Isolation and identification of mycobacteria from captive reptiles.
The occurrence of Mycobacterium species in clinically healthy pet reptiles was studied in Italy during the period 2004-2006. The feces samples of 223 animals were examined bacteriologically. Thirty-seven strains were isolated, in particular from 13/18 (72.2%) ophidians, 13/134 (9.7%) saurians and 11/71 (15.5%) chelonians. The isolates were classified, after HPLC analysis of bromophenacyl esters of cell wall mycolic acids, as Mycobacterium fortuitum (14 strains, 37.8%), Mycobacterium fortuitum-like (17, 45.9%), Mycobacterium peregrinum (4, 10.8%), and Mycobacterium chelonae (1, 2.7%). M. fortuitum was isolated from seven pythons, five saurians and two turtles; M. fortuitum-like from six saurians, six pythons and five turtles; M. peregrinum from four turtles; M. chelonae from one lizard. One isolate from an Iguana iguana could not be identified by HPLC analysis showing a previously unreported profile. Comparative 16S rDNA sequencing showed a low similarity with Mycobacterium triviale (97.2%) and Mycobacterium confluentis (97.1%). On the basis of such data the unidentified bacterium turned out to belong to a not yet described Mycobacterium species.
Department of Animal Pathology, Prophylaxis and Food Hygiene, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pisa, Italy. vebani@vet.unipi.it
Valentina V
VV
Ebani
Filippo
F
Fratini
Fabrizio
F
Bertelloni
Domenico
D
Cerri
Enrico
E
Tortoli
D000818:Animals; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D009161:Mycobacterium / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D009164:Mycobacterium Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D057805:Pets; D012104:Reptiles / Q000382:microbiology*