DETECTION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF FIBROPAPILLOMA-ASSOCIATED TURTLE HERPESVIRUS IN MARINE TURTLES FROM BRAZIL

Abstract

Fibropapillomatosis (FP) is a neoplasic disease of marine turtles characterized by the presence of epithelial fibropapillomas and internal fibromas. Although the tumors are considered bening, the disease can be life-threatening; large cutaneous tumors can interfere with the turtles' locomotion, vision, swallowing, and breath-ing, and visceral tumors can be locally invasive and affect organ function.