Special Issue "Veterinary Sciences and Sea Turtles"

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Aquatic Animals".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2021.

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Jorge Orós
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Departamento de Morfología, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Trasmontaña, Arucas, 35416 Las Palmas, Spain
Interests: sea turtles; reptile; pathology; immunohistochemistry; wildlife

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) emphasizes the importance of the investigation of sea turtles. In recent years, increased efforts from veterinary researchers have been devoted to the conservation of sea turtles, sometimes from a multidisciplinary approach, contributing to significant advances in their medical management. In addition, many veterinary surgeons are currently involved in sea turtle conservation in wildlife rehabilitation hospitals around the world.

In this Special Issue of Animals (a Q1 Veterinary Sciences journal, 2019 Impact Factor 2.323), we aim to gather high-quality papers addressing different areas within veterinary sciences that contribute to the conservation of sea turtles. Researchers working in anatomy, physiology, surgery, internal medicine, clinical pathology, pathology, parasitology, microbiology and infectious diseases, pharmacology, and toxicology (exclusively research on the effects of environmental pollutants on sea turtles) are welcome to contribute in-depth reviews, original full articles, and unique case reports.

Dr. Jorge Orós
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All papers will be peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Sea turtles
  • pathology
  • anatomy
  • parasitology
  • physiology
  • surgery
  • clinical pathology
  • internal medicine
  • infectious diseases
  • toxicology

