• DOI:10.1638/2007-0092.1
• Corpus ID: 2599545

Lungworm Infection in Three Loggerhead Sea Turtles, Caretta caretta

@inproceedings{Manire2008LungwormII,
  title={Lungworm Infection in Three Loggerhead Sea Turtles, Caretta caretta},
  author={Charles A. Manire and Michael J. Kinsel and Eric T. Anderson and Tonya M. Clauss and Lynne Byrd},
  booktitle={Journal of zoo and wildlife medicine : official publication of the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians},
  year={2008}
}

• C. Manire, M. Kinsel, +2 authors Lynne Byrd
• Published in
  Journal of zoo and wildlife…
  1 March 2008
• Biology, Medicine

Abstract Although lungworms are known to infect many mammalian species and a few are known to infect snakes, lizards, and birds, previously none were known to infect chelonians. This study documents the first three known cases of lungworms in loggerhead sea turtles, Caretta caretta. It is unlikely that the lungworms were the primary cause of illness in any of the cases, and they may be only contributory or even incidental. Changes observed in the two cases that died included tracheal and bronchial epithelial hyperplasia and goblet cell hyperplasia. Lesions caused directly by the parasites seem to be restricted to the upper respiratory tree (trachea and main bronchi), but changes in the lungs themselves may be caused by the debris produced by the worms. Although neither case was successfully treated for the lungworms prior to death, it would appear that oxfendazole may be an effective treatment and has been used in the third case that is still undergoing rehabilitation.