[A new herpesvirus-caused disease in tortoises]

This report describes a highly fatal diphtheroid-necrotizing stomatitis in tortoises of hitherto unknown etiology. The tortoises suffered from dyspnea and anorexia, due to massive diphtheroid membranes in oral and pharyngeal cavities. Histologically, eosinophilic intranuclear inclusion bodies were found in epithelial layers of oral and tracheal mucous membranes. Furthermore, electron microscopy revealed herpesvirus like particles in affected cells. Possible environmental factors influencing the outbreak of the disease are discussed.