Prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility of salmonellae isolates from reptiles in Taiwan.
Pets, including reptiles, have been shown to be a source of Salmonella infection in humans. Due to increasing popularity and variety of exotic reptiles as pets in recent years, more human clinical cases of reptile-associated Salmonella infection have been identified. However, limited information is available with regard to serotypes in different reptiles (turtles, snakes, and lizards) and antimicrobial resistance of Salmonella in pet reptiles. The current study was thus conducted to determine the prevalence of Salmonella colonization in pet reptiles. Salmonella organisms were isolated from 30.9% of 476 reptiles investigated. The isolation prevalences were 69.7% (23/33), 62.8% (27/43), and 24.3% (97/400) in snakes, lizards, and turtles, respectively. A total of 44 different Salmonella serovars were identified. Compared with S. Heron, Bredeney, Treforest, and 4,[5],12:i:-, S. Typhimurium isolates were resistant to many antimicrobials tested, and notably 61.1% of the isolates were resistant to cephalothin. The results indicated that raising reptiles as pets could be a possible source of Salmonella infection in humans, particularly zoonotic Salmonella serovars such as S. Typhimurium that may be resistant to antimicrobials.
Chen
Chun-Yu
CY
Graduate Institute of Microbiology and Public Health, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 402, Taiwan.
Chen
Wan-Ching
WC
Chin
Shih-Chien
SC
Lai
Yen-Hsueh
YH
Tung
Kwong-Chung
KC
Chiou
Chien-Shun
CS
Hsu
Yuan-Man
YM
Chang
Chao-Chin
CC
D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; D012104:Reptiles; D012475:Salmonella / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012481:Salmonella Infections, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents