Effectiveness of Nasal Flush Treatments in Mycoplasma PCR- or DNA Sequencing–Positive Tortoises

Abstract Mycoplasmas can cause severe chronic nasal sinusitis in tortoises and box turtles, both in captive and wild populations. The aim of this study was to compare positive and negative Mycoplasma sp. test results before and after a nasal flush protocol combined with systemic enrofloxacin and to compare positive and negative results between DNA sequencing and PCR in tortoises with nasal discharge. Fifteen mycoplasma-positive tortoises were included in the study. All were treated with the nasal flush protocol. At the end of the nasal flush protocol, 26.7% of the treated tortoises remained mycoplasma positive. One month after the end of the nasal flush protocol, 20% remained positive. The PCR and DNA sequencing tests had good agreement based on a weighted kappa of 0.64. Based on these results, we conclude that the outlined nasal flush protocol is overall successful at acutely resolving nasal discharge and leading to a PCR- or DNA sequencing–negative tortoise 1 month after treatment.