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Mayer C, Lee J, Carossino M, Nevarez JG. RETROSPECTIVE STUDY OF MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY IN A CAPTIVE POPULATION OF CRYPTOSPORIDIUM-POSITIVE LOUISIANA PINE SNAKES ( PITUOPHIS RUTHVENI). J Zoo Wildl Med 2024; 55:355-368. [PMID: 38875192 DOI: 10.1638/2023-0096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/16/2024] Open
Abstract
The Louisiana pine snake (Pituophis ruthveni) is a diurnal colubrid species native to Louisiana and eastern Texas whose free-ranging populations have been declining over at least the past 30 yr. The creation and maintenance of sustainable captive breeding programs of P. ruthveni to restore native populations has also provided ample opportunity for research into this species and for P. ruthveni to serve as a research model for other colubrid snakes. However, no investigation into prevalent causes of morbidity and mortality in captive populations of this species has been described. A research population of P. ruthveni was maintained at Louisiana State University (LSU) for over 4 yr due to unsuitability for breeding after testing positive for Cryptosporidium serpentis. Since arrival at LSU, the snakes were under close veterinary surveillance. Complete postmortem examinations were performed on 12 snakes that died or were euthanized. The aim of this study was to further understanding of common factors influencing morbidity and mortality in captive P. ruthveni infected with C. serpentis, by retrospectively reviewing postmortem exam findings from the 12 deceased members of the population at LSU. A predominant finding across individuals included bacterial infections, which were responsible for major illness or death in 37.5% of the animals. Fifty percent of snakes tested positive for Cryptosporidium sp. based on PCR performed from postmortem samples; it was directly implicated as cause of death or morbidity in 83.3% of positive cases. Although infectious disease represented the most common pathologic postmortem finding, several noninfectious disease processes were identified, including gout, goiter, and neoplasia. These findings mirror those of other retrospective investigations of reptile collections at various institutions and highlight the need for appropriate emphasis on the identification, treatment, and prevention of infectious disease as part of routine veterinary care.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Mayer
- Louisiana State University, School of Veterinary Medicine, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA,
| | - J Lee
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences and Louisiana Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
| | - M Carossino
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences and Louisiana Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
| | - J G Nevarez
- Louisiana State University, School of Veterinary Medicine, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
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M de Freitas Pereira R, de Oliveira Filho HS, C Duarte JL, R P Júnior F, de Sousa Lima T, Dos Santos KMOL, da Silva Pereira E, Jerônimo da Silva N, Bruno de Oliveira CJ, Leal de Araújo J, de Souza Mendonça F. Fibrinonecrotic enteritis and orchitis associated with Salmonella enterica subsp houtenae infection in a short-tailed boa (Boa constrictor amarali). J Comp Pathol 2024; 209:1-5. [PMID: 38306731 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcpa.2024.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Revised: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/04/2024]
Abstract
Salmonella enterica subsp houtenae has been recovered from a wide variety of species, including reptiles, and has been linked to important clinical manifestations in snakes and lizards. We describe a case of concomitant fibrinonecrotic enteritis and orchitis associated with S. enterica subsp houtenae infection in a short-tailed boa (Boa constrictor amarali). At necropsy, the mucosa of the large intestine was covered by a focally extensive fibrinonecrotic exudate (diphtheritic pseudomembrane). The left testicle was enlarged, firm and diffusely expanded by a thick fibrinous yellow exudate. Polymerase chain reaction and conclusive antigenic testing indicated that the bacteria isolated from the lesions were S. enterica subsp houtenae, and the virulence genes InvA, slyA, stn and spvC were identified. This report reinforces that, although S. enterica subsp houtenae has been isolated from asymptomatic reptiles, it has the potential to cause life-threatening disease in snakes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raquel M de Freitas Pereira
- Animal Diagnostic Laboratory, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Manuel de Medeiros Street 97, Recife-PE, 52171-900, Brazil.
