With the aim of evaluating the presence of Fusarium spp. in sea turtles with and without lesions and assessing the risk factors favoring colonization and/or infection, 74 loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) admitted to rescue and rehabilitation clinics in Italy were analyzed. The study compared 31 individuals with no apparent macroscopic lesions and 43 individuals with macroscopic lesions. Shell and skin samples were analyzed using Calcofluor white with 10% potassium hydroxide, standard histopathological examination, and fungal cultures. Fusarium spp. were isolated more frequently from animals with superficial lesions (39%) than from those with no macroscopic lesions (16%). Isolates from animals with superficial lesions were Fusarium solani species complex (FSSC) lineages haplotypes 9, 12, and 27 (unnamed lineages), FSSC-2 (Fusarium keratoplasticum), Fusarium oxysporum (27%), and Fusarium brachygibbosum (3%). In contrast, only F. solani haplotypes 9 and 12 were isolated from animals with no macroscopic lesions. The presence of lesions was identified as a risk factor for the occurrence of Fusarium spp. Of the 74 animals, only 7 (9.5%) scored positive on microscopic examination with Calcofluor, and histological examination of those 7 animals revealed necrosis, inflammatory cells, and fungal hyphae in the carapace and skin. The results of this study suggest that fusariosis should be included in the differential diagnosis of shell and skin lesions in sea turtles. Direct examination using Calcofluor and potassium hydroxide was not useful to diagnose the infection. Histopathological examination and fungal culture should be performed to ensure correct treatment and infection control.

中文翻译：

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镰刀菌属 在Loggerhead Sea Turtles（Caretta caretta）中：从殖民到感染。

为了评估镰刀菌属的存在。在有或没有病变的海龟中，并评估了有利于定植和/或感染的危险因素，分析了在意大利获准进入救援和康复诊所的74只海龟（C​​aretta caretta）。该研究比较了无明显肉眼可见病变的31个人和有肉眼可见病变的43个人。使用含10％氢氧化钾的Calcofluor白色，标准组织病理学检查和真菌培养物分析外壳和皮肤样品。镰刀菌属 从有表浅病变的动物（39％）比没有肉眼可见病变的动物（16％）更频繁地分离动物。来自浅表病变动物的分离株为镰刀菌（Fusarium solani）种复合体（FSSC）谱系单倍型9、12和27（未命名谱系），FSSC-2（圆锥形镰刀菌），尖孢镰刀菌（27％）和镰刀菌（3％）。相反，仅从无肉眼可见病变的动物中分离出茄型镰刀菌单倍型9和12。病灶的存在被确定为镰刀菌发生的危险因素。在这74只动物中，只有7只（9.5％）在使用Calcofluor进行显微镜检查时得分为阳性，并且对这7只动物的组织学检查显示，甲壳和皮肤中有坏死，炎性细胞和真菌菌丝。这项研究的结果表明，在对海龟的壳和皮肤病变进行鉴别诊断中应包括融合。使用Calcofluor和氢氧化钾进行直接检查对诊断感染没有帮助。