Eastern Box Turtle Infection: Patient 21-1086

This Eastern Box Turtle is just one of many turtles admitted in 2021 suffering from a severe mycoplasma infection. The infection causes the symptoms you can see in her intake photo of swollen eyes, discharge and lethargy.

Usually, if we catch these infections in time, the turtles heal with several weeks of antibiotics and supportive care. Many turtles, including 21-1086, have aural abscesses in one or both ears. If the abscesses are severe enough, it will take a few drainage treatments until the ears are back to normal.

Thankfully, the turtles receive a lot of relief even after initial treatments that reduce the pressure in their heads. Patient 21-1086 recovered and was released back into the wild in spring 2022.

Learn More About This Microplasma Infection

These types of infections are sadly common in our box turtles. Mycoplasma is part of their normal microbiome, but stresses on their immune system can cause flare ups of symptoms.

In wild turtles, the culprit is usually linked back to pesticides and other organochemicals, like fertilizers. Turtles have slow metabolisms and can "store" these chemicals over time. So, even small amounts can do a lot of damage if they are consistently exposed. We are working closely with the Fish and Boat Commission and York College of PA to conduct research on the exact causes and ways we can prevent these infections from happening.