| | - Hodias S de Oliveira Filho
- Laboratory of Veterinary Pathology, Federal University of Paraíba, Highway PB-079, Areia-PB, 58051-900, Brazil
| | - José L C Duarte
- Laboratory of Veterinary Pathology, Federal University of Paraíba, Highway PB-079, Areia-PB, 58051-900, Brazil
| | - Fabiano R P Júnior
- Department of Wild Animals, Cesmac University Center, Highway Divaldo Suruagy S/N, Marechal Deodoro-AL, 57081-350, Brazil
| | - Telma de Sousa Lima
- Animal Diagnostic Laboratory, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Manuel de Medeiros Street 97, Recife-PE, 52171-900, Brazil
| | - Kin M O L Dos Santos
- Laboratory of Veterinary Pathology, Federal University of Paraíba, Highway PB-079, Areia-PB, 58051-900, Brazil
| | - Edivaldo da Silva Pereira
- Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Paraíba, Highway PB-079, Areia-PB, 58051-900, Brazil
| | - Nádyra Jerônimo da Silva
- Laboratory for the Evaluation of Products of Animal Origin, Federal University of Paraíba, Highway PB-079, Areia-PB, 58051-900, Brazil
| | - Celso J Bruno de Oliveira
- Laboratory for the Evaluation of Products of Animal Origin, Federal University of Paraíba, Highway PB-079, Areia-PB, 58051-900, Brazil
| | - Jeann Leal de Araújo
- Laboratory of Veterinary Pathology, Federal University of Paraíba, Highway PB-079, Areia-PB, 58051-900, Brazil
| | - Fábio de Souza Mendonça
- Animal Diagnostic Laboratory, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Manuel de Medeiros Street 97, Recife-PE, 52171-900, Brazil
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Pees M, Brockmann M, Steiner N, Marschang RE. Salmonella in reptiles: a review of occurrence, interactions, shedding and risk factors for human infections. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1251036. [PMID: 37822870 PMCID: PMC10562597 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1251036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Salmonella are considered a part of the normal reptile gut microbiota, but have also been associated with disease in reptiles. Reptile-associated salmonellosis (RAS) can pose a serious health threat to humans, especially children, and an estimated 6% of human sporadic salmonellosis cases have been attributed to direct or indirect contact with reptiles, although the exact number is not known. Two literature searches were conducted for this review. The first evaluated reports of the prevalence of Salmonella in the intestinal tracts of healthy reptiles. Salmonella were most commonly detected in snakes (56.0% overall), followed by lizards (36.9%) and tortoises (34.2%), with lower detection rates reported for turtles (18.6%) and crocodilians (9%). Reptiles in captivity were significantly more likely to shed Salmonella than those sampled in the wild. The majority of Salmonella strains described in reptiles belonged to subspecies I (70.3%), followed by subspecies IIIb (29.7%) and subspecies II (19.6%). The second literature search focused on reports of RAS, revealing that the highest number of cases was associated with contact with turtles (35.3%), followed by lizards (27.1%) and snakes (20.0%). Reptiles associated with RAS therefore did not directly reflect prevalence of Salmonella reported in healthy representatives of a given reptile group. Clinical symptoms associated with RAS predominantly involved the gastrointestinal tract, but also included fever, central nervous symptoms, problems with circulation, respiratory symptoms and others. Disease caused by Salmonella in reptiles appears to be dependent on additional factors, including stress, inadequate husbandry and hygiene, and other infectious agents. While it has been suggested that reptile serovars may cause more severe disease than human-derived strains, and some data is available on invasiveness of individual strains in cell culture, limited information is available on potential mechanisms influencing invasiveness and immune evasion in reptiles and in RAS. Strategies to mitigate the spread of Salmonella through reptiles and to reduce RAS focus mostly on education and hygiene, and have often been met with some success, but additional efforts are needed. Many aspects regarding Salmonella in reptiles remain poorly understood, including the mechanisms by which Salmonella persist in reptile hosts without causing disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Pees
- Department of Small Mammal, Reptile and Avian Diseases, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hanover, Germany
| | | | - Natalie Steiner
- Department of Small Mammal, Reptile and Avian Diseases, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hanover, Germany
