Health assessment of some amphibian and reptile species in Armenia with special focus on emerging infectious agents

This joint bilateral agreement between CNR and MESRA (Armenia) is expected to provide an epidemiological picture concerning occurrence, distribution and prevalence of significant infectious agents of reptiles and amphibians. In particular, the diagnostic approach will allow to identify the presence of herpesvirus and Mycoplasma in the T. Testudo graeca armeniaca tortoise. This is one of the very few studies conducted on wild animals. The current information on infectious agents causing disease in these animals is studied almost exclusively from specimens in captivity.

The study of these microorganisms in wild populations is of extraordinary importance since it allows to evaluate (i) the presence of these infectious agents in wild populations; (ii) their characterization and comparison with known viral and bacterial species; (iii) the collection of preliminary data allowing to start evaluating the clinical significance of these agents.