Heuser W, Pendl H, Knowles N J, Keil G, Herbst W, Lierz M, Kaleta E F
Prof. Dr. Dr. h. c. Erhard F. Kaleta, Klinik für Vögel, Reptilien, Amphibien und Fische der Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen, Frankfurter Straße 91-93, D-35392 Gießen, E-Mail:
Tierarztl Prax Ausg K Kleintiere Heimtiere. 2014;42(5):310-20.
A disease is described in juvenile tortoises (Testudo graeca and Geochelone elegans) consisting mainly of a soft carapace, soft plastron and deformed skeleton. The aim of this study was to determine histopathological lesions and the biological properties of the isolated viruses.
Clinical signs and gross pathology were determined on diseased and healthy appearing tortoises. Paraffin sections were stained with HE, PAS and Prussian Blue and histologically examined. Terrapene heart (TH-1) cell cultures served for virus isolations from 64 tissues and 104 swabs. One isolate (isolate 1243/37 tongue) was used in neutralization tests on 19 sera.
Retarded growth and increasingly soft plastron and carapace were the prominent signs in diseased tortoises. Pathological lesions consisted of dilated urinary sac, enlarged kidneys and livers. Histopathologically, hepatic hemosiderosis, hypoplastic anaemia, congestive glomerulonephrosis and osteodystrophy were seen. A novel vi- rus ("virus X") was isolated from 64 organs and 79 of 104 swabs. The isolated viruses were identified as a novel chelonid picornavirus based on cytopathic effect, resistance to chloroform and stability at low pH. Co-cultivation with 5-iodo-2'-deoxyuridine and actinomycin D did not reduce virus titres. Electron microscopically, round, non-enveloped particles (25-30 nm) were detected. Neutralizing antibodies to the isolate 1243/37tongue were present in 17 of 19 sera from seven species of tortoises.
Nephropathy, osteodystrophy and virus isolations suggest a viral aetiology. Metabolic bone disease is the major differential diagnosis. Further investigations in vivo are needed to evaluate the likely effects of the picornavirus on tortoises.
描述一种主要发生在幼龟（希腊陆龟和印度星龟）身上的疾病，其特征主要为龟甲变软、腹甲变软和骨骼变形。本研究的目的是确定组织病理学病变以及分离出的病毒的生物学特性。
对患病和看似健康的乌龟进行临床症状和大体病理学检查。石蜡切片用苏木精-伊红（HE）、过碘酸-雪夫（PAS）和普鲁士蓝染色，并进行组织学检查。用锦龟心脏（TH-1）细胞培养物从64个组织和104份拭子中分离病毒。一株分离株（分离株1243/37舌部）用于对19份血清进行中和试验。
患病乌龟的突出症状为生长迟缓以及腹甲和龟甲日益变软。病理病变包括尿囊扩张、肾脏和肝脏肿大。组织病理学上，可见肝铁质沉着、发育不全性贫血、充血性肾小球肾炎和骨营养不良。从64个器官和104份拭子中的79份分离出一种新型病毒（“病毒X”）。根据细胞病变效应、对氯仿的抗性和在低pH值下的稳定性，分离出的病毒被鉴定为一种新型龟类小RNA病毒。与5-碘-2'-脱氧尿苷和放线菌素D共同培养并未降低病毒滴度。电子显微镜检查发现圆形、无包膜颗粒（25-30纳米）。来自七种龟类的19份血清中的17份含有针对分离株1243/37舌部的中和抗体。
肾病、骨营养不良和病毒分离提示病毒病因。代谢性骨病是主要的鉴别诊断。需要进一步进行体内研究以评估小RNA病毒对乌龟可能产生的影响。
