Tuberculosis in Pacific Green Sea Turtles, Chelonia mydas

Six cases of tuberculosis were found in captive Pacific green sea turtles, Chelonia mydas. The diagnoses were based on detection of gross lesions in lungs and livers, positive acid-fast bacilli in impression smears, characteristic lesions on microscopic examinations of tissues, and the isolation of the bacilli. The bacilli were identified as Mycobacterium avium, Serotype 8, and represent the first instance of M. avium in cold-blooded species. Tuberculosis has not previously been reported in the green sea turtle.