Geographic variation in marine turtle fibropapillomatosis
We document three examples of fibropapillomatosis by histology, quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), and sequence analysis from three different geographic areas. Tumors compatible in morphology with fibropapillomatosis were seen in green turtles from Puerto Rico and San Diego (California) and in a hybrid loggerhead/ hawksbill turtle from Florida Bay (Florida). Tumors were confirmed as fibropapillomas on histology, although severity of disease varied between cases. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analyses revealed infection with the fibropapilloma-associated turtle herpesvirus (FPTHV) in all cases, albeit at highly variable copy numbers per cell. Alignment of a portion of the polymerase gene from each fibropapilloma-associated turtle herpesvirus isolate demonstrated geographic variation in sequence. These cases illustrate geographic variation in both the pathology and the virology of fibropapillomatosis.
Citation Information
Publication Year | 2005 |
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Title | Geographic variation in marine turtle fibropapillomatosis |
DOI | 10.1638/04-051.1 |
Authors | R.J. Greenblatt, Thierry M. Work, P. Dutton, C.A. Sutton, T.R. Spraker, R.N. Casey, C.E. Diez, Dana C. Parker, J. St. Ledger, G.H. Balazs, J.W. Casey |
Publication Type | Article |
Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
Series Title | Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine |
Index ID | 1003782 |
Record Source | USGS Publications Warehouse |
USGS Organization | National Wildlife Health Center |