What is Mycoplasma?

One of the major pathogens that we will be testing this population of gopher tortoises for is mycoplasma. Mycoplasma is a bacteria that infects the mucosal surfaces of the respiratory tract. It is the smallest bacteria yet to be discovered! When severe, infections can cause a variety of clinical signs including nasal discharge and swollen eyelids. Mycoplasma can be easily spread between individuals through contact with infected discharges. In gopher tortoises, there are two species of mycoplasma that have been described to cause respiratory disease: M. agassizii and M. testudineum. For this project, we will be taking nasal swabs from the tortoises at Harbor Branch and looking for the presence of these bacterial organisms through laboratory tests such as PCR (polymerase chain reaction).

 

Electron micrograph of M. agassizii Picture from ResearchGate - Elliot R. Jacobson

An important reference for our project is a paper titled: Effects of mycoplasmal upper respiratory tract disease on morbidity and mortality of gopher tortoises in northern and central Florida by Berish et al. In this study, the researchers evaluated tortoises on 3 sites for signs of upper respiratory tract disease (URTD) and took serum and nasal flush samples for diagnostic assays. They found both species of mycoplasma present in multiple populations. Even more importantly, the study noted mortality events on 2 of the 3 sites studied. Scientists believe that the chronicity of mycoplasma infections leads to high morbidity and low mortality - however, studies such as these show us the potential important effects that mycoplasma could have on population dynamics. More studies related to the long term effects of URTD on gopher tortoise populations are needed to better understand this disease.

 

Gopher tortoise with URTD due to infection with a mycoplasma species. Note the nasal discharge and swollen eyelids.

A portion of the funds we gain for this project will go towards ELISA and PCR testing for Mycoplasma agassizii and M. testudineum. These tests will be important for monitoring morbidity and mortality in our population of gopher tortoises here at Harbor Branch!

If you would like to read the paper discussed in this lab note, it can be found here: https://bioone.org/journals/journal-of-wildlife-diseases/volume-46/issue-3/0090-3558-46.3.695/EFFECTS-OF-MYCOPLASMAL-UPPER-RESPIRATORY-TRACT-DISEASE-ON-MORBIDITY-AND/10.7589/0090-3558-46.3.695.full