scholarly journals Evaluation of the Respiratory Microbiome and the Use of Tracheal Lavage as a Diagnostic Tool in Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtles (Lepidochelys kempii)

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 2927
Author(s):  
Kerry L. McNally ◽  
Jennifer L. Bowen ◽  
Jennifer O. Brisson ◽  
Adam Kennedy ◽  
Charles J. Innis
Keyword(s):  
Microbial Community ◽  
Respiratory Tract ◽  
Microbial Communities ◽  
Sea Turtles ◽  
Sea Turtle ◽  
Lepidochelys Kempii ◽  
Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtles ◽  
Tracheal Lavage ◽  
High Degree ◽  
Kemp's Ridley

Respiratory disease is a common cause of morbidity and mortality in sea turtles, including the Kemp’s ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys kempii). Although culture-dependent methods are typically used to characterize microbes associated with pneumonia and to determine treatment, culture-independent methods can provide a deeper understanding of the respiratory microbial communities and lead to a more accurate diagnosis. In this study, we characterized the tracheal lavage microbiome from cold-stunned Kemp’s ridley sea turtles at three time points during rehabilitation (intake, rehabilitation, and convalescence) by analyzing the 16S rRNA gene collected from tracheal lavage samples. We retrospectively developed a radiographic scoring system to grade the severity of lung abnormalities in these turtles and found no differences in diversity or composition of microbial communities based on radiographic score. We also found that the culture isolates from tracheal lavage samples, as well as other previously reported sea turtle pathogens, were present in variable abundance across sequenced samples. In addition to the tracheal microbial community of live turtles, we characterized microbial communities from other segments of the respiratory tract (glottis, trachea, anterior lung, posterior lung) from deceased turtles. We found a high degree of variability within turtles and a high degree of dissimilarity between different segments of the respiratory tract and the tracheal lavage collected from the same turtle. In summary, we found that the pulmonary microbial community associated with pneumonia in sea turtles is complex and does not correlate well with the microbial community as identified by tracheal lavage. These results underscore the limitations of using tracheal lavage for identification of the causative agents of pneumonia in sea turtles.

scholarly journals Characterization of oral and cloacal microbial communities in cold-stunned Kemp’s ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys kempii) during the time course of rehabilitation

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (5) ◽  
pp. e0252086
Author(s):  
Kerry L. McNally ◽  
Charles J. Innis ◽  
Adam Kennedy ◽  
Jennifer L. Bowen
Keyword(s):  
Microbial Community ◽  
Microbial Communities ◽  
Community Composition ◽  
Time Course ◽  
Sea Turtles ◽  
Microbial Community Composition ◽  
Disease Status ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Lepidochelys Kempii ◽  
Kemp's Ridley

Microbial communities of animals play a role in health and disease, including immunocompromised conditions. In the northeastern United States, cold-stunning events often cause endangered Kemp’s ridley turtles (Lepidochelys kempii) to become stranded on beaches in autumn. These sea turtles are admitted to rehabilitation facilities when rescued alive and are presumed immunocompromised secondary to hypothermia. To better understand the role that microbes play in the health of cold-stunned sea turtles, we characterized the oral and cloacal microbiome from Kemp’s ridley turtles at multiple timepoints during rehabilitation, from admission to pre-release, by using Illumina sequencing to analyze the 16S rRNA gene. Microbial communities were distinct between body sites and among turtles that survived and those that died. We found that clinical parameters such as presence of pneumonia or values for various blood analytes did not correlate with oral or cloacal microbial community composition. We also investigated the effect of antibiotics on the microbiome during rehabilitation and prior to release and found that the type of antibiotic altered the microbial community composition, yet overall taxonomic diversity remained the same. The microbiome of cold-stunned Kemp’s ridley turtles gradually changed through the course of rehabilitation with environment, antibiotics, and disease status all playing a role in those changes and ultimately the release status of the turtles.

scholarly journals Analysis of the fecal microbiome in Kemp’s ridley sea turtles Lepidochelys kempii undergoing rehabilitation

2020 ◽  
Vol 43 ◽  
pp. 121-131
Author(s):  
MM Samuelson ◽  
EE Pulis ◽  
C Ray ◽  
CR Arias ◽  
DR Samuelson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sea Turtles ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Lepidochelys Kempii ◽  
Fecal Samples ◽  
Fecal Microbiome ◽  
Β Diversity ◽  
Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtles ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Kemp's Ridley

The impact of the intestinal and fecal microbiome on animal health has received considerable attention in recent years and has direct implications for the veterinary and wildlife rehabilitation fields. To examine the effects of rehabilitation on the microbiome in Kemp’s ridley sea turtles Lepidochelys kempii, fecal samples from 30 incidentally captured juveniles were collected during rehabilitation. Samples were analyzed to determine alpha- (α) and beta- (β) diversity as well as the taxonomic abundance of the fecal microbiota during rehabilitation and in response to treatment with antibiotics. The fecal microbial communities of animals housed in rehabilitation for a ‘short-term’ stay (samples collected 0-9 d post-capture) were compared with ‘long-term’ (samples collected 10+ d post-capture) and ‘treated’ groups (samples collected from turtles that had received antibiotic medication). Results of this study indicate that the most dominant phylum in fecal samples was Bacteroidetes (relative abundance, 45.44 ± 5.92% [SD]), followed by Firmicutes (26.62 ± 1.58%), Fusobacteria (19.49 ± 9.07%), and Proteobacteria (7.39 ± 1.84%). Similarly, at the family level, Fusobacteriaceae (28.36 ± 17.75%), Tannerellaceae (15.41 ± 10.50%), Bacteroidaceae (14.58 ± 8.48%), and Ruminococcaceae (11.49 ± 3.47%) were the most abundant. Our results indicated that both antibiotic-treated and long-term rehabilitated turtles demonstrated a significant decrease in β-diversity when compared to short-term rehabilitated turtles. Our results likewise showed that the length of time turtles spent in rehabilitation was negatively correlated with α- and β-diversity. This study demonstrates the importance of a judicious use of antibiotics during the rehabilitation process and emphasizes the importance of limiting the length of hospital stays for sick and injured sea turtles as much as possible.

