Practical Approaches for Studying Sea Turtle Health and Disease
387
Health assessment of sea turtles is based upon methods and procedures used in
evaluating other animals, including other chelonians. However, much work needs to
be done to establish better methods for assessing health of individuals and populations of sea turtles. Parameters need to be defined to build a database that can be
used in assessment. Although some good information is available on infectious and
noninfectious diseases in sea turtles in captivity, relatively little is known about
diseases in wild populations (George, 1997; Herbst and Jacobson, 1995; Lauckner,
1985). Overall, the pathophysiology and pathogenesis of sea turtle diseases have
been poorly studied. Therefore, there remains a tremendous need for basic research
involving health assessment and disease of sea turtles.
The purpose of this chapter is to provide a conceptual framework and some
practical advice on how to approach health and disease problems in a logical and
systematic manner. Any successful program depends upon carefully recorded systematic observations, data and sample gathering, preservation, and analysis and
interpretation. The ability to assess health of sea turtles and determine causes of
illness and death is highly tied to resources at hand. Our attempt here will be to
identify those tools that are currently in use, and it is hoped that these can be adapted
or modified by readers who may not have similar resources at their disposal. Limitations of current methodologies will be pointed out, and those that are in need of
improvement will be mentioned. The tools and methods used in health assessment
of any species will improve as we better understand the biology of the animal and
as new technologies allow us to build upon our diagnostic repertoire.
This chapter is organized into three sections. The first section discusses various
situations in which medicine or health assessment will be relevant. The second
outlines and discusses general systematic approaches to health assessment and disease investigation. The third section discusses the cost–benefit considerations and
other practical issues that must be taken into consideration before and during an
investigation.
15.2 SITUATIONS INVOLVING SEA TURTLE MEDICINE
15.2.1 H EALTH A SSESSMENT VS . D ISEASE I NVESTIGATION
Health is defined as the “overall condition of an organism at a given time” and as
“freedom from disease or abnormality” ( Stedman’s Medical Dictionary , 2001). The
state of being healthy is defined as “possessing good health.” These definitions
presume that there is some standard measure of overall condition, the means to
determine “freedom from disease or abnormality,” and a subjective judgment of what
is “good.” Health assessment, therefore, can mean different things to different people.
Nevertheless, as mentioned above, there is value in trying to evaluate the health
status of individuals and populations (herd health), and to make comparisons over
time within and among populations. The purpose of a health assessment program is
to evaluate the overall condition and to detect abnormalities and disease in individuals, and to detect changes in prevalence of disease or abnormalities in populations.
This process can identify situations that merit further investigation, but its primary
purpose is description and monitoring.
1123 book.book Page 387 Monday, November 11, 2002 11:11 AM
387
Health assessment of sea turtles is based upon methods and procedures used in
evaluating other animals, including other chelonians. However, much work needs to
be done to establish better methods for assessing health of individuals and populations of sea turtles. Parameters need to be defined to build a database that can be
used in assessment. Although some good information is available on infectious and
noninfectious diseases in sea turtles in captivity, relatively little is known about
diseases in wild populations (George, 1997; Herbst and Jacobson, 1995; Lauckner,
1985). Overall, the pathophysiology and pathogenesis of sea turtle diseases have
been poorly studied. Therefore, there remains a tremendous need for basic research
involving health assessment and disease of sea turtles.
The purpose of this chapter is to provide a conceptual framework and some
practical advice on how to approach health and disease problems in a logical and
systematic manner. Any successful program depends upon carefully recorded systematic observations, data and sample gathering, preservation, and analysis and
interpretation. The ability to assess health of sea turtles and determine causes of
illness and death is highly tied to resources at hand. Our attempt here will be to
identify those tools that are currently in use, and it is hoped that these can be adapted
or modified by readers who may not have similar resources at their disposal. Limitations of current methodologies will be pointed out, and those that are in need of
improvement will be mentioned. The tools and methods used in health assessment
of any species will improve as we better understand the biology of the animal and
as new technologies allow us to build upon our diagnostic repertoire.
This chapter is organized into three sections. The first section discusses various
situations in which medicine or health assessment will be relevant. The second
outlines and discusses general systematic approaches to health assessment and disease investigation. The third section discusses the cost–benefit considerations and
other practical issues that must be taken into consideration before and during an
investigation.
15.2 SITUATIONS INVOLVING SEA TURTLE MEDICINE
15.2.1 H EALTH A SSESSMENT VS . D ISEASE I NVESTIGATION
Health is defined as the “overall condition of an organism at a given time” and as
“freedom from disease or abnormality” ( Stedman’s Medical Dictionary , 2001). The
state of being healthy is defined as “possessing good health.” These definitions
presume that there is some standard measure of overall condition, the means to
determine “freedom from disease or abnormality,” and a subjective judgment of what
is “good.” Health assessment, therefore, can mean different things to different people.
Nevertheless, as mentioned above, there is value in trying to evaluate the health
status of individuals and populations (herd health), and to make comparisons over
time within and among populations. The purpose of a health assessment program is
to evaluate the overall condition and to detect abnormalities and disease in individuals, and to detect changes in prevalence of disease or abnormalities in populations.
This process can identify situations that merit further investigation, but its primary
purpose is description and monitoring.
1123 book.book Page 387 Monday, November 11, 2002 11:11 AM