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Ana Laura - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • evaluacion de la diversidad genetica de la tortuga lora Lepidochelys Kempii
    2019
    Co-Authors: Lara Rivera, Ana Laura
    Abstract:

    Tesis (Maestria en Ciencias en Biotecnologia Genomica), Instituto Politecnico Nacional, CBG, 2011, 1 archivo PDF, (73 paginas). tesis.ipn.mx

  • evaluacion de la diversidad genetica de la tortuga lora Lepidochelys Kempii en tamaulipas
    2011
    Co-Authors: Biol Lara Rivera, Ana Laura
    Abstract:

    De las siete especies de tortugas marinas que habitan en el mundo, la tortuga lora (Lepidochelys Kempii) anida casi exclusivamente en las playas de Tamaulipas, Mexico. La tortuga lora es la mas pequena de las tortugas marinas y es conocida por sus anidaciones masivas o arribadas, donde las hembras anidan simultaneamente en grupos de cientos y miles. La poblacion de tortugas loras sufrio un dramatico descenso entre 1947 y 1987, yendo de un estimado de 160,000 individuos maduros hasta menos de 5000. Los cuellos de botella demograficos pueden ocasionar perdida de diversidad genetica en la poblacion y en el caso de una especie con una distribucion geografica tan restringida, la incapacidad para adaptarse a eventos naturales y evolutivos puede ser fatal. La biologia molecular se emplea cada para evaluar la diversidad genetica de las poblaciones silvestres. En el presente trabajo, se reporta la diversidad y estructura genetica de la tortuga lora en Tamaulipas, Mexico, mediante el uso de marcadores moleculares microsatelites. A partir de muestras de cuatro campamentos a lo largo de la costa de Tamaulipas (Miramar, Altamira, Rancho Nuevo y Tepehuajes), se establecio un metodo efectivo para la extraccion de ADN a partir de tres tipos de tejido obtenidos de crias muertas. Solo tres loci de los cinco probados amplificaron exitosamente. Los marcadores probaron ser informativos (probabilidad de no-exclusion combinada de 0.01) con un numero promedio de 7.5 alelos por locus. El estadistico Fisher mostro que no existen diferencias significativas en la segregacion de genotipos entre las colonias anidadoras (P>0.05). Se demostro tambien que la poblacion se encuentra en equilibrio de Hardy-Weinberg. Es necesario ampliar el numero de marcadores moleculares microsatelites para robustecer los resultados estadisticos, asi como comparar con marcadores de herencia biparental. La ausencia de diferenciacion podria explicarse por la tendencia de las hembras de aparearse con varios machos antes de anidar y el flujo genetico mediado por los mismos que permite a las crias compartir alelos aunque hayan nacido en playas distintas

Craig A. Harms - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • fibropapillomatosis and chelonid alphaherpesvirus 5 infection in kemp s ridley sea turtles Lepidochelys Kempii
    Animal, 2021
    Co-Authors: Annie Pagekarjian, Justin R. Perrault, Donna J. Shaver, Brian A. Stacy, Liam Whitmore, Jessica A Farrell, Shelby J Walker, Hilary R Frandsen, Elina Rantonen, Craig A. Harms
    Abstract:

    Fibropapillomatosis (FP), a debilitating, infectious neoplastic disease, is rarely reported in endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys Kempii). With this study, we describe FP and the associated chelonid alphaherpesvirus 5 (ChHV5) in Kemp’s ridley turtles encountered in the United States during 2006–2020. Analysis of 22 case reports of Kemp’s ridley turtles with FP revealed that while the disease was mild in most cases, 54.5% were adult turtles, a reproductively valuable age class whose survival is a priority for population recovery. Of 51 blood samples from tumor-free turtles and 12 tumor samples from turtles with FP, 7.8% and 91.7%, respectively, tested positive for ChHV5 DNA via quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Viral genome shotgun sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of six tumor samples show that ChHV5 sequences in Kemp’s ridley turtles encountered in the Gulf of Mexico and northwestern Atlantic cluster with ChHV5 sequences identified in green (Chelonia mydas) and loggerhead (Caretta caretta) sea turtles from Hawaii, the southwestern Atlantic Ocean, and the Caribbean. Results suggest an interspecific, spatiotemporal spread of FP among Kemp’s ridley turtles in regions where the disease is enzootic. Although FP is currently uncommon in this species, it remains a health concern due to its uncertain pathogenesis and potential relationship with habitat degradation.

