Pansteatitis associated with high levels of polychlorinated biphenyls in a wild loggerhead sea turtle Caretta caretta.

We describe the morphologic and toxicological findings in a case of pansteatitis in a stranded loggerhead sea turtle Caretta caretta. At necropsy, a large amount of adipose tissue in the celomic cavity showing very firm, yellow to orange irregular formations was observed. Histological lesions ranged from the infiltration of necrotic fat by scarce multinucleated giant cells and numerous macrophages containing xylene-insoluble lipopigment inclusions to the presence of several granulomas characterized by an irregular central necrotic area consisting of lipopigment surrounded by numerous multinucleated giant cells. Microbiological cultures were negative. Celomic fat was analyzed for PCBs and DDTs, resulting in very high levels of PCB 138, 153, 180 209 (3170, 2830, 980 and 1190 ng g-1, respectively). Although a nutritional cause cannot be ruled out, the high levels of PCBs detected in the celomic fat could have induced lipid peroxidation in adipocytes, resulting in cell damage, deposition of ceroid pigment and inflammatory response. This is the first report of pansteatitis in a wild sea turtle.

Mycoplasma neophronis sp. nov., isolated from the upper respiratory tract of Canarian Egyptian vultures (Neophron percnopterus majorensis).

Six strains with the typical characteristics of mycoplasmas were isolated from the tracheae of six Canarian Egyptian vultures (Neophron percnopterus majorensis). The results of biochemical, serological and molecular genetic studies showed that the isolates were nearly identical and that they could be considered as representing a novel species of the genus Mycoplasma. Colonies possessed the typical fried-egg appearance and electron micrographs revealed a pleomorphic cellular morphology with the lack of a cell wall. The isolates hydrolysed arginine and required sterol for growth but did not ferment glucose or hydrolyse urea. We propose that the isolates be assigned to a novel species,Mycoplasma neophronis sp. nov. The type strain is G.A.(T) ( = DSM 24097(T) = ATCC BAA-2157(T)). The antiserum of strain G.A.(T) has been deposited in the Mollicutes collection at Purdue University (Indiana, USA).

Salt gland adenitis as only cause of stranding of loggerhead sea turtles Caretta caretta.

The present study describes pathological and microbiological findings in 9 stranded loggerhead sea turtles Caretta caretta, whose only observed lesion was bilateral purulent salt gland adenitis. Histological lesions ranged from the presence of abundant eosinophilic material associated with bacterial colonies in the lumen of the central ducts of the glandular lobules to the destruction of the glandular tissue and presence of abundant eosinophilic material composed of heterophils and cell debris, lined by multinucleated giant cells. Aeromonas hydrophila, Staphylococcus sp., and Vibrio alginolyticus were the bacteria most frequently isolated. Plasma concentrations of sodium and chloride and plasma osmolality from 2 turtles suffering from salt gland adenitis were, respectively 45.7, 69.2, and 45.7% higher than the mean value for healthy turtles. These cases suggest that failure to maintain homeostasis due to severe lesions in the salt glands can cause stranding and/or death of loggerhead sea turtles.

[Inflammatory pancreatic disease due to enzyme autodigestion: an exceptional model of glandular crinophagy]. / Enfermedad inflamatoria del páncreas por autoagresión enzimática: un modelo excepcional de crinofagia glandular.

The exocrine pancreas is a functionally dangerous structure since it is exposed to digestion by its most aggressive enzymes (proteases, etc) despite self-protective measures such as the synthesis of some of these enzymes in the form of inactive zymogens (trypsinogen, etc.). We review inflammatory pancreatic disease by separately analyzing its classical forms of onset: acute and chronic pancreatitis (AP and CP). There is general consensus that the initial pathogenic event in AP is intraacinar activation of trypsinogen into trypsin, followed by that of the remaining proenzymes, giving rise to an unusual model of autophagic inflammation. In contrast, consensus is lacking on the initial pathogenic event in CP (toxic-metabolic lesion, oxidative stress, ductal hypertension, etc.?), although in some cases a <> sequence due to recurrent episodes of AP seems evident. The pathogenic features shared by both forms of the disease and which justify some recent attempts to formulate an overall explanation of the pathogenesis of pancreatitis are discussed. Such an explanation would place both forms of pancreatitis within the conceptual framework of an <>.

