Grant: 23-038R
Project Title: Integrative assessment of Fibropapillomatosis dynamics in free roaming green turtles (Chelonia mydas) from the Northeastern Gulf of Mexico
Project Manager: Raymond Carthy
Organization: University of Florida - Florida Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research Unit (Research and Educational Institute)
Grant Amount: $14,602.35
Completion Date:
Summary: Fibropapillomatosis (FP) is a neoplastic disease of marine turtles. The most affected species is the green turtle (Chelonia mydas), with juveniles inhabiting coastal ecosystems experiencing higher incidence rates. Fibropapillomatosis has shown a positive correlation with the infectious agent Chelonid Herpesvirus 5 (ChHV5). Infection causes debilitating papilloma-like lesions on mouth, eyes, and flippers areas, impeding basic survival activities such as feeding and swimming. Sometimes lesions develop internally, including on lungs and kidneys, with lethal consequences for the animals. Since first discovered in Florida in 1938, FP incidence has been increasing and the reason is still uncertain. This project will investigate patterns between disease prevalence, severity, and environmental pollution variables from coastal ecosystems. We will sample free-ranging turtles from established study sites across the Northeastern Gulf of Mexico, assess FP and assign scores of disease severity. Moreover, we will measure levels of known oncogenic pollutants in the seawater, to compare FP outbreaks in green turtles and pollution in the coastal ecosystem they inhabit. Via a combination of fieldwork techniques, we aim at answering fundamental and unexplored questions around FP outbreak dynamics. Outcomes from our proposed research will advance our knowledge of FP and help policymakers, veterinarians, and biologists in designing effective actions devoted to disease mitigation and the conservation and health of green turtle populations in their natural coastal ecosystems.
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