Mycoplasma agassizii
Mycoplasma agassizii
The bacterial cause of upper respiratory tract disease (URTD) in tortoises — chronic, recurring and lifelong. [7][20][21]
- Method
- PCR only
- Sample material
- Oral swab
- Catalogue code
- MYCO
The pathogen
A cell-wall-free bacterium. The absence of a cell wall makes beta-lactam antibiotics (penicillins, cephalosporins) entirely ineffective.
Transmission
Direct nose-to-nose contact and aerosol, especially when tortoises of different origin share an enclosure. Carriers remain infectious for life with long silent periods.
Pathology
- Chronic proliferative rhinitis with loss of the nasal epithelium
- Conjunctivitis and palpebral oedema
- Ascending infection to the lower respiratory tract
- Secondary bacterial colonisation of the damaged mucosa
Clinical signs
- Persistent nasal discharge, from clear to purulent
- Swollen eyelids, closed eyes, excess tear flow
- Loss of appetite and weight, worsening after hibernation
Prevention
- Test every new tortoise and never introduce an untested animal to a group
- Keep groups closed; each acquisition is a new risk
- Separate species and origins permanently
- Retest before breeding and before hibernation
Treatment options
Unlike the viral targets on this panel, mycoplasma is treatable. Veterinary-prescribed antibiotics active against cell-wall-free bacteria (for example enrofloxacin, or a macrolide) reduce clinical signs, but the infection is generally not cleared — animals remain carriers and can relapse.
References
- [7]Braun J, Schrenzel M, Witte C, Gokool L, Burchell J, Rideout BA (2014). Molecular methods to detect Mycoplasma spp. And Testudinid herpesvirus 2 in desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizii) and implications for disease management. Journal of wildlife diseases 50:757-66. DOI: 10.7589/2013-09-231 · PMID: 25121400
- [20]Jacobson ER, Brown MB, Wendland LD, Brown DR, Klein PA, Christopher MM, et al. (2014). Mycoplasmosis and upper respiratory tract disease of tortoises: a review and update. Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997) 201:257-64. DOI: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2014.05.039 · PMID: 24951264
- [21]Galosi L, Ridolfi N, Fellini C, Pelizzone I, Cusaro S, Marchetti G, et al. (2023). Detection and Identification of Mycoplasmopsis agassizii in Captive Tortoises with Different Clinical Signs in Italy. Animals : an open access journal from MDPI 13:588. DOI: 10.3390/ani13040588 · PMID: 36830375
This profile is reference information for keepers and breeders. It is not a diagnosis and does not replace veterinary advice. Medicines mentioned are prescription-only and must be used under veterinary supervision.