  • blood fatty acid profiles of neritic juvenile wild green turtles chelonia mydas and kemp s ridleys Lepidochelys Kempii
    Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine, 2021
    Co-Authors: Elizabeth A Koutsos, Larry J Minter, Kimberly Angevan Heugten, Johanna Mejiafava, Craig A. Harms
    Abstract:

    Blood fatty acid profiles can indicate an animal's wild-type diet composition and fatty acid status, but have not been reported in sea turtles. Newer technologies allow for fatty acid profiles from very small (less than three drops) samples of whole blood. This study examined whole blood fatty acid profiles of presumably healthy, neritic, juvenile, wild green (Chelonia mydas) (n = 9; 6 males, 3 females) and Kemp's ridley (Lepidochelys Kempii) (n = 8; 6 males, 2 females) turtles from North Carolina, USA. Saturated fatty acids, which can be synthesized de novo, consisted primarily of 16:0, although green turtle blood had a higher proportion of 18:0 (P < 0.001) than Kemp's ridleys, while Kemp's ridley blood had higher proportions of 17:0 (P = 0.007), 20:0 (P = 0.03), 22:0 (P= 0.002), and 24:0 (P < 0.001) as compared with green turtles. Total monounsaturated w7 fatty acids, which can be synthesized de novo or may be diet derived, were higher in Kemp's ridleys and predominantly in the form of 16:1 and 18:1w7 fatty acids. Kemp's ridley blood had more than double the relative proportion of 16:1w7 as compared with green turtles (P= 0.03). Green turtles had higher levels of 18:2w6 than Kemp's ridleys (P= 0.02). In both turtle species, 20:4w6 was detected, despite predicted low dietary proportions, suggesting bioconversion from precursors. Finally, green turtles had higher levels of 18:3w3 compared with Kemp's ridleys, while Kemp's ridleys had higher proportions of 20:5w3 compared with green turtles (P < 0.001, = 0.007, respectively). Whole blood fatty acid profiles generally correlate to previous work with lipid depots, supporting the use of this less invasive methodology to advance the understanding of fatty acid nutrition of sea turtles. These data can be used to assess and guide nutrition and health programs for sea turtles under human care.

  • blood analytes of immature kemp s ridley sea turtles Lepidochelys Kempii from georgia usa reference intervals and body size correlations
    Conservation Physiology, 2020
    Co-Authors: Justin R. Perrault, Craig A. Harms, Michael D Arendt, Jeffrey A Schwenter, Julia L Byrd, Carolyn Cray, Kathryn A Tuxbury, Lawrence D Wood, Nicole I. Stacy
    Abstract:

    Health assessments of wildlife species are becoming increasingly important in an ever-changing environment. Kemp's ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys Kempii; hereafter, Kemp's ridleys) are critically endangered and incur several on-going threats to their population recovery; therefore, it is imperative to advance the understanding of baseline blood analyte data as a diagnostic and monitoring tool. For in-water, trawl-captured, immature Kemp's ridleys (minimum N = 31) from Georgia, USA, the objectives of this study were to (1) establish reference intervals (RIs) for packed cell volume (PCV) and 27 plasma biochemistry analytes and (2) determine length-specific relationships in blood analytes. We observed significant positive correlations between minimum straight carapace length and PCV, amylase, calcium:phosphorus ratio, cholesterol, magnesium, triglycerides, total solids, total protein and all protein fractions (e.g. alpha-, beta- and gamma-globulins); aspartate aminotransferase and chloride showed significant negative relationships. These results suggest that certain blood analytes in Kemp's ridleys change as these animals grow, presumptively due to somatic growth and dietary shifts. The information presented herein, in due consideration of capture technique that may have impacted glucose and potassium concentrations, represents the first report of blood analyte RIs for Kemp's ridley sea turtles established by guidelines of the American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology and will have direct applications for stranded individuals in rehabilitative care and for future investigations into the health status of wild individuals from this population.