Diseases and causes of mortality among sea turtles stranded in the Canary Islands, Spain (1998-2001).

This paper lists the pathological findings and causes of mortality of 93 sea turtles (88 Caretta caretta, 3 Chelonia mydas, and 2 Dermochelys coriacea) stranded on the coasts of the Canary Islands between January 1998 and December 2001. Of these, 25 (26.88%) had died of spontaneous diseases including different types of pneumonia, hepatitis, meningitis, septicemic processes and neoplasm. However, 65 turtles (69.89%) had died from lesions associated with human activities such as boat-strike injuries (23.66%), entanglement in derelict fishing nets (24.73%), ingestion of hooks and monofilament lines (19.35%), and crude oil ingestion (2.15%). Traumatic ulcerative skin lesions were the most common gross lesions, occurring in 39.78% of turtles examined, and being associated with Aeromonas hydrophila, Vibrio alginolyticus and Staphylococcus spp. infections. Pulmonary edema (15.05%), granulomatous pneumonia (12.90%) and exudative bronchopneumonia (7.53%) were the most frequently detected respiratory lesions. Different histological types of nephritis included chronic interstitial nephritis, granulomatous nephritis and perinephric abscesses, affecting 13 turtles (13.98%). Ulcerative and fibrinous esophagitis and traumatic esophageal perforation were the most frequently observed lesions in the esophagus, being associated in the majority of the cases with ingestion of fishing hooks. Larval nematodes of the Anisakidae family caused gastritis in 15 turtles (16.13%). Necrotizing and/or granulomatous hepatitis were the lesions most commonly observed in the liver (27.95%). Traumatic lesions included necrotizing myositis (10.75%) mainly caused by entanglement in fishing nets or boat-strikes, and amputation of 1 or 2 flippers (25.81%) by netting. Traumatic erosions and/or fractures of the carapace/plastron mainly caused by boat-strikes were also observed (26.88%). Eye lesions included heterophilic keratoconjunctivitis, ulcerative keratitis and heterophilic scleritis, affecting 7 turtles (7.53%).

Digestive pathology of sea turtles stranded in the Canary Islands between 1993 and 2001.

Digestive lesions were observed in 84 of 136 sea turtles (128 Caretta caretta, four Chelonia mydas and four Dermochelys coriacea) stranded in the Canary Islands between January 1993 and December 2001. In the oral cavity ulcerative and necropurulent stomatitis were the most frequently observed lesions, and in the oesophagus ulcerative and fibrinous oesophagitis, and traumatic oesophageal perforation were most frequently observed; all these lesions were mainly associated with the ingestion of fishing hooks. Different histological types of gastritis were observed in 35 of the turtles; necropurulent and fibrinous gastritis were associated with bacterial infections caused mainly by Proteus species, Vibrio alginolyticus, and Staphylococcus species, and larval nematodes of the genus Anisakis were responsible for a form of parasitic gastritis observed in 16 of the turtles. Different histological types of enteritis, including catarrhal, fibrinous, necropurulent and necrotising enteritis, affected 36 turtles; a wide range of gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria, including Bacillus species, Escherichia coli, Pasteurella species, Proteus species, Staphylococcus species, Streptococcus species and V. alginolyticus, were isolated from these lesions. All the cases of necrotising enteritis were associated with intestinal intussusception caused by the ingestion of monofilament fishing lines. Necrotising and/or multifocal granulomatous hepatitis were the lesions most commonly observed in the liver; they affected 29 of the turtles and were associated with Aeromonas hydrophila, Citrobacter species, E. coli, Proteus species, Staphylococcus species and V. alginolyticus infections. According to the stranding reports and the gross and histological lesions observed, 33 of the turtles had digestive lesions associated with the ingestion of hooks and monofilament lines, and two had lesions associated with the ingestion of crude oil.

Systemic mycosis caused by Trichophyton spp. in an olive ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea): an immunohistochemical study.

