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Immunological evaluation of captive green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) with ulcerative dermatitis

Fernando Alberto Munoz·Sergio Estrada-Parra·Andres Romero-Rojas·Erik Gonzalez-Ballesteros·Thierry M. Work·Hector Villasenor-Gaona·Iris Estrada-Garcia
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Abstract

Ulcerative dermatitis (UD) is common in captive sea turtles and manifests as skin erosions and ulcers associated with gram-negative bacteria. This study compared clinically healthy and UD-affected captive turtles by evaluating hematology, histopathology, immunoglobulin levels, and delayed-type hypersensitivity assay. Turtles with UD had significantly lower weight, reduced delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) responses, and higher heterophil:lymphocyte ratios. This study is the first to assay DTH in green turtles (Chelonia mydas) and suggests that UD is associated with immunosuppression.

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Fernando Alberto Munoz, Sergio Estrada-Parra, Andres Romero-Rojas, Erik Gonzalez-Ballesteros, Thierry M. Work, Hector Villasenor-Gaona, Iris Estrada-Garcia. 2013. Immunological evaluation of captive green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) with ulcerative dermatitis. https://doi.org/10.1638/2010-0228r4.1

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