title: Mycobacterium ulcerans infection in an Indian flap-shelled turtle (Lissemys punctata punctata).
abstract: We report an atypical mycobacterial infection in an Indian flap-shelled turtle, Lissemys punctata punctata, that died in an aquarium in Japan. At necropsy, the turtle showed multiple white nodules on the capsular surface and parenchyma of various organs such as the liver, spleen, intestine, and lung. Histologically, granulomatous inflammation surrounding a central zone of necrosis was observed. Sections stained by the Ziehl-Neelsen method revealed numerous acid-fast bacilli in the cytoplasm of macrophages and in the central area of necrosis. The organisms were identified as a mycobacterial species by PCR and nucleotide sequence analysis and revealed 98-100% homology to M. ulcerans. This is, to our knowledge, the first report of mycobacteriosis due to M. ulcerans in a turtle.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Rakuno Gakuen University, Ebetsu, Hokkaido 069–8501, Japan.
authors.forename: Kanako
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sakaguchi
authors.forename: Hiroko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Iima
authors.forename: Kazuko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hirayama
authors.forename: Minoru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Okamoto
authors.forename: Kazuya
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Matsuda
authors.forename: Taku
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Miyasho
authors.forename: Masahiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kasamatsu
authors.forename: Kazuhiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hasegawa
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Taniyama
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D054312:Buruli Ulcer / Q000662:veterinary*; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D019911:Mycobacterium ulcerans / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014426:Turtles