The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, 1920 Coffey Road, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA.
Indianapolis Zoo, 1200 West Washington Street, Indianapolis, Indiana 46222, USA.
J Wildl Dis. 2023 Apr 1;59(2):245-258. doi: 10.7589/JWD-D-22-00088.
Freshwater turtles are sensitive to environmental changes and can serve as sentinel species for ecosystem health assessments. The Efroymson Restoration at Kankakee Sands in northwestern Indiana, USA has been restored in the past 25 yr from primarily agricultural land to a mosaic of prairie and wetland habitats. Health assessments of 40 free-ranging painted turtles (Chrysemys picta) at Kankakee Sands were performed in May 2021 to evaluate overall health status, screen for infectious diseases, and obtain baseline clinical pathology values in this population. Assessment of each turtle included a physical examination, complete blood count, plasma biochemistry panel, blood lactate level, venous blood gas analysis, serum trace mineral panel, serum vitamin D3 level, and plasma protein electrophoresis. Oral and cloacal swabs were tested for adenoviruses, herpesviruses, frog virus 3, and Mycoplasmopsis species by PCR in 39 painted turtles. Four turtles were positive for adenovirus, which shared 100% homology to Sulawesi tortoise adenovirus. Two turtles were herpesvirus-positive with 100% homology to emydid herpesvirus 1. No Mycoplasmopsis spp. or frog virus 3 was detected. Female turtles had significantly higher manganese, prealbumin, uric acid, triglycerides, and ionized calcium levels, while male turtles had significantly higher cholesterol, glutamate dehydrogenase, and CO2 levels. These baseline data can be used for future research into freshwater turtle health in restored wetland habitats.
淡水龟对环境变化敏感，可作为生态系统健康评估的指示物种。美国印第安纳州西北部的坎卡基沙丘埃弗罗因森修复工程在过去的 25 年里，已从主要的农业用地恢复为草原和湿地栖息地的镶嵌体。2021 年 5 月，对坎卡基沙丘的 40 只自由放养的彩龟（Chrysemys picta）进行了健康评估，以评估其整体健康状况，筛查传染病，并为该种群获得基线临床病理学值。对每只龟的评估包括身体检查、全血细胞计数、血浆生化小组、血液乳酸水平、静脉血气分析、血清痕量矿物质小组、血清维生素 D3 水平和血浆蛋白电泳。在 39 只彩龟中，通过 PCR 对口腔和泄殖腔拭子进行了腺病毒、疱疹病毒、蛙病毒 3 和 Mycoplasmopsis 种的检测。有 4 只龟腺病毒检测呈阳性，与苏拉威西龟腺病毒完全同源。有 2 只龟疱疹病毒检测呈阳性，与 emydid 疱疹病毒 1 完全同源。未检测到 Mycoplasmopsis spp.或蛙病毒 3。雌性龟的锰、前白蛋白、尿酸、甘油三酯和离子钙水平显著较高，而雄性龟的胆固醇、谷氨酸脱氢酶和 CO2 水平显著较高。这些基线数据可用于未来对恢复湿地栖息地中淡水龟健康的研究。
