OPPORTUNISTIC VIBRIOS IN CULTURED TAIWANESE SOFT-SHELLED TURTLES (PELODISCUS SINENSIS)
Keywords:
Taiwanese soft-shelled turtle, VibrioAbstract
One hundred clinically healthy Taiwanease soft-shelled turtles (Pelodiscus sinensis) were
sampled by blood sampling and cloacal swabing. Samples were first cultured in a pre-enrichment media and then selective isolation was performed for vibrios on Thiosulfate-Citrate-Bile salts-Sucrose agar (TCBS). Species of the isolated vibrios were identified by standard biochemical procedures. A total of 146 vibrio isolates were found in 83 out of 100 cloacal swabs (83%), whereas none were found in the 50 blood samples. Isolates were identified as Vibrio fluvialis (26.04%), V. anguillarum (21.23%), V. furnissii (18.49%), V. parahaemolyticus (18.49%), Vibrio spp. (6.85%), V. damsela (5.48%) and V. metschnikovii (3.42%). This study presented evidence of the presence opportunistic vibrio species in the cloaca of clinically healthy soft-shelled turtles. Vibrio isolates found in these healthy
animals correlated with those isolated from feed samples and water from the culture ponds.