Relationship between fibropapillomatosis and environmental quality: A case study with Chelonia mydas off Brazil

Robson G. Santos; Agnaldo Silva Martins; E. Torezani; Cecilia Baptistotte; Julyana da Nobrega Farias; Antunes Paulo Horta; Thierry M. Work; G.H. Balazs

doi:10.3354/dao02178

Relationship between fibropapillomatosis and environmental quality: A case study with Chelonia mydas off Brazil

Diseases of Aquatic Organisms

By: Robson G. Santos, Agnaldo Silva Martins, E. Torezani, Cecilia Baptistotte, Julyana da Nobrega Farias, Antunes Paulo Horta, Thierry M. Work, and G.H. Balazs

https://doi.org/10.3354/dao02178

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Abstract

We documented the presence of fibropapillomatosis (FP), a debilitating tumor-forming disease, in marine turtles in Espírito Santo Bay (Brazil) from March 2007 to April 2008, and assessed the value of a specific environmental index for predicting the prevalence of FP. Turtles were captured monthly with entanglement nets and scored for presence and severity of FP. For the assessment of habitat quality, we used the ecological evaluation index (EEI) based on benthic macrophytes. The FPfree control area was classified as good quality (EEI = 8) and the study area, with high FP prevalence, was classified as bad quality (EEI = 2). Prevalence of FP in the study area was 58.3% with an average of 40 tumors per individual, and prevalence varied positively with curved carapace length (CCL). No FP was seen in the control area. The number of turtles heavily afflicted (tumor score category 3) was 10 times larger than those lightly affected (tumor score category 1). Most tumors were found on or near the front and rear flippers; no oral tumors or internal tumors were found. At recapture, 41% of formerly tumor-free turtles revealed FP, often increasing in severity with time, and very few turtles showed signs of disease regression. From the results of this study we concluded that FP is particularly severe in Espírito Santo Bay. Future studies should focus on evaluating how widespread FP is in Brazil, whether prevalence is increasing or decreasing, and elucidating the pathology and pathogenesis of FP in sea turtles in Brazil.

Additional publication details
Publication type	Article
Publication Subtype	Journal Article
Title	Relationship between fibropapillomatosis and environmental quality: A case study with Chelonia mydas off Brazil
Series title	Diseases of Aquatic Organisms
DOI	10.3354/dao02178
Volume	89
Year Published	2010
Language	English
Publisher	Inter-Research
Contributing office(s)	National Wildlife Health Center
Description	9 p.
First page	87
Last page	95
Google Analytic Metrics	Metrics page