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Pino-Vera R, Abreu-Acosta N, Foronda P. Study of Zoonotic Pathogens in Alien Population of Veiled Chameleons ( Chamaeleo calyptratus) in the Canary Islands (Spain). Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:2288. [PMID: 37508064 PMCID: PMC10376624 DOI: 10.3390/ani13142288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Veiled chameleons (Chamaeleo calyptratus) are native to the Arabian Peninsula that have been introduced as pets in many regions around the world, such as the Canary Islands (Spain). In this work, the gastrointestinal content from veiled chameleons of Gran Canaria island (Canary Islands) has been analyzed to determine the presence of zoonotic bacteria. Forty animals were analyzed using different selective culture media and PCR. The most isolated bacteria were Yersinia enterocolitica (52.4%), followed by Salmonella spp. (40.0%), with positive isolates for Salmonella Tyhpi and Salmonella Typhimurium. Pseudomonas spp. was found in 32.5% of the chameleons. More than half were positive for Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus spp. was detected in six animals plus one isolate of non-resistant Staphylococcus hominis. Multiple mycobacteria species belonging to both tuberculous and non-tuberculous complexes were identified as well as Escherichia coli carrying the stx1 and eae virulence genes with 12.5% and 7.5% prevalence, respectively. Listeria monocytogenes, Campylobacter spp., and Vibrio spp. were found in lower proportion (<5%). The results obtained indicate that veiled chameleons in Gran Canaria could be playing a role in the maintenance and dissemination of the pathogens detected, harming public health and biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Román Pino-Vera
- Instituto Universitario de Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias, Universidad de La Laguna, 38200 San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
- Department Obstetricia y Ginecología, Pediatría, Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Toxicología, Medicina Legal y Forense y Parasitología, Universidad de La Laguna, 38200 San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
- Programa de Doctorado Ciencias Médicas y Farmacéuticas, Desarrollo y Calidad de Vida, Universidad de La Laguna, Avda. Astrofísico F. Sánchez, s/n, 38203 San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
| | - Néstor Abreu-Acosta
- Instituto Universitario de Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias, Universidad de La Laguna, 38200 San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
- Nertalab S.L.U., 38001 Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
| | - Pilar Foronda
- Instituto Universitario de Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias, Universidad de La Laguna, 38200 San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
- Department Obstetricia y Ginecología, Pediatría, Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Toxicología, Medicina Legal y Forense y Parasitología, Universidad de La Laguna, 38200 San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
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Oludairo OO, Kwaga JKP, Kabir J, Abdu PA, Gitanjali A, Perrets A, Cibin V, Lettini AA, Aiyedun JO. Ecology and epidemiology of Salmonella spp. isolated from the environment and the roles played by wild animals in their maintenance. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ONE HEALTH 2023. [DOI: 10.14202/ijoh.2023.1-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Salmonella is a ubiquitous organism of public health importance that causes diarrhea and other systemic disease syndromes. The ecology and epidemiology of the organism in addition to the roles played by wild animals are important in understanding its disease. Relevant published peer-reviewed literature was obtained after imputing the study's keywords into the Google search engine. The publications were thereafter saved for the study. The study revealed the ecology of Salmonella is directly related to its epidemiology. These were found to be either positively or negatively influenced by the living and non-living parts of the environment. Free-ranging and captive wild animals can serve as asymptomatic carriers of Salmonella, therefore, help to maintain the cycle of the disease since wildlife serves as reservoir hosts to over 70% of emerging zoonotic diseases. Cockroaches transmit Salmonella through their feces, and body parts and when ingested by birds and animals. The statistically significant over 83% of Salmonella isolation in lizards suggests the reptile could be a source of Salmonella distribution. Snakes, foxes, badgers, rodents, and raccoons have been reported to have Salmonella as a natural component of their gut with the ability to shed the organism often. The high occurrence (>45%) of diverse Salmonella serovars coupled with the fact that some of these animals were handled, kept as pets and consumed by man portends these animals as potential sources of transmission of the organism and the disease. The etiology and epidemiology of Salmonella are overtly affected by several environmental factors which also determine their survival and maintenance. The roles played by wild animals in the relationship, transmission, growth or interaction within and between Salmonella spp., the occurrence, prevalence, and distribution of the organism help maintain the organism in the environment. An understanding of the roles played by the different parts of the environment and wild animals in the ecology and epidemiology of Salmonella can help make informed decisions on the prevention and control of the diseases it causes. This review aimed to investigate the relationship between ecology, epidemiology, and environment, including the roles played by wild animals in the maintenance of the organism and its disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oladapo Oyedeji Oludairo
