Sea turtle

These campaigns have involved figures such as Pope John Paul, Dorismar, Los Tigres del Norte and Mana. Such a subtype could cause a global pandemic similar to the Spanish Flu that killed up to 50 million people in 1918. Conservationists in Mexico and the United States have launched "Don't Eat Sea Turtle" campaigns in order to reduce the urban black market trade in sea turtle products. If a human infected with influenzavirus also acquires H5N1, a mutant strain of bird flu that can be transmitted from human to human could form. Estimates are as high as 35,000 turtles killed a year in Mexico and the same number in Nicaragua. It is feared that if a strain of avian influenza virus to which humans have not been previously exposed undergoes antigenic shift to the point where it can cross the species barrier from birds to humans, the new subtype created could be both highly contagious and highly lethal in humans. This is a pervasive problem throughout the world, but especially a concern in India, Indonesia and throughout the coastal nations of Latin America. Avian influenzavirus H5 and H7 strains are found in both "low pathogenic” or “high pathogenic” forms; influenza H9 virus has been identified only in a “low pathogenic” form.

One of the biggest threats to sea turtles is the black market trade in eggs and meat. In addition, avian influenza viruses may fall into one of 2 pathotypes: low (LPAI) and high (HPAI) pathogenicity, based on their virulence in poultry populations. Special lighting ordinances may also be enforced to prevent lights from shining on the beach and confusing young hatchlings from thinking it is the moon or sun and crawling toward it, usually crossing a road. There are 16 H types, each with up to 9 N subtypes, yielding a potential for 144 different H and N combinations. This is not the best thing to do, as many turtle species return to the beach on which they were born. Influenzavirus type A is subdivided into subtypes based on hemagglutinin (H) and neuraminidase (N) protein spikes from the central virus core. In some areas, such as the East coast of Florida, after the adult turtles lay their eggs, they are dug up and relocated to special fenced nurseries where they can be protected from beach traffic. All avian influenza (AI) viruses are type A influenza virus in the virus family of Orthomyxoviridae and all known strains of influenza A virus infect birds.

Since sea turtles return to the same locations to nest, these areas may be protected by special police. The avian influenza subtypes that have been confirmed in humans, ordered by the number of known human deaths, are: H1N1 caused "Spanish Flu", H2N2 caused "Asian Flu", H3N2 caused "Hong Kong Flu", H5N1 is the current pandemic threat, H7N7 has unusual zoonotic potential, H1N2 is currently endemic in humans and pigs, H9N2, H7N2, H7N3, H10N7. Beach development is another very, very large area which has threatened sea turtles. [22]. Another danger comes from marine debris, especially from abandonded fishing nets in which they can become entangled. In one case, a boy with H5N1 experienced diarrhea followed rapidly by a coma without developing respiratory or flu-like symptoms, suggesting non-standard symptoms. Small and inexpensive changes to fishing techniques, such as slightly larger hooks and traps from which sea turtles can escape, can dramatically cut the mortality rate. The severity of the infection will depend to a large part on the state of the infected person's immune system and if the victim has been exposed to the strain before, and is therefore partially immune.

According to researchers at the 24th Annual Symposium on Sea Turtle Conservation and Biology, in Costa Rica the Pacific Leatherback has ten years before extinction if nothing is done to reverse these problems. [21] These include fever, cough, sore throat, muscle aches, conjunctivitis and, in severe cases, severe breathing problems and pneumonia that may be fatal. Each year it is said that 40,000 turtles die from longlines alone. In humans, avian flu viruses cause similar symptoms to other types of flu. These days though their biggest threat comes from long-line fishing, and as bycatch in shrimp nets, as well as over development on nesting beaches. Genetic factors in distinguishing between "human flu viruses" and "avian flu viruses" include:. And coastal peoples have always gathered turtle eggs for consumption. [19].

They used to be hunted on a large scale in the whaling days for their meat, fat and shells. H1N1, H1N2, and H3N2 are the only known avian flu virus subtypes currently circulating among humans. The Flat back is considered Data Deficient due to lack of research. "Human influenza virus" usually refers to those subtypes that spread widely among humans. The Olive ridley, Loggerhead, and Green turtles are considered Endangered. "[C]ontemporary human H3N2 influenza viruses are now endemic in pigs in southern China and can reassort with avian H5N1 viruses in this intermediate host." [18]. The Leatherback, Kemp's ridley, and Hawksbill turtles are listed as Critically Endangered. H5N1 is endemic in birds in southeast Asia and represents a long term pandemic threat.

