Systemic infection of Beauveria bassiana in a stranded endangered green turtle Chelonia mydas: A case report

Abstract

The green turtle (Chelonia mydas) is the most frequently encountered marine turtle species in Taiwan. This study describes the postmortem findings of a juvenile green turtle with injuries to the right foreflipper that was rescued off the Taiwan coast and died after 3 months in rehabilitation. Necropsy revealed large, yellow, multifocal caseous lesions involving the right foreflipper, spleen, liver, kidneys, and lungs. Fungal infection of Beauveria bassiana was confirmed by culture, morphological and molecular characterization, phylogenetic analysis, and histopathological examination. This report provides evidence that B. bassiana is associated with a systemic fungal infection which can be fatal to green turtles. Fungal infections are considered important emerging diseases and threats to the conservation of sea turtles. Additional research into the prevalence of infection, geographic distribution, and pathogenicity of B. bassiana should be conducted to better understand the role of B. bassiana in sea turtle health and to inform conservation efforts in Taiwan.