  • nmr based metabolomic profile of cold stun syndrome in loggerhead caretta caretta green chelonia mydas and kemp s ridley Lepidochelys Kempii sea turtles in north carolina usa
    Wildlife Biology, 2020
    Co-Authors: Jennifer N Niemuth, Craig A. Harms, Jeffrey M Macdonald, Michael K Stoskopf
    Abstract:

    In North Carolina, winter weather events causing sea surface temperatures to acutely drop below approximately 12°C may result in strandings of threatened loggerhead Caretta caretta, green Chelonia mydas and endangered Kemp's ridley Lepidochelys Kempii sea turtles due to cold stun syndrome. Clinically, these turtles have been shown to have metabolic and respiratory acidosis. The purpose of this study was to apply NMR-based metabolomics to further our understanding of the pathogenesis of cold stun syndrome in sea turtles. Heparinized whole blood and plasma samples were collected from apparently healthy loggerhead (whole blood n = 8), green (whole blood n = 12, plasma n = 10) and Kemp's ridley (whole blood n = 14, plasma n = 10) sea turtles. Blood and plasma samples were also collected from juvenile, in-water or beach-cast cold stun affected sea turtles (loggerhead n = 9, green n = 11, Kemp's n = 6). We identified 18 metabolites in our spectra including amino acids, energy compounds, glycerol, ketone bodies, nucleosides/nucleotides, organic acids and osmolytes. There were several significant differences between metabolites in control and affected turtles, likely secondary to anorexia, such as differences in dimethyl sulfone, glycerol, leucine, isoleucine and trimethylamine N-oxide concentrations. Significant differences in multiple metabolites related to exertion and anaerobic metabolism included concentrations of acetate, creatine, lactate and succinate. Changes in glycerol and propylene glycol concentrations suggest some metabolic changes may have cold protective properties. The primary metabolomic findings were consistent with what is known about clinical biochemistry and blood gas panel perturbations in cold stun affected turtles. This study provides a baseline for the metabolic profile of control and cold stun affected sea turtles in North Carolina and we have identified several metabolites worthy of further investigation with regards to their roles in hypoxia, ischemia and reperfusion.

  • Ophthalmic lesions in a population of cold-stunned sea turtles (Chelonia mydas, Lepidochelys Kempii, Caretta caretta).
    Veterinary ophthalmology, 2019
    Co-Authors: Melissa J. Lively, Craig A. Harms, Hans D. Westermeyer, Emily F. Christiansen
    Abstract:

    Objective To document ocular lesions present in cold-stunned sea turtles and determine the impact of these lesions on their release. Animals All sea turtles (Caretta caretta, Chelonia mydas, and Lepidochelys Kempii) presenting to rehabilitation centers in North Carolina over two cold stun seasons. Procedures Complete ophthalmic examination using slit-lamp biomicroscopy, fluorescein stain, rebound tonometry, and occasionally binocular indirect funduscopy was performed within 1 week of presenting to the rehabilitation centers. A second examination was performed 2 weeks after the first examination in animals with ocular lesions and still present at the center. Results One hundred and sixty-four turtles (121 Chelonia mydas, 26 Lepidochelys Kempii, 17 Caretta caretta) were evaluated over two cold stun seasons (2016-2017 and 2017-2018). Ocular or periocular lesions were identified in 78 of 164 (47.5%) turtles examined with 37 of 164 (22.5%) having bilateral disease. The most common ocular lesion was superficial corneal ulceration, accounting for 21.3% of all lesions. Adnexal lesions were also common, while intraocular abnormalities were overall rare. Most resolved uneventfully. Though some blinding lesions were noted, these were not present bilaterally in any one turtle, and thus, ocular findings did not affect release. Conclusion Ocular lesions in cold-stunned sea turtles are common. Some of these lesions are potentially blinding or require appropriate care, so evaluation of cold-stunned turtles should include a complete ophthalmic examination.

Naval-Ávila Celina - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • Identificación de la flora bacteriana en la tortuga lora (Lepidochelys Kempii ) en el ejido Barra Galindo, Tuxpan, Veracruz, México
    'Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana', 2017
    Co-Authors: Serrano Arturo, Vázquez-castán Laura, Sánchez Silva, Claudia G., Basañez-muñoz, Agustín De Jesús, Naval-Ávila Celina
    Abstract:

