii and ChHV with Testudo marginata and Testudo graeca iberia. An association of ChHV with stomatitis was also found. Mixed infections with both agents were detected. The findings further demonstrate this pathogen-tortoise association and the cross transmission of these infections if different tortoise species are housed together.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Infectious Diseases, Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead Lane, North Mymms, Hertfordshire AL9 7TA, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Jorge F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.forename: Victoria J
authors.initials: VJ
authors.lastname: Chalker
authors.forename: Kerstin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Erles
authors.forename: Sonya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Holtby
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Waters
authors.forename: Stuart
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: McArthur
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D004197:Disease Reservoirs / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D006564:Herpesviridae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D009174:Mycoplasma / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D009175:Mycoplasma Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary*; D015995:Prevalence; D013280:Stomatitis / Q000662:veterinary / Q000821:virology; D014426:Turtles / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000821:virology; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004279:DNA, Viral