- Department of Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria
| | - Jacob K. P. Kwaga
- Department of Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria
| | - Junaid Kabir
- Department of Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria
| | - Paul A. Abdu
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria
| | - Arya Gitanjali
- OIE Salmonella Reference Laboratory, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ann Perrets
- OIE Salmonella Reference Laboratory, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Veronica Cibin
- Salmonella Reference Laboratory, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie Viale dell'Università, Legnaro (PD), Italy
| | - Antonia Anna Lettini
- Salmonella Reference Laboratory, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie Viale dell'Università, Legnaro (PD), Italy
| | - Julius O. Aiyedun
- Department of Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria
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Song D, He X, Chi Y, Zhang Z, Shuai J, Wang H, Li Q, Du M. Cytotoxicity and Antimicrobial Resistance of Salmonella enterica Subspecies Isolated from Raised Reptiles in Beijing, China. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13020315. [PMID: 36670855 PMCID: PMC9854948 DOI: 10.3390/ani13020315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Reptiles are asymptomatic carriers of Salmonella spp. Reptile-associated Salmonella infections have been noticed as a significant contributor to overall human salmonellosis. However, it remains unclear regarding the prevalence of reptile-associated Salmonella in China. METHODS Fecal and gastrointestinal mucosal samples were taken from 104 snakes, 21 lizards, and 52 chelonians and cultured on selective medium. The positive clones were validated and annotated by biochemical screening and multiplex PCR verification. In addition, the antibiotic resistance of identified Salmonella isolates was detected and followed by cytotoxic activity detection on human colon cells via co-culturation. RESULTS The overall prevalence of Salmonella in reptiles was 25.99%, with rates of 30.77%, 47.62%, and 7.69% in snakes, lizards, and chelonians, respectively. Further, all isolates showed variable drug-resistant activity to 18 antibiotics, of which 14 strains (30.43%) were resistant to more than eight kinds of antibiotics. More than half of isolated Salmonella strains were more toxic to host cells than the standard strain, SL1344. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) results showed that all lizard-associated strains belong to 4 serovar types, and 7 of them fall into the highly pathogenic serovars "Carmel" and "Pomona." CONCLUSIONS Our results highlight the potential threat of zoonotic salmonellosis from captive reptiles in the Beijing area of China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dingka Song
- Animal Science and Technology College, Beijing University of Agriculture, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Animal Education, Beijing 102206, China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Center for Single-Cell Omics, School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Xuebai He
- Animal Science and Technology College, Beijing University of Agriculture, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Animal Education, Beijing 102206, China
| | - Yiming Chi
- Animal Science and Technology College, Beijing University of Agriculture, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Animal Education, Beijing 102206, China
| | - Zhao Zhang
- Animal Science and Technology College, Beijing University of Agriculture, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Animal Education, Beijing 102206, China
| | - Jing Shuai
- Animal Science and Technology College, Beijing University of Agriculture, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Animal Education, Beijing 102206, China
| | - Hui Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Center for Single-Cell Omics, School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
- Correspondence: (H.W.); (Q.L.); (M.D.); Tel.: +86-021-63846590 (H.W.); +86-010-80799141 (Q.L.); +86-010-80799149 (M.D.)
| | - Qiuming Li
- Animal Science and Technology College, Beijing University of Agriculture, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Animal Education, Beijing 102206, China
- Correspondence: (H.W.); (Q.L.); (M.D.); Tel.: +86-021-63846590 (H.W.); +86-010-80799141 (Q.L.); +86-010-80799149 (M.D.)
| | - Mengze Du
- Animal Science and Technology College, Beijing University of Agriculture, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Animal Education, Beijing 102206, China
- Correspondence: (H.W.); (Q.L.); (M.D.); Tel.: +86-021-63846590 (H.W.); +86-010-80799141 (Q.L.); +86-010-80799149 (M.D.)