Spotila's book "Sea Turtles: A Complete Guide to Their Biology, Behavior, and Conservation"). 2005: Tens of millions of birds died of H5N1 influenza and hundreds of millions of birds were culled to protect humans from H5N1. Sea turtles of all species are endangered (for an excellent reference see James R. CDC detailed analysis. Only a very small proportion of them (at most 1 in 100) will be successful, as many predators are waiting to eat them. As of April 2004, 18 farms had been quarantined to halt the spread of the virus. When the eggs hatch, these baby turtles dig their way out and seek the ocean. 2004: In North America, the presence of avian influenza strain H7N3 was confirmed at several poultry farms in British Columbia in February 2004.

Incubation takes about 2 months. [17]. Some of the eggs are unfertilized 'dummy eggs' and the rest contain young turtles. 2003: In Netherlands H7N7 influenza virus infection broke out in poultry on several farms. They dig a hole with their hind flippers and lay from 100 to 150 eggs in it (depending on the species) before covering it up and returning to the ocean. 2000: "In California, poultry producers kept their knowledge of a recent H6N2 avian influenza outbreak to themselves due to their fear of public rejection of poultry products; meanwhile, the disease spread across the western United States and has since become endemic." [15] [16]. They make from four to seven nests per nesting season. Most recently, H3N8 viruses from horses have crossed over and caused outbreaks in dogs." [14].

This can take place every two to four years in maturity. However, in 1997, H3N2 viruses from humans were introduced into the pig population and caused widespread disease among pigs. After about 30 years of maturing an adult female sea turtle returns to the land to nest, usually on the same beach from which they hatched. pig population. The numbers used to range in the thousands but these days due to the effects of extensive egg poaching and hunting in previous years the numbers are in the hundreds. For example, until 1997, only H1N1 viruses circulated widely in the U.S. With the Kemp's ridley this occurs during the day and on only one beach in the entire world. 1997: "Influenza A viruses normally seen in one species sometimes can cross over and cause illness in another species.

The ridley turtles are especially peculiar because instead of nesting individually like the other species, they come ashore in one mass arrival known as an "arribada" (the arrival). In Mexico, for example, mass vaccination of chickens against epidemic H5N2 influenza in 1995 has had to continue in order to control a persistent and evolving virus (Lee et al., 2004)." [13]. The fact that most species return to nest at the locations they were born at seems to indicate an imprint of that location's magnetic features. Intensive surveillance is required to detect these “silent epidemics” in time to curtail them. They are highly sensitive to the Earth's magnetic field and probably use it to navigate. 1995: "[V]accinated birds can develop asymptomatic infections that allow virus to spread, mutate, and recombine (ProMED-mail, 2004j). Sea turtles have an extraordinary sense of time and location. 1979: "More than 400 harbor seals, most of them immature, died along the New England coast between December 1979 and October 1980 of acute pneumonia associated with influenza virus, A/Seal/Mass/1/180 (H7N7)." [12].

The Leatherback is the only sea turtle that doesn't have a hard shell instead carrying a mosaic of bony plates beneath its leathery skin. [11]. Different species are distinguished by varying anatomical aspects: for instance the prefrontal scales on the head, the number of and shape of scutes on the carapace, and the type of inframarginal scutes on the plastron. Avian influenza viruses that the OIE and others test for in order to control poultry disease include: H5N1, H7N2, H1N7, H7N3, H13N6, H5N9, H11N6, H3N8, H9N2, H5N2, H4N8, H10N7, H2N2, H8N4, H14N5, H6N5, H12N5 and others. Most other species are smaller being two to four feet in length (0.5 to 1 m) and proportionally less wide. [10]. The Leatherback is the largest, measuring six or seven feet (2 m) in length at maturity, and three to five feet (1 to 1.5 m) in width, weighing up to 1300 pounds (600 kg). "Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus is on every top ten list available for potential agricultural bioweapon agents".

The Flatback turtle is found solely on the northern coast of Australia. Symptoms in animals vary, but virulent strains can cause death within a few days.
Sea turtles are found in all the world's oceans with the exception of the Arctic Ocean, and some species travel between oceans. The incubation period is 3 to 5 days. There are seven surviving species of sea turtle, all endangered:. It can also be transmitted by contaminated feed, water, equipment and clothing; however, there is no evidence that the virus can survive in well cooked meat. Sea turtles are large, ocean-dwelling turtles. Avian influenza virus spreads in the air and in manure and survives longer in cold weather.

Family Protostegidae (extinct). [9]. Dermochelys coriacea (Leatherback Sea Turtle). Laboratory mice have been successfully infected with a variety of avian flu genotypes. Genus Dermochelys