Blood Fluke Infection (Spirorchidiasis) and Systemic Granulomatous Inflammation: A Case Study of Green Sea Turtles (<i>Chelonia mydas</i>) on Jeju Island, South Korea
Da Sol Park,
Won Hee Hong,
Jae Hoon Kim,
Adams Hei Long Yuen,
Sib Sankar Giri,
Sung Bin Lee,
Won Joon Jung,
Young Min Lee,
Su Jin Jo,
Mae Hyun Hwang,
Jae Hong Park,
Eun Jae Park,
Se Chang Park
Affiliations
Da Sol Park
Laboratory of Aquatic Biomedicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Research Institute for Veterinary Science, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
Won Hee Hong
Laboratory of Aquatic Biomedicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Research Institute for Veterinary Science, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
Jae Hoon Kim
Laboratory of Veterinary Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Veterinary Medical Research Institute, Jeju National University, Jeju 63243, Republic of Korea
Adams Hei Long Yuen
Laboratory of Aquatic Biomedicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Research Institute for Veterinary Science, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
Sib Sankar Giri
Laboratory of Aquatic Biomedicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Research Institute for Veterinary Science, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
Sung Bin Lee
Laboratory of Aquatic Biomedicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Research Institute for Veterinary Science, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
Won Joon Jung
Laboratory of Aquatic Biomedicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Research Institute for Veterinary Science, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
Young Min Lee
Laboratory of Aquatic Biomedicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Research Institute for Veterinary Science, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
Su Jin Jo
Laboratory of Aquatic Biomedicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Research Institute for Veterinary Science, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
Mae Hyun Hwang
Laboratory of Aquatic Biomedicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Research Institute for Veterinary Science, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
Jae Hong Park
Laboratory of Aquatic Biomedicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Research Institute for Veterinary Science, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
Eun Jae Park
Laboratory of Aquatic Biomedicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Research Institute for Veterinary Science, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
Se Chang Park
Laboratory of Aquatic Biomedicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Research Institute for Veterinary Science, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
Despite the precarious state of marine turtles as a highly endangered species, our understanding of their diseases remains limited. This case report presents a detailed pathological investigation of spirorchiidiasis, a blood fluke infection that poses a substantial threat to marine turtles. This retrospective study examined three cases of spirorchiid-infected sea turtles, specifically, green sea turtles stranded on Jeju Island, South Korea. Premortem examination of the three spirorchiid-infected green sea turtles demonstrated nonspecific clinical symptoms; blood analysis revealed dehydration, malnutrition, and anemia. Computed tomography scans provided insights into severe pulmonary and extrapulmonary manifestations, including the mass present in the joint region. Post-mortem examinations consistently indicated severe lung lesions and systemic manifestations, with histopathological examination confirming the presence of spirorchiid ova across various organs. Despite the global prevalence of spirorchiidiasis in sea turtles, disease severity varies regionally. This report provides a detailed demonstration of the pathology of spirorchiidiasis in sea turtles from Northeast Asia.