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Dec M, Zając M, Puchalski A, Szczepaniak K, Urban-Chmiel R. Pet Reptiles in Poland as a Potential Source of Transmission of Salmonella. Pathogens 2022; 11:1125. [PMID: 36297182 PMCID: PMC9610186 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11101125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2022] [Revised: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Reptiles are considered a potential source of Salmonella transmission to humans. The aim of this research was to determine the incidence of Salmonella in pet reptiles in Poland and to examine Salmonella isolates with regard to their biochemical characteristics, serotype, antimicrobial susceptibility, and pathogenic and zoonotic potential. The research material consisted of 67 reptile faeces samples. The taxonomic affiliation of the Salmonella isolates was determined by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, biochemical analyses, and serotyping; whole genome sequencing (WGS) analysis was performed on three isolates whose serotype could not be determined by agglutination. The antimicrobial susceptibility of the Salmonella isolates was determined by the broth dilution method, and in the case of some antimicrobials by the disk diffusion method. The pathogenic and zoonotic potential of the identified serotypes was estimated based on available reports and case studies. The presence of Salmonella was confirmed in 71.6% of faecal samples, with the highest incidence (87.1%) recorded for snakes, followed by lizards (77.8%) and turtles (38.9%). All isolates (n = 51) belonged to the species S. enterica, predominantly to subspecies I (66.7%) and IIIb (25.5%). Among these, 25 serotypes were identified, including 10 that had previously been confirmed to cause reptile-associated salmonellosis (RAS). Salmonella isolates were susceptible to all antimicrobial substances used except streptomycin, to which 9.8% of the strains showed resistance. None of the strains contained corresponding resistance genes. The study demonstrates that pet reptiles kept in Poland are a significant reservoir of Salmonella and contribute to knowledge of the characteristics of reptilian Salmonella strains. Due to the risk of salmonellosis, contact with these animals requires special hygiene rules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Dec
- Department of Veterinary Prevention and Avian Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, 20-033 Lublin, Poland
| | - Magdalena Zając
- Department of Microbiology, National Veterinary Research Institute, 24-100 Puławy, Poland
| | - Andrzej Puchalski
- Department of Veterinary Prevention and Avian Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, 20-033 Lublin, Poland
| | - Klaudiusz Szczepaniak
- Department of Parasitology and Fish Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, 20-033 Lublin, Poland
| | - Renata Urban-Chmiel
- Department of Veterinary Prevention and Avian Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, 20-033 Lublin, Poland
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Pathology and Prevalence of Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria: A Study of 398 Pet Reptiles. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12101279. [PMID: 35625125 PMCID: PMC9137941 DOI: 10.3390/ani12101279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Revised: 05/07/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Reptiles are potential reservoirs of bacteria that could be transmitted, thus becoming a zoonotic hazard. (1) Background: This three-year investigation surveyed the pathological status of 398 pet reptiles: chelonians, snakes (venomous/non-venomous), and lizards. The main pathological entities found were related to the skin, the sensory organs, the digestive system, the respiratory system, the cardiovascular system, the urinary system, the genitalia, the osteo−muscular tract, surgical issues, tumors, and intoxications. (2) Methods: In 25 individuals treated with antibiotics, no clinical healing was recorded, for this reason, an antimicrobial resistance profile analysis of the 43 samples gathered was processed. An antibiogram was performed using the VITEK®2 ID-GP (bio-Mérieux, Marcy l’Etoile, France) automated platform, with 22 bacterial strains being isolated. (3) Results: The statistics (ANOVA) revealed that the most common disease category was diseases of the digestive system, followed by diseases of the skin, respiratory system, nervous system, and reproductive system. A significant correlation (p < 0.01) between disease incidence and reptile species was reported, with correlations found between all species and diseases diagnosed. The most common bacteria isolated were Enterococcus faecalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Stenotrophomas (Xanthomonas) maltophilia, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella oxytoca, and Salmonella spp., but Beta-hemolytic Streptococcus, Staphylococcus aureus, Citrobacter spp., and Proteus spp. were also identified. (4) Conclusions: These microorganisms revealed degrees of resistance against penicillins, cephalosporins, macrolides, lincosamides, aminoglycosides, and tetracyclines. The animals can be categorized according to their sensitivity to diseases in the following order (most sensitive to least sensitive): chelonians, venomous snakes, non-venomous snakes, and lizards.