CASE HISTORY: A sub-adult female olive ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) was found floating off the coast of Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain. CLINICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL FINDINGS: The turtle was lethargic and weak, and died one day after it was found. Necropsy was performed and selected samples of lung and liver were routinely processed for histopathological and immunohistological studies. Grossly, round, ulcerative lesions were observed on the rear flippers. The liver, spleen, coelomic wall, gastric serosa, lungs and urinary bladder were covered by various amounts of fibrin and small granulomas. Histopathologically, a severe fibrinous and granulomatous polyserositis (liver, spleen, stomach, urinary bladder, coelomic wall), severe fibrinous pleuritis and severe multifocal granulomatous pneumonia were diagnosed. Numerous fungal hyphae were observed associated with the lesions. Specific monoclonal and heterologously absorbed polyclonal antibodies served as the primary reagents for identification of aspergillosis, candidiasis, fusariosis, geotricosis, dermatophytosis, scedosporiosis, and zygomycosis. All hyphae were identified as Trichophyton spp., because a strong and uniform reactivity was obtained only with an heterologously absorbed polyclonal antibody raised against somatic antigens of Trichophyton spp. DIAGNOSIS: Systemic mycosis caused by Trichophyton spp. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: There are no known previous reports of Trichophyton spp. causing skin disease or systemic mycotic infection in sea turtles. The usefulness of immunohistochemistry for identifying fungi in sea turtles is reinforced.

[Eosinophilic esophagogastroenteritis within the spectrum of food allergies]. / Las esofagogastroenteritis eosinofílicas dentro del espectro de las alergias alimentarias.

Under normal conditions, the digestive tube immune system is capable of establishing an effective plan of tolerance to food that is eaten daily by the human beings. However, this tolerance plan sometimes fails and in the final steps of this immunological dysreaction, other cellular elements, usual residents of the digestive mucous, such as eosinophil granulocytes, generally participate, together with the main cells of this system. This is the case, among others, of the so-called EGE-Eos. The authors summarize the spectrum of pathogenic options of these immunological food intolerances that range from those in which "all" depend on a specific IgE (GI food anaphylaxis) and those others in which "nothing" depends on this reagin (celiac sprue). An intermediate position would be occupied by the EGE-Eos in which there seems to be overlapping of immune reactions of cellular character together with a certain role of the IgE. These pathogenic pathways frequently cross a tangle of cellular and molecular events that cannot be untangled with either an image or one thousand words.

Collagen dysplasia in a litter of Garafiano shepherd dogs.

A connective tissue disease resembling the human Ehlers-Danlos syndrome is reported in three Garafiano shepherd dogs from the same litter. The clinical signs included skin hyperextensibility and fragility, joint laxity, and ocular lesions. Microscopical studies showed abnormalities in the packing of collagen in fibrils and fibres in the skin. Systemic connective tissue defects were demonstrated in one necropsied puppy.

Multicentric lymphoblastic lymphoma in a loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta).

A juvenile female loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) stranded in Gran Canaria was submitted for necropsy. The turtle had exhibited anorexia and lethargy for 2 weeks prior to its death. At necropsy, the thymus was enlarged by two white and firm nodules. White nodules similar to those in thymus were observed in the plastron, thyroid gland, heart, aorta, left lung, spleen, liver, kidneys, stomach, and small intestine. Histopathology revealed a neoplastic proliferation of round cells identified as lymphoid cells. Ultrastructurally, the neoplastic cells were consistent with lymphoblastic cells, and viruses were not detected. The diagnosis was multicentric lymphoblastic lymphoma. This is the first report of a lymphoid neoplasm in a sea turtle.

[Immunoproliferative small intestinal disease (IPSID): IPSID-like lymphomas, IPSID equivalents?, in 12 Spanish patients]. / Enfermedad inmunoproliferativa del intestino delgado (EIPID): linfomas "EIPID-símiles"--EIPID-equivalentes?--en doce pacientes españoles.

