An adult male Kemp's ridley turtle was found dead on the coast of Kenedy County, Texas, in August 2019 with bilateral severe, diffuse granulomatous nephritis. Pan-bacterial 16S rRNA gene polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and amplicon sequencing of affected tissue indicated the presence of a Neorickettsia. Neorickettsia is a genus of obligate intracellular Alphaproteobacteria that are transmitted by digenean trematodes. For further characterization, primers were designed to amplify and sequence the groEL gene. Phylogenetic analysis found that the organism was distinct from other known species to a degree consistent with a novel species. Immunohistochemistry using an antibody directed against a Neorickettsia surface protein showed bacterial clusters within the renal granulomas. A species-specific quantitative PCR was designed and detected the organism within the liver and colon of the index case. A quantitative PCR survey of grossly normal kidneys opportunistically collected from additional stranded sea turtle kidneys detected this organism in five of 15 Kemp's ridley turtles, two of nine green turtles, and neither of two loggerhead turtles. Recognition of this novel organism in an endangered species is concerning; additional work is underway to further characterize the potential of this organism as a pathogen of sea turtles.

中文翻译：

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在患有肉芽肿性肾炎的 Kemp's ridley 海龟中鉴定一种新的新立克次体物种并开发定量 PCR 测定法

2019 年 8 月，在得克萨斯州肯尼迪县海岸发现一只成年雄性坎普氏龟，死于双侧严重的弥漫性肉芽肿性肾炎。泛细菌 16S rRNA 基因聚合酶链反应 (PCR) 和受影响组织的扩增子测序表明存在新立克次氏体。Neorickettsia是专性细胞内 Alphaproteobacteria 的属，由双基因吸虫传播。为了进一步表征，设计引物以扩增和测序groEL基因。系统发育分析发现，该生物与其他已知物种的不同程度与新物种一致。使用针对新立克次氏体的抗体进行免疫组织化学表面蛋白显示肾肉芽肿内有细菌簇。设计了物种特异性定量 PCR 并检测了指示病例的肝脏和结肠内的生物体。对从额外搁浅的海龟肾脏中随机收集的非常正常的肾脏进行定量 PCR 调查，在 15 只坎普氏海龟中的 5 只、9 只绿海龟中的 2 只以及两只蠵龟中均未检测到这种生物。在濒危物种中发现这种新生物令人担忧；正在进行额外的工作，以进一步确定这种生物体作为海龟病原体的潜力。