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Khan HA, Almalki MH, Felemban R, Elbanna K, Abulreesh HH. Antibiotic-resistant salmonellae in pet reptiles in Saudi Arabia. MICROBIOLOGY INDEPENDENT RESEARCH JOURNAL 2022. [DOI: 10.18527/2500-2236-2022-9-1-31-36] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
We investigated the occurrence rate of antibiotic-resistant salmonellae in exotic pet reptiles in Saudi Arabia. Salmonellae samples were collected from eight different genera of pet reptiles (snakes and lizards). Selective enrichment and selective plating procedures were carried out in order to detect salmonellae. Isolated bacteria were identified using biochemical tests, API 20E strips, and the VITEK compact system. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using the disc diffusion method. Salmonella spp. belonging to subspecies I (Salmonella enterica ssp. enterica) were detected in 29.2% of the samples. All of the detected salmonellae showed multidrug resistance (p<0.001, χ2 ). The results demonstrated that pet reptiles in private households could present health hazards to humans. Therefore, these animals should be carefully handled to avoid infection. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report regarding the occurrence rate of antibiotic-resistant salmonellae in pet reptiles in Saudi Arabia. The detected Salmonella serovars should be subjected to further in-depth molecular analyses in order to understand the overall epidemiology of salmonellosis in Saudi Arabia.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - R. Felemban
- Alnoor Specialist Hospital, Ministry of Health
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A Survey Study of Veterinary Student Opinions and Knowledge about Pet Reptiles and Their Welfare. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11113185. [PMID: 34827917 PMCID: PMC8614325 DOI: 10.3390/ani11113185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 10/30/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Exotic pet medicine is rapidly evolving, with reptiles becoming increasingly popular pet animals. Yet, there are only a few literature reports on veterinary perception of reptiles kept as pets. The aim of the study was to assess opinions and knowledge of the Croatian veterinarians-to-be about pet reptiles and their welfare. The questionnaire survey was conducted in the academic year 2019-2020 and included students of all six years of the integrated undergraduate and graduate study at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb. First-year students were surveyed twice, before and after having attended the compulsory course on animal welfare. Questionnaire statements were 5-point Likert scale questions, requiring the students to express their opinions about turtles, lizards and snakes as pets, issues related to their welfare, risks they pose to the health and safety of humans, other animals and the environment, and their self-reported knowledge about pet reptiles. Although expressing higher opinions after having attended the course on animal welfare, first-year student responses remained neutral to most of the statements. Such a trend continued until the end of the study. Student responses revealed that they were uncertain about their knowledge of reptiles as pets, considering different educational areas observed. Study results emphasised the need of alterations in veterinary curriculum and additional student education in reptile medicine. The results obtained have broad implications involving not only the welfare of pet reptiles in clinical practice and elsewhere but also the health and safety of humans and other animals, as well as environmental protection.
