title: Bacterial and viral pathogens detected in sea turtles stranded along the coast of Tuscany, Italy.
abstract: During 2014, six loggerhead turtles, Caretta caretta and one green turtle, Chelonia mydas, found stranded on the Tuscany coast of Italy, were examined for the presence of specific bacterial and viral agents, along with their role as carriers of fish and human pathogens. Thirteen different species of bacteria, 10 Gram negative and 3 Gram positive, were identified. Among them, two strains of Vibrio parahaemolyticus and one strain of Lactococcus garviae were recovered and confirmed by specific PCR protocols. No trh and tdh genes were detected in V. parahaemolyticus. The first isolation of L. garviae and the first detection of Betanodavirus in sea turtles indicate the possibility for sea turtles to act as carriers of fish pathogens. Furthermore, the isolation of two strains of V. parahaemolyticus highlights the possible role of these animals in human pathogens' diffusion.
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana "M. Aleandri", S.S. dell'Abetone e del Brennero 4, 56123 Pisa, Italy. Electronic address: gianluca.fichi@gmail.com.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fichi
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana "M.Aleandri", Via Appia Nuova 1411, 00178 Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cardeti
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana "M.Aleandri", Via Appia Nuova 1411, 00178 Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cersini
authors.affiliation: ARPAT, Agenzia Regionale per la Protezione Ambientale Toscana, Via Marrani 114, 57126 Livorno, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mancusi
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana "M. Aleandri", S.S. dell'Abetone e del Brennero 4, 56123 Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Guarducci
authors.affiliation: Università degli Studi di Teramo, Facoltà di Medicina Veterinaria, Località Piano d'Accio, 64100 Teramo, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Di Guardo
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana "M. Aleandri", S.S. dell'Abetone e del Brennero 4, 56123 Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Terracciano
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D059001:Aquatic Organisms / Q000382:microbiology / Q000821:virology; D001419:Bacteria / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018407:Bacterial Physiological Phenomena; D004197:Disease Reservoirs / Q000382:microbiology / Q000821:virology; D007558:Italy; D030381:Nodaviridae / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D014426:Turtles / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000821:virology*
keywords: Betanodavirus; Lactococcus garviae; Sea turtles; Vibrio parahaemolyticus