Ophthalmic variables in rehabilitated juvenile Kemp's ridley sea turtles(Lepidochelys kempii)

2016 ◽  
Vol 248 (6) ◽  
pp. 673-680 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kara R. Gornik ◽  
Christopher G. Pirie ◽  
Ruth M. Marrion ◽  
Julika N. Wocial ◽  
Charles J. Innis
Keyword(s):  
Sea Turtles ◽  
Lepidochelys Kempii ◽  
Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtles ◽  
Kemp's Ridley

scholarly journals Ameliorating transport-related stress in endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys kempii) with a recovery period in saltwater pools

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathleen E Hunt ◽  
Charles Innis ◽  
Constance Merigo ◽  
Elizabeth A Burgess ◽  
Terry Norton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sea Turtles ◽  
Recovery Period ◽  
Lepidochelys Kempii ◽  
Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtles ◽  
Related Stress ◽  
Kemp's Ridley

scholarly journals Mitochondrial DNA Evaluation and Species Identification of Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle (Lepidochelys kempii) Bones After a 3-Year Exposure to Submerged Marine and Terrestrial Environments

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth S. Krestoff ◽  
James P. Creecy ◽  
Wayne D. Lord ◽  
Michelle L. Haynie ◽  
James A. Coyer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mitochondrial Dna ◽  
Dna Sequencing ◽  
Sequence Data ◽  
Sea Turtles ◽  
Reference Sequence ◽  
Sequencing Data ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Lepidochelys Kempii ◽  
Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtles ◽  
Kemp's Ridley

Because Kemp’s ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys kempii) are critically endangered and closely related to the vulnerable olive ridleys (L. olivacea), it is essential for forensic investigations and conservation efforts to distinguish these species when only skeletal elements remain. DNA extraction and analysis by DNA sequencing of genetic markers is the only method to determine species identity reliably, yet these methods are significantly compromised when DNA becomes degraded. To evaluate the role that time and environment play in obtaining high-quality DNA sequencing data, we placed skeletal elements of a terrestrial mammal (Bos taurus) and L. kempii in a supratidal and subtidal environment for 3 years. Bi-annual sampling revealed that after 3 years, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) consistently identified each species from each environment. Our results show that mtDNA recovery from bone and identification for Kemp’s ridley sea turtles was possible up to 3 years in both environments. All sequencing data obtained was accurate and robust, but DNA sequencing results were not consistent after 664-days of exposure. Our findings led us to conclude that if sufficient DNA is extracted from bone samples, then high-quality sequence data can be obtained, and the resulting sequence data accurately reflects the reference sequence for the given gene marker. This study provides evidence that DNA can be extracted and analyzed from challenging biological substrates, like bone, when these substrates are exposed to seasonally dynamic maritime environmental conditions for up to 3-years.

Physiological effects of capturing Kemp's ridley sea turtles, Lepidochelys kempii, in entanglement nets

2000 ◽  
Vol 78 (11) ◽  
pp. 1941-1947 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa A Hoopes ◽  
André M Landry Jr. ◽  
Erich K Stabenau
Keyword(s):  
Time Course ◽  
Sea Turtles ◽  
Lactate Concentration ◽  
Plasma Norepinephrine ◽  
Base Line ◽  
Physiological Effects ◽  
Loggerhead Sea Turtles ◽  
Lepidochelys Kempii ◽  
Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtles ◽  
Kemp's Ridley

Blood samples were collected from 58 wild Kemp's ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys kempii) to examine the physiological effects of capture in entanglement nets. Captured turtles were placed in holding tanks or in-water cages to examine whether the postcapture holding protocol influenced the time course of recovery of blood homeostasis. Lactate concentrations at capture were 4.5 ± 0.3 and 3.5 ± 0.3 mmol/L (mean ± SE) for L. kempii assigned to the in-water-cage and holding-tank treatments, respectively. Turtles held in holding tanks for 1 h exhibited a significant increase in lactate concentration over capture levels, whereas lactate concentrations in the cage-held animals did not change. Lactate concentrations declined to less than 1.0 mmol/L by 6 and 10 h post capture for turtles in the in-water-cage and holding-tank treatments, respectively. Plasma norepinephrine (NE) and epinephrine (E) concentrations at capture were substantially elevated above base-line levels reported in the literature for comparably sized loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta). Turtles in holding tanks exhibited greater reductions in NE and E at 1 h post capture than did their counterparts in the in-water cages. Although plasma Na+ and Cl- concentrations were not affected by entanglement netting, K+ concentration was elevated in tank-held L. kempii at 1 h post capture. Taken together, these data indicate that entanglement netting causes significant physiological disturbance in sea turtles and that recovery of blood homeostasis is influenced by the postcapture holding protocol.

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