Steatitis in Cold-Stunned Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtles (<em>Lepidochelys kempii</em>)
Rachel C. Turner,
Charles J. Innis,
Brian A. Stacy,
Jorge A. Hernandez,
Richard C. Hill,
Karen C. Scott,
Salvatore Frasca,
Michael M. Garner,
Rachel E. Burns,
Michael D. Arendt,
Jennifer Brisson,
Terry M. Norton,
Sea Rogers Williams,
Adam Kennedy,
Amy B. Alexander,
Nicole I. Stacy
Affiliations
Rachel C. Turner
Department of Comparative, Diagnostic, and Population Medicine, University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, Gainesville, FL 32608, USA
Charles J. Innis
New England Aquarium, Boston, MA 02110, USA
Brian A. Stacy
NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service, Office of Protected Resources at University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
Jorge A. Hernandez
Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, Gainesville, FL 32608, USA
Richard C. Hill
Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, Gainesville, FL 32608, USA
Karen C. Scott
Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, Gainesville, FL 32608, USA
Salvatore Frasca
Connecticut Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory, Department of Pathobiology and Veterinary Science, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA
Michael M. Garner
Northwest ZooPath, Monroe, WA 98272, USA
Rachel E. Burns
Connecticut Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory, Department of Pathobiology and Veterinary Science, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA
Michael D. Arendt
Marine Resources Division, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, Charleston, SC 29412, USA
Jennifer Brisson
Massachusetts Veterinary Referral Hospital, Woburn, MA 01801, USA
Terry M. Norton
Georgia Sea Turtle Center, Jekyll Island Authority, Jekyll Island, GA 31527, USA
Sea Rogers Williams
National Marine Life Center, Buzzards Bay, MA 02532, USA
Adam Kennedy
New England Aquarium, Boston, MA 02110, USA
Amy B. Alexander
Department of Comparative, Diagnostic, and Population Medicine, University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, Gainesville, FL 32608, USA
Nicole I. Stacy
Department of Comparative, Diagnostic, and Population Medicine, University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, Gainesville, FL 32608, USA
The pathogenesis of steatitis that infrequently occurs in cold-stunned Kemp’s ridley sea turtles (KRT; Lepidochelys kempii) has been undetermined. The objectives of this study were to investigate the clinical (n = 23) and histologic findings (n = 11) in cold-stunned KRT, and to compare plasma concentrations of α-tocopherol (vitamin E), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), and the TBARS to vitamin E (T/E) ratio (an assessment of oxidative stress) between cold-stunned KRT with clinically and/or histologically confirmed steatitis (n = 10) and free-ranging KRT (n = 9). None of the cold-stunned turtles had clinically detectable steatitis at admission, and the median number of days to diagnosis of steatitis was 71 (range 33–469). Histologic findings of affected adipose tissue included heterophilic (n = 9) and/or histiocytic (n = 5) steatitis, fat necrosis (n = 7), myonecrosis (n = 2), and intralesional bacteria (n = 6). Cold-stunned KRT had significantly lower plasma vitamin E concentrations (median = 3.5 nmol/g), lower plasma TBARS concentrations (median = 1.6 nmol/g), and higher T/E ratios (median = 0.50), than controls (62.3 nmol/g; 2.1 nmol/g; 0.03, respectively). These results suggest a multifactorial etiology for the development of steatitis in KRT during rehabilitation, including tissue injury, septicemia, and various factors resulting in imbalances of anti-/oxidative status. By highlighting the need to provide more effective vitamin E supplementation, and the need to re-assess specific components of the diet, this study may lead to reduced incidence and improved medical management of steatitis in cold-stunned sea turtles.
