%0 Journal Article %A Hidalgo-Vila, Judit %A Martínez-Silvestre, Albert %A Pérez-Santigosa, Natividad %A León-Vizcaíno, Luis %A Díaz-Paniagua, Carmen %D 2020 %T High prevalence of diseases in two invasive populations of red-eared sliders (Trachemys scripta elegans) in southwestern Spain %U https://brill.figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/High_prevalence_of_diseases_in_two_invasive_populations_of_red-eared_sliders_Trachemys_scripta_elegans_in_southwestern_Spain/12366644 %R 10.6084/m9.figshare.12366644.v1 %2 https://brill.figshare.com/ndownloader/files/22790138 %K aquatic turtles %K blood profile %K health status %K infectious agents %K invasive species %K Ecology not elsewhere classified %X Non-native turtles are susceptible to pathogenic infections that may be transmitted to native species. We performed hematological, biochemical, histopathological, and microbiological analyses in two invasive populations of red-eared sliders (Trachemys scripta elegans), which were living alongside native turtle species in southwestern Spain. The red-eared sliders that were captured had a healthy external appearance. However, the histopathological analyses revealed that up to 88% of these turtles had internal pathologies. The most common were hepatic lipidosis and chronic nephritis, which frequently co-occurred with each other or with pulmonary or pancreatic lesions. A high proportion of turtles were susceptible to infections caused by common bacteria in these habitats. We detected Herpesvirus, Mycoplasma spp. and more than 18 Gram-negative bacteria. The high prevalence of disease recorded in the two populations suggests that red-eared sliders are poorly suited to the conditions in their non-native range. %I Brill Online