scholarly journals First detection of herpesvirus and prevalence of mycoplasma infection in free-ranging Hermann’s tortoises (Testudo hermanni), and in potential pet vectors

2022 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean-marie Ballouard ◽  
Xavier Bonnet ◽  
Julie Jourdan ◽  
Albert Martinez-Silvestre ◽  
Stéphane Gagno ◽  
...  
1996 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 91-102 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Huot-Daubremont ◽  
D. Bradshaw ◽  
C. Grenot

AbstractBehavioural thermoregulation has been studied in the terrestrial tortoise Testudo hermanni in south-eastern France by implanting temperature-sensitive probes in free-ranging individuals. Three tortoises were monitored over a period of nine months (July to March); they maintained body temperatures close to their preferendum for periods of several hours each day. These results are of interest as doubt has been expressed in the literature on the thermoregulatory capacities of Testudo hermanni in the northernmost part of its range.


2013 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean-Marie Ballouard ◽  
Sébastien Caron ◽  
Thibaud Lafon ◽  
Laure Servant ◽  
Bernard Devaux ◽  
...  

Most species of tortoises are seriously threatened worldwide. Chelonians are long-lived organisms characterized by slow demographic traits; mathematical modeling estimated that a high rate of juvenile annual survival (i.e. >0.6 on average) is essential for the persistence of populations. Unfortunately, current knowledge about free-ranging juveniles is fragmentary. Under field conditions, young tortoises are very secretive, they remain sheltered beneath bushes, and they escape capture. The resulting lack of information impairs the assessment of key parameters such as juvenile survival, habitat use, or recruitment rate and thus seriously impedes both accurate population viability analyses and conservation planning. Large-scale monitoring of different populations of a threatened species (Testudo hermanni hermanni) confirmed that juveniles are rarely seen in the field. In 2011, we placed corrugated fibrocement slabs as alternative refuges for small tortoises in a densely vegetated study site. Many juveniles sheltered under the space offered by the corrugations; consequently they were easily captured and recaptured. Our results suggest that this simple technique may significantly improve the detectability of juveniles, providing access to the life history traits of this otherwise elusive age cohort. The slabs also provide protection against predators (such as dogs and birds) which further suggests that these refuges may also improve the survival of the smallest and most vulnerable individuals.


Zoology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 142 ◽  
pp. 125821
Author(s):  
Ljiljana Tomović ◽  
Dragan Arsovski ◽  
Ana Golubović ◽  
Xavier Bonnet

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
J-M Ballouard ◽  
X Bonnet ◽  
J Jourdan ◽  
A Martinez-Silvestre ◽  
S Gagno ◽  
...  

AbstractTwo types of pathogens cause highly contagious upper respiratory tract diseases (URTD) in Chelonians: testudinid herpesviruses (TeHV) and a mycoplasma (Mycoplasma agassizii). In captivity, these infections are frequent and can provoke outbreaks. Pet trade generates international flow of tortoises, often without sanitary checking; individuals intentionally or accidentally released in the wild may spread pathogens. A better understanding of the transmission of infectious agents from captivity to wild tortoises is needed. Many exotic individuals have been introduced in populations of the endangered western Hermann’s tortoise (Testudo hermanni hermanni), notably spur-thighed tortoises (Testudo graeca). We assessed the presence of TeHV and mycoplasma in native western Hermann’s tortoises and in potential pet vectors in south-eastern France. Using a large sample (N=572 tortoises), this study revealed the worrying presence of herpesvirus in 7 free-ranging individuals (3 sub-populations). Additionally, Mycoplasma agassizii was detected in 15 of the 18 populations sampled with a frequency ranging from 2.5 to 25%. Exotic spur-thighed tortoises showed high frequency of Mycoplasma infection in captivity (18%) and in individuals (50%) found in native Hermann’s tortoise sub-populations, suggesting that this species could be a significant vector. The paucity of information of TeHV on European tortoise’ URTD in natural settings, especially in combination with mycoplasma, prompts for further studies. Indeed, sick tortoises remain concealed and may not be easily detected in the field. Our results indicate that both the prevalence and health impact of URTD are high should be scrutinized in the field.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Krüger ◽  
B. Altherr ◽  
N. Pantchev ◽  
S. Öfner ◽  
Y. Zablotski ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 73-78
Author(s):  
A Hossen ◽  
MH Rahman ◽  
MZ Ali ◽  
MA Yousuf ◽  
MZ Hassan ◽  
...  

Duck plague (DP) is the most important infectious disease of geese, ducks and free-ranging water birds. The present study was conducted to determine the prevalence of duck plague virus followed by isolation and identification. For these purposes, a total of 155 cloacal swabs samples were collected randomly from duck of different haor areas of Bangladesh including 45 (41 surveillance and 4 clinical) samples from Netrokona; 42 (40 surveillance and 2 clinical) samples from Kishoregonj; 30 samples from Brahmanbaria and 38 samples from Sunamganj. The samples were processed and pooled (1:5 ratio) for initial screening of target polymerase gene of duck plague virus by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. All the samples of a positive pool were then tested individually for identifying the individual positive samples. The result showed that out of 155 samples, 41 (26.45%) were found positive in which 17 were from Netrokona, where 15 (36.58%) were from surveillance samples and 2 (50%) were from clinical sample; 16 were from Kishoregonj, where 14 (35%) were from surveillance samples and 2 (100%) were from clinical sample; 2 (6.6%) were from Brahmanbaria and 5 (13.15%) were from Sunamganj. These positive samples were inoculated into 9-10 days embryonated duck eggs (EDE) through chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) route for the isolation of virus. The EDE died earlier was also chilled, and in a similar way, the CAMs were collected and again performed PCR for id entification of virus. Out of 41 PCR positive samples, 26 samples were isolated and reconfirmed by PCR. Subsequently, DPV was isolated in primary duck embryo fibroblasts cell culture and confirmed by observing cytopathic effect (CPE). Bang. J. Livs. Res. Vol. 26 (1&2), 2019: P. 73-78


2019 ◽  
Vol 133 (3) ◽  
pp. 175-180 ◽  
Author(s):  
L Flach ◽  
MB Alonso ◽  
T Marinho ◽  
K Van Waerebeek ◽  
MF Van Bressem

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