Re. Marschang et al., HERPESVIRUSES IN TORTOISES - INVESTIGATIONS INTO VIRUS ISOLATION AND THE TREATMENT OF VIRAL STOMATITIS IN TESTUDO-HERMANNI AND T-GRAECA, Journal of veterinary medicine. Series B, 44(7), 1997, pp. 385-394
Various studies were done during a spontaneous outbreak of stomatitis-
rhinitis-complex (mouth rot) in a collection of Mediterranean land tor
toises (21 Testudo hermanni, Kermann's tortoises, and three Testudo gr
aeta, spur-thighed tortoises) in southern Germany. These studies were
intended to help diagnose the causative agent, establish a possible di
agnostic method in vivo and provide information on the efficacy of aci
clovir and ganciclovir against chelonian herpesviruses. Thirteen T. he
rmanni and no T. graeca died within a period of 6 weeks following the
introduction of one apparently healthy T. graeca. Two of the dead Test
udo hermanni were submitted far post-mortem examination. In addition,
blood samples from 11 of the 12 tortoises still surviving at the begin
ning of this study were cultured for virus content and for the presenc
e of neutralizing antibodies to chelonian herpesviruses and swabs from
conjunctiva, pharynx and cloaca were cultured for the presence of vir
uses. Herpesviruses were isolated from tissues of the two dead Testudo
hermanni (tongue, intestine, trachea, lung, spleen, heart and brain).
Peripheral leukocytes from one of 11 blood samples were positive for
herpesvirus isolation, indicating viremia in at least one animal. Nine
of 11 pharyngeal swabs but none of the conjunctival and cloacal swabs
yielded herpesviruses. Circulating neutralizing antibodies were prese
nt in two of two tested T. graeca, but absent in all of the nine sampl
es from T. hermanii. Aciclovir and ganciclovir were effective when tes
ted in vitro against one of the herpesvirus isolates.