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11
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Dróżdż M, Małaszczuk M, Paluch E, Pawlak A. Zoonotic potential and prevalence of Salmonella serovars isolated from pets. Infect Ecol Epidemiol 2021; 11:1975530. [PMID: 34531964 PMCID: PMC8439213 DOI: 10.1080/20008686.2021.1975530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Salmonellosis is a global health problem, affecting approximately 1.3 billion people annually. Most of these cases are related to food contamination. However, although the majority of Salmonella serovars are pathogenic to humans, animals can be asymptomatic carriers of these bacteria. Nowadays, a wide range of animals is present in human households as pets, including reptiles, amphibians, dogs, cats, ornamental birds, and rodents. Pets contaminate the environment of their owners by shedding the bacteria intermittently in their feaces. In consequence, theyare thought to cause salmonellosis through pet-to-human transmission. Each Salmonella serovar has a different zoonotic potential, which is strongly regulated by stress factors such as transportation, crowding, food deprivation, or temperature. In this review, we summarize the latest reports concerning Salmonella-prevalence and distribution in pets as well as the risk factors and means of prevention of human salmonellosis caused by contact with their pets. Our literature analysis (based on PubMed and Google Scholar databases) is limited to the distribution of Salmonella serovars found in commonly owned pet species. We collected the recent results of studies concerning testing for Salmonella spp. in biological samples, indicating their prevalence in pets, with regard to clinical cases of human salmonellosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mateusz Dróżdż
- Freie Universität Berlin, Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Laboratory of Rna Biochemistry, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Emil Paluch
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Wroclaw Medical University, Wrocław, Poland
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12
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Hernandez SM, Maurer JJ, Yabsley MJ, Peters VE, Presotto A, Murray MH, Curry S, Sanchez S, Gerner-Smidt P, Hise K, Huang J, Johnson K, Kwan T, Lipp EK. Free-Living Aquatic Turtles as Sentinels of Salmonella spp. for Water Bodies. Front Vet Sci 2021; 8:674973. [PMID: 34368271 PMCID: PMC8339271 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.674973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Reptile-associated human salmonellosis cases have increased recently in the United States. It is not uncommon to find healthy chelonians shedding Salmonella enterica. The rate and frequency of bacterial shedding are not fully understood, and most studies have focused on captive vs. free-living chelonians and often in relation to an outbreak. Their ecology and significance as sentinels are important to understanding Salmonella transmission. In 2012-2013, Salmonella prevalence was determined for free-living aquatic turtles in man-made ponds in Clarke and Oconee Counties, in northern Georgia (USA) and the correlation between species, basking ecology, demographics (age/sex), season, or landcover with prevalence was assessed. The genetic relatedness between turtle and archived, human isolates, as well as, other archived animal and water isolates reported from this study area was examined. Salmonella was isolated from 45 of 194 turtles (23.2%, range 14-100%) across six species. Prevalence was higher in juveniles (36%) than adults (20%), higher in females (33%) than males (18%), and higher in bottom-dwelling species (31%; common and loggerhead musk turtles, common snapping turtles) than basking species (15%; sliders, painted turtles). Salmonella prevalence decreased as forest cover, canopy cover, and distance from roads increased. Prevalence was also higher in low-density, residential areas that have 20-49% impervious surface. A total of 9 different serovars of two subspecies were isolated including 3 S. enterica subsp. arizonae and 44 S. enterica subsp. enterica (two turtles had two serotypes isolated from each). Among the S. enterica serovars, Montevideo (n = 13) and Rubislaw (n = 11) were predominant. Salmonella serovars Muenchen, Newport, Mississippi, Inverness, Brazil, and Paratyphi B. var L(+) tartrate positive (Java) were also isolated. Importantly, 85% of the turtle isolates matched pulsed-field gel electrophoresis patterns of human isolates, including those reported from Georgia. Collectively, these results suggest that turtles accumulate Salmonella present in water bodies, and they may be effective sentinels of environmental contamination. Ultimately, the Salmonella prevalence rates in wild aquatic turtles, especially those strains shared with humans, highlight a significant public health concern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonia M Hernandez
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States.,Department of Population Health, Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - John J Maurer
- Department of Population Health, Poultry Diagnostic and Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Michael J Yabsley
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States.,Department of Population Health, Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Valerie E Peters
- Department of Biological Sciences, Eastern Kentucky University, Richmond, KY, United States
| | - Andrea Presotto
- Department of Geography, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Maureen H Murray
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States.,Department of Population Health, Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States.,Davee Center for Epidemiology and Endocrinology and the Urban Wildlife Institute, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Shannon Curry
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States.,Department of Population Health, Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Susan Sanchez
- Athens Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Peter Gerner-Smidt
- Enteric Diseases Laboratory Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Kelley Hise
- Enteric Diseases Laboratory Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Joyce Huang
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States.,Department of Population Health, Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Kasey Johnson
- Department of Population Health, Poultry Diagnostic and Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Tiffany Kwan
- Department of Population Health, Poultry Diagnostic and Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Erin K Lipp
- Department of Environmental Health Science, College of Public Health, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
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13
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Pet-turtles: a potential source of human pathogenic bacteria. Arch Microbiol 2021; 203:3785-3792. [PMID: 34146113 DOI: 10.1007/s00203-021-02428-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2020] [Revised: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Human infections caused by the bacterial pathogens transmitted from pet-turtles are becoming very common and getting more importance as the turtles are considered unsafe pet animals, mainly for children and immunocompromised people. Pet-turtles are known as the reservoir of different bacterial species as their intestinal microflora. Extrinsic stressors, such as crowding, unhygienic handling, poor water quality, polluted feeding and inadequate nutrition, can predispose pet-turtles to bacterial infections. The presence of different virulence genes leads to the virulent potential of bacteria. The virulent bacteria can cause infections in turtles and humans, if the turtle owners or shopkeepers don't practice proper sanitation while handling turtles. The aim of this review paper was to provide an overview of different bacterial species isolated from pet-turtles for awareness-raising about potential health risks related to raise pet-turtles.
