title: Pathologies of the digestive system caused by marine debris in Chelonia mydas.
abstract: The growth of human population and deficient pollution control measures pose significant challenge to the environment. Despite conservation efforts, all sea turtle species are at some risk of extinction. The present study investigated the effect of marine debris on the gastrointestinal tract of green turtles in southeastern Brazil. Of the 777 animals evaluated, 290 showed marine debris in one segment of the gastrointestinal tract. The presence of these materials in the gastrointestinal tract may be harmful, independent of the segment involved, and increases the risk of impaction. Marine debris has become a significant hazard to Chelonia mydas in the region surveyed, causing perforation, rupture, or fecal impaction that, when not treated, is potentially fatal, exposing the intestine to bacterial infection.
authors.affiliation: Setor de Anatomia Patológica Veterinária, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro - UENF, Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro, 28013-602, Brazil. Electronic address: hjerdy@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Hassan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jerdy
authors.affiliation: BW Consultoria Veterinária, Rua Ponciano Eugênio Duarte 203, Bairro Centro, CEP: 11680-000 Ubatuba-SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Max Rondon
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Werneck
authors.affiliation: Setor de Anatomia Patológica Veterinária, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro - UENF, Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro, 28013-602, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria Aparecida
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.affiliation: Setor de Anatomia Patológica Veterinária, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro - UENF, Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro, 28013-602, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rachel Bittencourt
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.affiliation: Setor de Anatomia Patológica Veterinária, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro - UENF, Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro, 28013-602, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mariah
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bianchi
authors.affiliation: Universidade Cândido Mendes, Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Shimoda
authors.affiliation: Setor de Anatomia Patológica Veterinária, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro - UENF, Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro, 28013-602, Brazil.
authors.forename: Eulógio Carlos Queiróz
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: de Carvalho
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001938:Brazil; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000473:pathology*; D010969:Plastics / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014426:Turtles; D014866:Waste Products / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014873:Water Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D010969:Plastics; D014866:Waste Products; D014873:Water Pollutants
keywords: Chelonia mydas; Digestive tract; Impaction; Marine debris