BACKGROUND: Immunoproliferative small intestine disease (IPSID) encompasses a primary intestinal lymphoma of underpriviliged populations of North Africa, Middle East, etc. This epidemiological feature strongly implicates environmental and host (genetic) factors in its pathogenesis. IPSID can be distinguished on clinicopathological grounds from "Western-type" intestinal lymphomas. "IPSID-like" lymphomas had been sporadically identified, i.e., patients with original clinico-analytical data of IPSID (chronic diarrhoea, malabsortion, clubbing of fingers, diffuse intestinal involvement, etc.) without its conventional histopathologic (lymphoplasmocytic or plasmocytic infiltration) and immunological (alpha-heavy-chain paraprotein) background. PURPOSE: The aim of this study has been: 1) to identify, in a series of small intestine lymphomas, a group of patients with a long-lasting history of chronic diarrhoea and a clinico-biologic pattern of "IPSID-like" lymphoma; 2) to analyze its clinicopathological profile; 3) to search for differences with the pattern of the remaining cases ("Western-type" lymphomas) and 4) To suggest a possible epidemiological significance. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients considered were 12 Spanish caucasians with primary intestinal lymphoma and a long-lasting history of chronic diarrhoea vs 31 cases of "Western-type" intestinal lymphomas admitted in our Hospital over a 33-year period. Statistical significance of differences in clinico-biological features (symptoms/signs, analytical data, patterns of involvement, histopathology, immunophenotype and tumor staging) between these two groups was evaluated using X2 test. RESULTS: The results of this retrospective study allow us to delineate a relatively homogeneous "IPSID-like" group (12 cases) among 43 cases of primary small intestine lymphoma diagnosed between 1960 and 1993. The clinico-pathological behavior of these patients was significantly different from that exhibited by the 31 cases of so-called "Western-type" lymphomas. CONCLUSIONS: It is suggested that they may represent a group of patients suffering an evanescent "IPSID-equivalent" disorder (last case diagnosed in 1975), that probably has evolved in similar but not identical epidemiological circumstances to those present in the "Third World" countries of our Mediterranean area.

Presencia de rodenticidas anticoagulantes en cinco especies de aves rapaces de las Islas Canarias, 2003-2011 / Presence of anticoagulant rodenticide residues in five predatory birds species of the Canary Islands, 2002-2011

Se determinó la presencia de residuos de rodenticidas anticoagulantes por cromatografía de líquidos acoplada a espectrometría de masas de triple cuadrupolo en el hígado de 61 aves rapaces muertas provenientes del Centro de Recuperación de Fauna Silvestre de Tafira (Gran Canaria), pertenecientes a 5 especies de las 11 presentes en el archipiélago canario. Se encontraron residuos en 42 animales (69%) si bien en sólo 1 de ellos se consideró la intoxicación por rodenticidas como causa primaria de muerte, según los datos clínicos, analíticos y de necropsia. De las rapaces estudiadas, fueron las especies Tyto alba y Accipiter nisus las que más frecuentemente presentaron residuos de anticoagulantes (85% y 89% respectivamente). Se detectaron residuos de 5 anticoagulantes, todos ellos de segunda generación, siendo la bromadiolona las más frecuentemente detectada, seguida del brodifacoum y del difenacoum. Un elevado número de las muestras positivas (63%) presentó más de un residuo de anticoagulantes en su hígado, habiéndose encontrado mezclas de hasta 4 productos diferentes. Llamó la atención que la mayoría de los animales que ingresaron en el centro de recuperación por politraumatismo por colisión presentaba residuos de uno o varios anticoagulantes, así como que rapaces que se alimentan principalmente de pájaros también presentaron frecuentemente residuos de estos compuestos. Los resultados de este estudio sugieren que el elevado uso de rodenticidas anticoagulantes en el medio natural implica su incorporación a la cadena trófica, viéndose afectadas especies de fauna silvestre en las que estos productos podrían producir efectos adversos. Esto implica que la aplicación de rodenticidas anticoagulantes en espacios abiertos supone una amenaza para el estado de conservación de la biodiversidad de las Islas Canarias (AU)