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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Article
Antimicrobial Resistance in Loggerhead Sea Turtles (Caretta caretta): A Comparison between Clinical and Commensal Bacterial Isolates
Animals 2021, 11(8), 2435; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11082435 - 18 Aug 2021
Viewed by 418
Abstract
Gram negative organisms are frequently isolated from Caretta caretta turtles, which can act as reservoir species for resistant microorganisms in the aquatic environment. C. caretta, which have no history of treatment with antimicrobials, are useful sentinel species for resistant microbes. In this culture-based [...] Read more.
Gram negative organisms are frequently isolated from Caretta caretta turtles, which can act as reservoir species for resistant microorganisms in the aquatic environment. C. caretta, which have no history of treatment with antimicrobials, are useful sentinel species for resistant microbes. In this culture-based study, commensal bacteria isolated from oral and cloacal samples of 98 healthy C. caretta were compared to clinical isolates from the wounds of 102 injured animals, in order to investigate the presence of AMR bacteria in free-living loggerheads from the Adriatic Sea. A total of 410 isolates were cultured. Escherichia coli and genera such as Serratia, Moraxella, Kluyvera, Salmonella were isolated only in healthy animals, while Acinetobacter, Enterobacter, Klebsiella and Morganella were isolated only from the wounds of the injured animals. When tested for susceptibility to ampicillin, amoxicillin + clavulanic acid, ceftazidime, cefuroxime, gentamicin, doxycycline, ciprofloxacin and enrofloxacin, the clinical isolates showed highly significant differences in AMR rates vs. commensal isolates for all the drugs tested, except for doxycycline. The detection of high AMR rates in loggerheads is of clinical and microbiological significance since it impacts both the choice of a proper antibiotic therapy and the implementation of conservation programs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Veterinary Sciences and Sea Turtles)
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Article
Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria in Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas) Rearing Seawater
Animals 2021, 11(6), 1841; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11061841 - 21 Jun 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 500
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance of microorganisms is a serious health problem for both humans and animals. Infection of these bacteria may result in therapy failure, leading to high mortality rates. During an early intervention program process, the Sea Turtle Conservation Center of Thailand (STCCT) has [...] Read more.
Antibiotic resistance of microorganisms is a serious health problem for both humans and animals. Infection of these bacteria may result in therapy failure, leading to high mortality rates. During an early intervention program process, the Sea Turtle Conservation Center of Thailand (STCCT) has faced high mortality rates due to bacterial infection. Previously, investigation of juvenile turtle carcasses found etiological agents in tissue lesions. Further determination of sea water in the turtle holding tanks revealed a prevalence of these causative agents in water samples, implying association of bacterial isolates in rearing water and infection in captive turtles. In this study, we examined the antibiotic resistance of bacteria in seawater from the turtle holding tank for a management plan of juvenile turtles with bacterial infection. The examination was carried out in three periods: 2015 to 2016, 2018, and 2019. The highest isolate numbers were resistant to beta-lactam, whilst low aminoglycoside resistance rates were observed. No gentamicin-resistant isolate was detected. Seventy-nine isolates (71.17%) were resistant to at least one antibiotic. Consideration of resistant bacterial and antibiotic numbers over three sampling periods indicated increased risk of antibiotic-resistant bacteria to sea turtle health. Essentially, this study emphasizes the importance of antibiotic-resistant bacterial assessment in rearing seawater for sea turtle husbandry. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Veterinary Sciences and Sea Turtles)
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Article
Helminth Infection of the Loggerhead Sea Turtle Caretta caretta along the Coasts of Sicily and the North West Adriatic Sea
Animals 2021, 11(5), 1408; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11051408 - 14 May 2021
Viewed by 450
Abstract
We provide new data on the presence of helminth parasites in 64 individual loggerhead sea turtles Caretta caretta stranded along the coasts of Sicily and the northwest Adriatic Sea between June 2014 and August 2016. The necropsy examination revealed 31 individuals (48.4%) positive [...] Read more.
We provide new data on the presence of helminth parasites in 64 individual loggerhead sea turtles Caretta caretta stranded along the coasts of Sicily and the northwest Adriatic Sea between June 2014 and August 2016. The necropsy examination revealed 31 individuals (48.4%) positive for endoparasites, showing a greater prevalence of trematodes than nematodes. In particular, seven species and a single genus of Trematoda (Hapalotrema) and a single species and genus of Nematoda (Kathlania) were identified. Among the Digenea flukes the species with the highest prevalence of infection were Rhytidodes gelatinosus (34.6%) and Hapalotrema sp. (33.3%), while among the Nematoda they were Kathlania sp. (33.3%) and Sulcascaris sulcata (33.3%). Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was applied among the recovery sites of the stranded loggerhead sea turtles and prevalence of endoparasites was used to highlight any relationship between the parasites and the origin of the hosts. ANOVA showed significant differences (p < 0.001) among the data used. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Veterinary Sciences and Sea Turtles)
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Article
Steatitis in Cold-Stunned Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtles (Lepidochelys kempii)
Animals 2021, 11(3), 898; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11030898 - 21 Mar 2021
Viewed by 579
Abstract
The pathogenesis of steatitis that infrequently occurs in cold-stunned Kemp’s ridley sea turtles (KRT; Lepidochelys kempii) has been undetermined. The objectives of this study were to investigate the clinical (n = 23) and histologic findings (n = 11) in cold-stunned [...] Read more.
The pathogenesis of steatitis that infrequently occurs in cold-stunned Kemp’s ridley sea turtles (KRT; Lepidochelys kempii) has been undetermined. The objectives of this study were to investigate the clinical (n = 23) and histologic findings (n = 11) in cold-stunned KRT, and to compare plasma concentrations of α-tocopherol (vitamin E), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), and the TBARS to vitamin E (T/E) ratio (an assessment of oxidative stress) between cold-stunned KRT with clinically and/or histologically confirmed steatitis (n = 10) and free-ranging KRT (n = 9). None of the cold-stunned turtles had clinically detectable steatitis at admission, and the median number of days to diagnosis of steatitis was 71 (range 33–469). Histologic findings of affected adipose tissue included heterophilic (n = 9) and/or histiocytic (n = 5) steatitis, fat necrosis (n = 7), myonecrosis (n = 2), and intralesional bacteria (n = 6). Cold-stunned KRT had significantly lower plasma vitamin E concentrations (median = 3.5 nmol/g), lower plasma TBARS concentrations (median = 1.6 nmol/g), and higher T/E ratios (median = 0.37), than controls (208.8 nmol/g; 2.1 nmol/g; 0.01, respectively). These results suggest a multifactorial etiology for the development of steatitis in KRT during rehabilitation, including tissue injury, septicemia, and various factors resulting in imbalances of anti-/oxidative status. By highlighting the need to provide more effective vitamin E supplementation, and the need to re-assess specific components of the diet, this study may lead to reduced incidence and improved medical management of steatitis in cold-stunned sea turtles. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Veterinary Sciences and Sea Turtles)
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Article
Anatomic Interactive Atlas of the Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Caretta caretta) Head
Animals 2021, 11(1), 198; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11010198 - 15 Jan 2021
Viewed by 726
Abstract
The head of the sea turtle is susceptible to congenital, developmental, traumatic, and infectious disorders. An accurate interpretation and thorough understanding of the anatomy of this region could be useful for veterinary practice on sea turtles. The purpose of this study was to [...] Read more.
The head of the sea turtle is susceptible to congenital, developmental, traumatic, and infectious disorders. An accurate interpretation and thorough understanding of the anatomy of this region could be useful for veterinary practice on sea turtles. The purpose of this study was to develop an interactive two-dimensional (2D) atlas viewing software of the head of the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) using images obtained via osteology, gross dissections, and computed tomography (CT). The atlas is composed of 10 osteology, 13 gross dissection, 10 sagittal multiplanar reconstructed CT (bone and soft tissue kernels), and 22 transverse CT (bone and soft tissue windows) images. All images were segmented and colored using ITK-SNAP software. The visualization and image assessment were performed using the Unity 3D platform to facilitate the development of interactive content in 2D. This atlas can be useful as an interactive anatomic resource for assessment of the head of loggerhead sea turtles. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Veterinary Sciences and Sea Turtles)
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Review

