25th Annual Meeting and Symposium of the
Desert Tortoise Council, April 21-24, 2000
Abstracts

Current Issues Associated with URTD: Gaps in Knowledge and Future Directions

Mary B. Brown, Paul A. Klein, Elliot R. Jacobson and Dan R. Brown
University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611-0880

Since the identification of Mycoplasma agassizii as the etiologic agent of upper respiratory tract disease (URTD), the focus of research has been on the development of diagnostic tests, determination of the seroprevalence in natural populations, and the description of clinical signs and lesions associated with the disease. With both the diagnostic tools and the basic knowledge of the clinical picture of the disease in place, current gaps in knowledge and areas to target for future research efforts should be addressed. Several key issues to be discussed include the impact of URTD on population parameters such as reproduction, survival, population dynamics, and behavior/nutrition. Little is known regarding the virulence potential of mycoplasmal strains, the pathogenic mechanisms by which they cause disease, or the relationships among mycoplasmal strains present, seroprevalence, and clinical disease expression. Possible approaches to control URTD as well as the effect of URTD on management decisions will be addressed.