    Kemps Ridley turtle (Lepidochelys Kempii) is considered as critically endangered by Mexican laws and by several international organizations. One of the main dangers is the indiscriminate capture and destruction of nests by humans, and a second source of mortality are viral, as well as bacterial or fungal infections. This study took place in the conservation area Campamento tortuguero Ejido Barra Galindo, Tuxpan, Veracruz. Samples were obtained from nesting females, hatchlings, and nests. In total 14 bacterial species were identified, 10Gram negative and four Gram positive. The species identified were: Aeromonas hydrophila, Bacillus sp., Citrobacter sp., Edwardsiella sp., Enterobacter sp., Escherichia coli, Flavobacterium sp., Mycobacterium sp., Proteussp., Pseudomonas sp., Salmonella sp., Staphylococcus sp., Streptococcus aureus and Vibrio alginolyticus. The four more frequent were: Edwardsiella sp., Escherichia coli, Salmonella sp. and Vibrio alginolyticus. This type of studies may allow an understanding of the role played by microorganisms in infectious diseases of marine turtles and how they may affect the survival of natural populations of these animals under natural conditions.La tortuga lora (Lepidochelys Kempii) es una especie considerada en peligro de extinción por las leyes mexicanas y por varios organismos internacionales. Una de las principales amenazas a la existencia de este quelonio, es su captura indiscriminada y la destrucción de sus nidos por parte de los seres humanos. Un peligro adicional son los agentes etiológicos virales, bacterianos o micóticos. El presente estudio se llevó a cabo en el área de conservación Campamento tortuguero Ejido Barra Galindo, Tuxpan, Veracruz. Se tomaron muestras de hembras anidadoras, de crías y de los nidos. En total se obtuvieron 14 especies de bacterias, de las cuales 10 fueron Gram negativas y cuatro Gram positivas. Las especies identificadas fueron: Aeromonas hydrophila, Bacillus sp., Citrobacter sp., Edwardsiella sp., Enterobacter sp., Escherichia coli, Flavobacterium sp., Mycobacterium sp., Proteus sp., Pseudomonas sp., Salmonella sp., Staphylococcus sp., Streptococcus aureus y Vibrio alginolyticus. Las cuatro bacterias más frecuentes fueron: Edwardsiella sp., Escherichia coli., Salmonella sp. y Vibrio alginolyticus. Este tipo de estudios permitirá conocer el papel que juegan las bacterias patógenas en las enfermedades infecciosas de las tortugas marinas y cómo estas afectan la sobrevivencia de sus poblaciones en condiciones naturales

Charles J. Innis - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • evaluation of the respiratory microbiome and the use of tracheal lavage as a diagnostic tool in kemp s ridley sea turtles Lepidochelys Kempii
    Animal, 2021
    Co-Authors: Kerry L Mcnally, Adam Kennedy, Jennifer Osullivan Brisson, Jennifer L Bowen, Charles J. Innis
    Abstract:

    Respiratory disease is a common cause of morbidity and mortality in sea turtles, including the Kemp’s ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys Kempii). Although culture-dependent methods are typically used to characterize microbes associated with pneumonia and to determine treatment, culture-independent methods can provide a deeper understanding of the respiratory microbial communities and lead to a more accurate diagnosis. In this study, we characterized the tracheal lavage microbiome from cold-stunned Kemp’s ridley sea turtles at three time points during rehabilitation (intake, rehabilitation, and convalescence) by analyzing the 16S rRNA gene collected from tracheal lavage samples. We retrospectively developed a radiographic scoring system to grade the severity of lung abnormalities in these turtles and found no differences in diversity or composition of microbial communities based on radiographic score. We also found that the culture isolates from tracheal lavage samples, as well as other previously reported sea turtle pathogens, were present in variable abundance across sequenced samples. In addition to the tracheal microbial community of live turtles, we characterized microbial communities from other segments of the respiratory tract (glottis, trachea, anterior lung, posterior lung) from deceased turtles. We found a high degree of variability within turtles and a high degree of dissimilarity between different segments of the respiratory tract and the tracheal lavage collected from the same turtle. In summary, we found that the pulmonary microbial community associated with pneumonia in sea turtles is complex and does not correlate well with the microbial community as identified by tracheal lavage. These results underscore the limitations of using tracheal lavage for identification of the causative agents of pneumonia in sea turtles.