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Review
Congenital Malformations in Sea Turtles: Puzzling Interplay between Genes and Environment
Animals 2021, 11(2), 444; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11020444 - 08 Feb 2021
Viewed by 742
Abstract
The completion of embryonic development depends, in part, on the interplay between genetic factors and environmental conditions, and any alteration during development may affect embryonic genetic and epigenetic regulatory pathways leading to congenital malformations, which are mostly incompatible with life. Oviparous reptiles, such [...] Read more.
The completion of embryonic development depends, in part, on the interplay between genetic factors and environmental conditions, and any alteration during development may affect embryonic genetic and epigenetic regulatory pathways leading to congenital malformations, which are mostly incompatible with life. Oviparous reptiles, such as sea turtles, that produce numerous eggs in a clutch that is buried on the beach provide an opportunity to study embryonic mortality associated with malformations that occur at different times during development, or that prevent the hatchling from emerging from the nest. In sea turtles, the presence of congenital malformations frequently leads to mortality. A few years ago, a detailed study was performed on external congenital malformations in three species of sea turtles from the Mexican Pacific and Caribbean coasts, the hawksbill turtle, Eretmochelys imbricata (n = 23,559 eggs), the green turtle, Chelonia mydas (n = 17,690 eggs), and the olive ridley, Lepidochelys olivacea (n = 20,257 eggs), finding 63 types of congenital malformations, of which 38 were new reports. Of the three species, the olive ridley showed a higher incidence of severe anomalies in the craniofacial region (49%), indicating alterations of early developmental pathways; however, several malformations were also observed in the body, including defects in the carapace (45%) and limbs (33%), as well as pigmentation disorders (20%), indicating that deviations occurred during the middle and later stages of development. Although intrinsic factors (i.e., genetic mutations or epigenetic modifications) are difficult to monitor in the field, some environmental factors (such as the incubation temperature, humidity, and probably the status of feeding areas) are, to some extent, less difficult to monitor and/or control. In this review, we describe the aetiology of different malformations observed in sea turtle embryos, and provide some actions that can reduce embryonic mortality. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Veterinary Sciences and Sea Turtles)
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Planned Papers

The below list represents only planned manuscripts. Some of these manuscripts have not been received by the Editorial Office yet. Papers submitted to MDPI journals are subject to peer-review.

1. Title: Antibiotic resistance of bacteria in green turtle rearing seawater

Authors: Chuen-Im T. et al.

Affiliation: Faculty of Science, Silpakorn University, Thailand

 

2. Title: Congenital malformations in sea turtles: a puzzling interplay between genes and environment

 Authors: García-Gasca A. et al.

Affiliation: Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo (CIAD), Mexico

 

3. Title: Anatomical interactive atlas of the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) head

Authors: Arencibia A. et al.

Affiliation: Veterinary Faculty, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC), Spain

 

4. Title: Evaluation of the respiratory microbiome to assess tracheal washes as a diagnostic tool in cold-stunned Kemp’s ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys kempii)

Authors: Innis C. et al.

Affiliation: New England Aquarium, Boston MA, USA

 

5. Title: Multi-dose pharmacokinetics of Meloxicam in Kemp’s ridley (Lepidochelys kempii) and green (Chelonia mydas) sea turtles after subcutaneous administration

Authors: Norton T. M. et al.

Affiliation: Georgia Sea Turtle Center, Jekyll Island GA, USA

 

6. Title: Pain and pain management in sea turtle medicine: state-of-the-art

Authors: Serinelli et al.

Affiliation: University of Bari, Italy

 

7. Title: Disseminated candidiasis caused by Candida palmioleophila with a fatal outcome in a green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas)

Authors: Yu et al.

Affiliation: National Taiwan University, Taiwan

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