%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