title: Oral flora of Python regius kept as pets.
abstract: This study was aimed at evaluating the oral bacterial flora of 60 Python regius kept as pets by culture and biochemical methods. All isolates were also submitted to antimicrobial susceptibility testing using the disc diffusion method. The oral cavity of snakes sampled harboured a wide range of Gram-negative bacteria mainly constituted by Pseudomonas spp., Morganella morganii, Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, Aeromonas hydrophila, but also by Salmonella spp. Staphylococcus spp. was the commonest Gram-positive isolates, and various anaerobic Clostridium species were also found. The most effective antimicrobial agents were enrofloxacin and ciprofloxacin, followed by doxycycline and gentamicin.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The oral cavity of snakes sampled harboured a wide range of bacteria. Our results suggest that people who come in contact with snakes could be at risk of infection and should follow proper hygiene practices when handling these reptiles.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria e Produzioni Animali, Università di Napoli Federico II, Napoli, Italy.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dipineto
authors.forename: T P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Calabria
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: De Rosa
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Capasso
authors.forename: L F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Menna
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Borrelli
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fioretti
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017821:Boidae / Q000382:microbiology*; D003013:Clostridium / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005260:Female; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D009960:Oropharynx / Q000382:microbiology*; D057805:Pets; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D015047:Zoonoses / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents
keywords: oral flora; snakes; zoonoses