ORGANOCHLORINE PESTICIDES ASSOCIATED WITH OCULAR, NASAL, OR OTIC INFECTION IN THE EASTERN BOX TURTLE (TERRAPENE CAROLINA CAROLINA)

From May 1987 to September 1994, 19 eastern box turtles (Terrapene car olina carolina) originating from scattered locations on Long Island, N ew York (USA) were presented with one or more of the following signs: listlessness, ocular and nasal discharge, conjunctivitis, blepharitis, and otitis media. Numerous species of bacteria and yeast were isolate d by aerobic culture. Histopathologic findings confirmed chronic activ e bacterial infections. Toxicologic analyses of livers revealed elevat ed concentrations of chlordane metabolites in two diseased turtles. A third turtle liver contained residues of endosulfan sulfate. Immunosup pressive effects of low-level exposure to organochlorines, including c hlordane and endosulfan, could be involved in the pathogenesis of the observed infections.