Diagnosis and management of Enterococcus spp infections during rehabilitation of cold-stunned Kemp's ridley turtles (Lepidochelys kempii): 50 cases (2006–2012)

• Published in: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association Vol. 245; no. 3; pp. 315 - 323
• Main Authors: Innis, Charles J, Braverman, Hillary, Cavin, Julie M, Ceresia, Michelle L, Baden, Lindsey R, Kuhn, Duncan M, Frasca, Salvatore Jr, McGowan, J. Patrick, Hirokawa, Keiko, Weber, E. Scott III, Stacy, Brian, Merigo, Constance
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Veterinary Medical Association 01.08.2014
• Subjects: Animals; anorexia; Anti-Bacterial Agents - therapeutic use; blood; body temperature; clinical examination; Cold Temperature - adverse effects; drug therapy; Enterococcus; Enterococcus - isolation & purification; Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections - drug therapy; Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections - microbiology; Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections - mortality; Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections - veterinary; histopathology; lameness; Lepidochelys kempii; morphometry; radiography; respiratory system; Retrospective Studies; Risk Factors; Turtles
• ISSN: 0003-1488; 1943-569X
• DOI: 10.2460/javma.245.3.315

Objective-To evaluate clinical data for cold-stunned Kemp's ridley turtles (Lepidochelys kempii) with Enterococcus spp infections during rehabilitation. Design-Retrospective case series. Animals-50 stranded cold-stunned Kemp's ridley turtles hospitalized between 2006 and 2012. Procedures-Medical records for turtles from which Enterococcus spp were isolated were reviewed retrospectively, and clinical data, including morphometric data, body temperature at admission, physical examination findings, antimicrobial medication history, history of medications administered IV, environmental data, day of diagnosis, clinical signs at diagnosis, microbiological testing results, sources of positive culture results, hematologic and plasma biochemical data, cytologic and histopathologic results, radiographic findings, antimicrobial treatments, time to first negative culture result, treatment duration, results of subsequent cultures, and case outcome, were collated and analyzed. Results-Enterococcus spp were isolated from bacteriologic cultures of blood, bone, joint, and respiratory tract samples and a skin lesion, with supporting evidence of infection provided by histopathologic, cytologic, and radiographic data. Positive culture results were associated with clinical problems such as lethargy, anorexia, and lameness. Most (34/43 [79%]) turtles for which an antemortem diagnosis was made survived with treatment and were released into the wild. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance-Cold-stunned Kemp's ridley turtles may be affected by serious Enterococcus spp infections during rehabilitation. Recognition and treatment of these infections are important for successful rehabilitation.