Anticoagulant rodenticide (AR) levels were studied in liver of 61 dead raptors of five of the eleven species of the Canary Islands. The animals were delivered to our laboratory from the Centro de Recuperación de Fauna Silvestre de Tafira (Gran Canaria). Anticoagulant residues were detected in 42 (69%) of the studied animals, but only 1 may have died by AR poisoning according to the clinical information, necropsy findings and toxicological analysis. Of the studied raptors Tyto alba and Accipiter nisus were the species with more frequency and higher levels of anticoagulants (85% and 89%). Residues of 5 anticoagulants were detected, all of them of second generation, being the most frequently detected bromadiolone, brodifacoum and difenacoum. A large number of samples (63%) presented more than one residue of anticoagulants in their livers, and we have found as much as 4 different residues in one animal. It was remarkable that most of the animals that had suffered polytraumatism by collision presented residues of anticoagulants, and that species such as the hawk that mainly eat birds frequently presented anticoagulant residues. The results of this study suggest that the high use of anticoagulant rodenticides in the natural environment involves their incorporation into the food chain, and this can affect wildlife species in which these products may cause side effects. This means that the application of anticoagulant rodenticides in open spaces poses a threat to the conservation status of biodiversity in the Canary Islands (AU)

Contaminantes orgánicos persistentes en plasma de tortugas bobas (Caretta caretta) varadas en las Islas Canarias / Plasma leves of persistent organic pollutans in loggerhead sea turtles (caretta caretta) stranded in the Canary Islands

En el presente estudio se ha evaluado el grado de contaminación por contaminantes orgánicos persistentes (COPs) en 193 ejemplares de tortuga boba (Caretta caretta) varadas en las Islas Canarias entre 2007-2011. La cuantificación en plasma de los niveles de pesticidas organoclorados (POCs), bifenilos policlorados (PCBs) e hidrocarburos aromáticos policíclicos (PAHs) se realizó mediante GC-MS. Todas las muestras analizadas presentaron niveles cuantificables de alguno de los COPs incluidos en el estudio. El grupo de COPs que presentó mayores niveles fue el de los PAHs (alcanzando la carga total de PAHs 6,45 ng/ml), siendo el fenantreno el hidrocarburo más frecuentemente detectado y a concentraciones más altas, lo que indica el origen petrogénico de estos contaminantes. La contaminación por PCBs alcanzó niveles menores (3,84 ng/ml), predominando el grupo de los hexaclorobifenilos (PCB-153 y PCB- 138 principalmente). Los niveles de contaminación por POCs fueron también bajos alcanzando valores de 1,67 ng/ml, siendo el principal metabolito del DDT, el p,p´-DDE el compuesto más frecuentemente detectado (89,6%) y a más altas concentraciones (0,68 ng/ml). Fue evidente una asociación inversa entre el tamaño de las tortugas y la carga de PCBs y PAHs. Asimismo existieron niveles más altos de contaminación por COPs en los años 2009 y 2010. Este trabajo evalúa por vez primera la presencia de PAHs en sangre de tortugas varadas y nuestros resultados parecen indicar que esta metodología y esta especie animal pueden ser muy útiles para monitorizar la presencia de contaminación por derivados del petróleo en el medio acuático (AU)

This study assessed the degree of contamination by persistent organic pollutants (POPs) present in 193 specimens of loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) stranded in the Canary Islands between 2007-2011. Quantification of plasma levels of organochlorine pesticides (POCs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were performed by GC-MS. All samples tested showed measurable levels of several of the POPs included in the study. PAHs was the group that showed the highest levels (total burden of PAHs = 6.45 ng/ml), being phenanthrene the compound most frequently detected and at higher concentrations, indicating the petrogenic origin of these contaminants. PCBs contamination reached lower levels (3.84 ng/ml), dominating the group of hexachlorobiphenyls (PCB-153 and PCB-138 in particular). The pollution levels were also low in the subgroup of POCs, reaching values of 1.67 ng/ml, and being the main metabolite of DDT, p, p'-DDE the compound most frequently detected (89.6%) and at highest concentrations (0.68 ng/ml). There was a clear inverse association between the size of the turtles and the burden of PCBs and PAHs. There were also higher levels of POPs in 2009 and 2010 than in the other years. This study evaluates for the first time the presence of PAHs in stranded turtles blood and our results suggest that this methodology and this animal species can be very useful for monitoring the presence of petroleum derivatives contamination in the aquatic environment (AU)