  • characterization of oral and cloacal microbial communities in cold stunned kemp s ridley sea turtles Lepidochelys Kempii during the time course of rehabilitation
    PLOS ONE, 2021
    Co-Authors: Kerry L Mcnally, Charles J. Innis, Adam Kennedy, Jennifer L Bowen
    Abstract:

    Microbial communities of animals play a role in health and disease, including immunocompromised conditions. In the northeastern United States, cold-stunning events often cause endangered Kemp’s ridley turtles (Lepidochelys Kempii) to become stranded on beaches in autumn. These sea turtles are admitted to rehabilitation facilities when rescued alive and are presumed immunocompromised secondary to hypothermia. To better understand the role that microbes play in the health of cold-stunned sea turtles, we characterized the oral and cloacal microbiome from Kemp’s ridley turtles at multiple timepoints during rehabilitation, from admission to pre-release, by using Illumina sequencing to analyze the 16S rRNA gene. Microbial communities were distinct between body sites and among turtles that survived and those that died. We found that clinical parameters such as presence of pneumonia or values for various blood analytes did not correlate with oral or cloacal microbial community composition. We also investigated the effect of antibiotics on the microbiome during rehabilitation and prior to release and found that the type of antibiotic altered the microbial community composition, yet overall taxonomic diversity remained the same. The microbiome of cold-stunned Kemp’s ridley turtles gradually changed through the course of rehabilitation with environment, antibiotics, and disease status all playing a role in those changes and ultimately the release status of the turtles.

  • Steatitis in Cold-Stunned Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtles (Lepidochelys Kempii).
    Animals : an open access journal from MDPI, 2021
    Co-Authors: Rachel C. Turner, Charles J. Innis, Salvatore Frasca, Brian A. Stacy, Jorge A. Hernandez, Richard C. Hill, Karen C. Scott, Michael M. Garner, Rachel E. Burns, Michael D Arendt
    Abstract:

    The pathogenesis of steatitis that infrequently occurs in cold-stunned Kemp’s ridley sea turtles (KRT; Lepidochelys Kempii) has been undetermined. The objectives of this study were to investigate the clinical (n = 23) and histologic findings (n = 11) in cold-stunned KRT, and to compare plasma concentrations of α-tocopherol (vitamin E), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), and the TBARS to vitamin E (T/E) ratio (an assessment of oxidative stress) between cold-stunned KRT with clinically and/or histologically confirmed steatitis (n = 10) and free-ranging KRT (n = 9). None of the cold-stunned turtles had clinically detectable steatitis at admission, and the median number of days to diagnosis of steatitis was 71 (range 33–469). Histologic findings of affected adipose tissue included heterophilic (n = 9) and/or histiocytic (n = 5) steatitis, fat necrosis (n = 7), myonecrosis (n = 2), and intralesional bacteria (n = 6). Cold-stunned KRT had significantly lower plasma vitamin E concentrations (median = 3.5 nmol/g), lower plasma TBARS concentrations (median = 1.6 nmol/g), and higher T/E ratios (median = 0.37), than controls (208.8 nmol/g; 2.1 nmol/g; 0.01, respectively). These results suggest a multifactorial etiology for the development of steatitis in KRT during rehabilitation, including tissue injury, septicemia, and various factors resulting in imbalances of anti-/oxidative status. By highlighting the need to provide more effective vitamin E supplementation, and the need to re-assess specific components of the diet, this study may lead to reduced incidence and improved medical management of steatitis in cold-stunned sea turtles.

  • effects of ground transport in kemp s ridley Lepidochelys Kempii and loggerhead caretta caretta turtles
    Integrative organismal biology (Oxford England), 2020
    Co-Authors: Kathleen E Hunt, Constance Merigo, Julika N. Wocial, Adam Kennedy, Deborah Davis, Elizabeth A Burgess, Loren C Buck, L Lory, Kerry L Mcnally, Charles J. Innis
    Abstract:

