Further strategies for evaluating the etiological role of a tumor-associated herpesvirus in marine turtle fibropapillomatosis

In 1992, an interdisciplinary research team headquartered at the University of Floridabegan studies in key targeted areas of fibropapillomatosis (FP) etiology andpathogenesis. At that time, little was known about FP outside of field studiesdocumenting its prevalence in different areas of the world and studies of tumorhistopathology. Our primary objective was to develop a broad-based scientificunderstanding of FP by applying principles of tumor biology, immunology, pathology,virology, molecular biology, and epidemiology to FP in the green turtle, Cheloniamydas. Long-term goals included the development of assays for FP and study of anyrole of environmental co-factors in the disease. This report is a continuation of thateffort and the results reported here bring us closer to understanding the role of atumor-associated herpesvirus in marine turtle fibropapillomatosis. This research has demonstrated that marine turtle herpesviruses can persist forextended periods of time as infectious agents in the marine environment and that wildgreen turtles in Florida are exposed to the LETD-associated herpesvirus. This is thefirst description of LETV infection in free-ranging. marine turtles. In addition, data ispresented that supports the hypothesis that LETV and FPHV infections areindependent. These data reveal new levels of complexity that must be addressedbefore reliable serodiagnostic assays for herpesvirus infections of chelonians can bedeveloped for widespread application. The results reported here also raise newconcerns about the potential impact of infections by new herpesviruses on populationsof wild marine turtles, an area which has previously been unexplored by turtlebiologists. (8 page document)

Bibliographic Details

Main Authors:	Klein, Paul A., Jacobson, Elliott
Format:	monograph biblioteca
Language:	English
Published:	Florida Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit , University of Florida 2001
Subjects:	Health, Biology, Green turtle, Chelonia mydas, fibropapillomatosis, diseases, Florida,
Online Access:	http://hdl.handle.net/1834/18968
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