A quantitative PCR method for assessing the presence of Pasteurella testudinis DNA in nasal lavage samples from the desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii)

► Pasteurella testudinis has been associated with upper respiratory tract disease in the threatened desert tortoise. ► This qPCR method will provide a means of determining colonization rate for Pasteurella testudinis in desert toroises. ► This new assay provides an important tool for managing the threatened populations of the Mojave Desert tortoise.