    Many juvenile Kemp's ridley (Lepidochelys Kempii) and loggerhead (Caretta caretta) turtles strand during fall on the beaches of Cape Cod (MA, USA), with total stranding numbers sometimes exceeding 300 turtles per year. Once rehabilitated, turtles must be released at beaches with appropriate water temperatures, often requiring transportation to southeastern coastal states of the USA. These transportation events (transports) may approach or exceed 24 h in duration. Kemp's ridley turtles are known to exhibit an adrenal stress response during such transports, but the effect of transport duration has been unclear, and no other sea turtle species has been investigated. To assess whether transport duration and/or species affects physiological reactions to transport, we studied pre- and post-transport physiological measures in Kemp's ridley and loggerhead turtles transported by ground for <6, ∼12, ∼18, or ∼24 h, comparing with matched "control events" in which turtles were studied without transport. Blood samples were analyzed for four stress-associated measures (corticosterone, glucose, total white blood cell [WBC] count, and heterophil/lymphocyte ratio [H/L]) and nine measures of clinical status (pH, pO2, pCO2, HCO3, sodium, potassium, ionized calcium, lactate, and hematocrit). In both species, stress-associated measures elevated significantly during transport, while handling without transport had no significant effects. Loggerheads exhibited a greater stress response than Kemp's ridleys across all transport durations. These results indicate that sea turtles do react physiologically to ground transport; therefore, minimizing transport time and streamlining transport logistics (where feasible) may help ensure release of rehabilitated turtles to sea in the best possible condition. Nonetheless, both species remained in good clinical condition even after 24 h transport, indicating that current transport protocols are generally safe for sea turtles from a clinical perspective.

  • ameliorating transport related stress in endangered kemp s ridley sea turtles Lepidochelys Kempii with a recovery period in saltwater pools
    Conservation Physiology, 2019
    Co-Authors: Kathleen E Hunt, Charles J. Innis, Constance Merigo, Terry M Norton, Adam Kennedy, Deborah Davis, Elizabeth A Burgess, Loren C Buck
    Abstract:

    Sea turtle rehabilitation clinics and aquaria frequently transport stranded sea turtles long distances out of water, e.g. for release at sites with appropriate water temperatures. Endangered Kemp's ridley turtles (Lepidochelys Kempii) are known to exhibit an adrenal stress response during such transports. In an opportunistic study of turtles transported by road from Massachusetts to Georgia for release, we tested whether placing turtles in saltwater pools for short periods after transport would help turtles recover from transport-related stress. Eighteen juvenile Kemp's ridley turtles were examined and blood samples collected (1) immediately pre-transport, (2) immediately post-transport and (3) after a 6 h (n = 9) or 24 h (n = 9) post-transport period in unfamiliar pools, after which all turtles were released to the sea. Blood samples were analyzed for corticosterone, glucose, total white blood cell (WBC) count, heterophil/lymphocyte (H/L) ratio, pH, pO2, pCO2, HCO3 (bicarbonate), sodium, potassium, ionized calcium, lactate and hematocrit. Though the majority of turtles remained in good clinical condition, corticosterone, glucose, WBC and H/L elevated significantly during transport, while potassium declined slightly but significantly. After at least 6 h in a saltwater pool, potassium and glucose returned to pre-transport baselines and corticosterone partially recovered toward baseline. Extending the pool time to 24 h did not markedly enhance the physiological recovery of turtles, and two immune measures (WBC, H/L) remained elevated from the effect of transport. Six hours in a saltwater pool appears to facilitate the recovery of Kemp's ridley sea turtles from transport-related stress and may therefore improve their readiness for release.

Celina Naval-avila - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • Identificación de la flora bacteriana en la tortuga lora (Lepidochelys Kempii ) en el ejido Barra Galindo, Tuxpan, Veracruz, México
    Hidrobiologica, 2012
    Co-Authors: Arturo Serrano, Claudia G.sánchez Silva, Agustín De Jesús Basañez-muñoz, Laura Vázquez-castán, Celina Naval-avila
    Abstract:

    Kemp's Ridley turtle (Lepidochelys Kempii) is considered as critically endangered by Mexican laws and by several international organizations. One of the main dangers is the indiscriminate capture and destruction of nests by humans, and a second source of mortality are viral, as well as bacterial or fungal infections. This study took place in the conservation area "Campamento tortuguero Ejido Barra Galindo", Tuxpan, Veracruz. Samples were obtained from nesting females, hatchlings, and nests. In total 14 bacterial species were identified, 10Gram negative and four Gram positive. The species identified were: Aeromonas hydrophila, Bacillus sp., Citrobacter sp., Edwardsiella sp., Enterobacter sp., Escherichia coil, Flavobacterium sp., Mycobacterium sp., Proteussp., Pseudomonas sp., Salmonella sp., Staphylococcus sp., Streptococcus aureus and Vibrio alginolyticus. The four more frequent were: Edwardsiella sp., Escherichia coli, Salmonella sp. and Vibrio alginolyticus. This type of studies may allow an understanding of the role played by microorganisms in infectious diseases of marine turtles and how they may affect the survival of natural populations of these animals under natural conditions.