Prevalence and cultivation of a Chelonid herpesvirus associated withudFibropapillomas of the green turtle, Chelonia mydas, and theudloggerhead turtle, Caretta caretta, in Florida.

摘要

Fibropapillomatosis (FP) is a growing threat to the survival of green turtle,udChelonia mydas, populations worldwide and has been shown to be affectingudloggerhead, Caretta caretta, and olive ridley, Lepidochelys olivacea, populations asudwell. Transmission studies in captivity carried out by this laboratory have demonstratedudthat FP in green turtles is caused by an infectious subcellular agent. (Herbst, et al,ud1995), (Herbst et ai, 1996a). We have demonstrated a new Chelonid herpesvirus inudexperimentally induced and spontaneous fibropapillomas of green turtles using electronmicroscopic,udmolecular, and serological techniques (Jacobson et ai, 1991), (Herbst, etudai, 1995), (Herbst, et ai, 1996b), (Lackovich, et al 1998a), (Herbst, et ai, 1998), (Garber,udet al 1998). Recent studies by others have confirmed our early characterization of thisudvirus as a member of the Alphaherpesvirinae subfamily (Quackenbush, et al, 1998,udHerbst, et al, 1996b, Garber, et ai, 1998).udAlthough this herpesvirus is considered a candidate for the etiology of FP, it hasudnot yet been cultivated in vitro. Fulfillment of Koch's postulates through a controlledudtransmission study using cultured herpesvirus would test its role as the etiologic agentudof FP. These studies were initiated to provide previously unavailable information aboutudthe prevalence of this virus in tumors and skin of green and loggerhead turtles in Floridaudand to attempt to cultivate it in vitro. (13 page document)