Identification of bacteria from the oral cavity and cloaca of snakes imported from Vietnam

Abstract

Reptiles are used for various purposes these days, including public exhibits, medicinal applications, and as laboratory animals. As the international exchange of reptiles has gradually increased, more people have had the opportunity to come in contact with these animals. Snakes typically live in the rhizosphere where various bacterial strains exist and as such they can lead to opportunistic human diseases. When snakes are encountered in veterinary medicine, it is necessary to monitor their microflora. Native microflora of reptiles imported from other countries has not yet been reported in Korea. In this study, oral and cloacae samples were collected from 18 Burmese pythons transported from Vietnam. The specimens were incubated at 37℃ for 18 h to produce colony growth under aerobic condition and isolated colonies were then identified using a VITEK automated identification system. There were fourteen types of aerobic bacteria isolated from both oral and cloacae samples, nine from only oral specimens, and fifteen from only cloacae specimens. Most bacteria isolated were opportunistic pathogens of humans which therefore have the potential to induce disease in people. Based on the microflora and the prevalence of bacterial strains in snakes, quarantine procedures for reptiles transported internationally should be strengthened. Characterization of the microflora of reptiles with the potential to induce zoonosis should be performed in those used as laboratory animals and to prevent zoonotic outbreaks in the general population as well as among veterinarians.

Oral flora of Python regius kept as pets

“…Regarding the oral bacterial flora of snakes, it varies between different snake species as well as at different geographical regions. Results of bacterial isolation from oral cavity of P. regius observed in the present study are similar to those described in other snake species (both venomous and not venomous) from South Africa (Blaylock 2001), from Hong Kong (Shek et al 2009;Lam et al 2011) and from Korea (Jho et al 2011) in which Gram-negative bacteria were encountered as predominant species. In our study, eleven genus/species of bacteria were identified and the majority were also pathogens (i.e.…”

“…) and from Korea (Jho et al . ) in which Gram‐negative bacteria were encountered as predominant species. In our study, eleven genus/species of bacteria were identified and the majority were also pathogens (i.e.…”

Characterisation of the aerobic bacterial flora of boid snakes: application of MALDI‐TOF mass spectrometry

“…As these isolates were cultures from the oral cavity or respiratory tract of snakes, this seems to be comprehensible, especially since many of the examined snake species usually rest very close to or even in the soil surface. This presumption is also made by others (Soveri and Seuna 1986, Jho and others 2011). S. maltophilia is frequently found in both healthy and diseased snakes (Draper and others 1981).…”

Oral and cloacal aerobic bacterial and fungal flora of free-living four-lined snakes (Elaphe quatuorlineata) from Croatia

“…Most of the investigations studied bacteria from the oral cavity of venomous snakes and complications of snake bites (JHO et al, 2011;LIU et al, 2012). Non-venomous snakes may also harbor a wide range of bacteria in their oral cavity able to complicate the bite wounds (DIPINETO M. Lukač et al: Oral and cloacal aerobic microflora of four-lined snakes (Elaphe quatuorlineata) from Croatia et al, YAK et al, 2015) so the information on their microflora should not be neglected.…”