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14
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Bertolini M, Schwertz CI, Vielmo A, Piva MM, Bilhalva LC, Pavarini SP, Driemeier D, Sonne L. Pathological and Microbiological Findings in Fatal Cases of Salmonellosis in Captive Bothrops Snakes in Southern Brazil. J Comp Pathol 2021; 186:7-12. [PMID: 34340807 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcpa.2021.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Revised: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Salmonella spp. are gram-negative commensal bacteria of vertebrates, including reptiles. Infected snakes may be asymptomatic or manifest clinical disease and death, especially after stressful events. Salmonellosis was diagnosed in 10 captive snakes from the Bothrops genus. The most frequent changes were emaciation (8/10), fibrinonecrotic or granulomatous hepatitis (8/9), fibrinonecrotic or granulomatous enterocolitis (8/9), necrotic and heterophilic myocarditis (2/10), fibrinonecrotic or granulomatous pancreatitis (2/5), fibrinoheterophilic osteomyelitis (1/10), fibrinous and pyogranulomatous pericarditis (1/10) and granulomatous splenitis (1/6). Salmonella enterica was isolated from six cases. The subspecies identified were arizonae (3/6), diarizonae (1/6) and houtenae (1/6), in addition to the serotype Typhimurium (1/6). In cases without isolation, there was immunolabelling of Salmonella spp. in intestinal (3/4), hepatic (1/4) and cardiac (1/4) lesions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marianna Bertolini
- Setor de Patologia Veterinária, , Departamento de Patologia Clínica Veterinária, Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Claiton I Schwertz
- Setor de Patologia Veterinária, , Departamento de Patologia Clínica Veterinária, Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Andréia Vielmo
- Setor de Patologia Veterinária, , Departamento de Patologia Clínica Veterinária, Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Manoela M Piva
- Setor de Patologia Veterinária, , Departamento de Patologia Clínica Veterinária, Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Lina C Bilhalva
- Laboratório de Análises Clínicas Veterinárias, Departamento de Patologia Clínica Veterinária, Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Saulo P Pavarini
- Setor de Patologia Veterinária, , Departamento de Patologia Clínica Veterinária, Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - David Driemeier
- Setor de Patologia Veterinária, , Departamento de Patologia Clínica Veterinária, Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Luciana Sonne
- Setor de Patologia Veterinária, , Departamento de Patologia Clínica Veterinária, Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
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15
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Cota JB, Carvalho AC, Dias I, Reisinho A, Bernardo F, Oliveira M. Salmonella spp. in Pet Reptiles in Portugal: Prevalence and Chlorhexidine Gluconate Antimicrobial Efficacy. Antibiotics (Basel) 2021; 10:324. [PMID: 33808891 PMCID: PMC8003820 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics10030324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2021] [Revised: 03/16/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
A fraction of human Salmonella infections is associated with direct contact with reptiles, yet the number of reptile-associated Salmonellosis cases are believed to be underestimated. Existing data on Salmonella spp. transmission by reptiles in Portugal is extremely scarce. The aim of the present work was to evaluate the prevalence of Salmonella spp. in pet reptiles (snakes, turtles, and lizards), as well as evaluate the isolates' antimicrobial resistance and virulence profiles, including their ability to form biofilm in the air-liquid interface. Additionally, the antimicrobial effect of chlorhexidine gluconate on the isolates was tested. Salmonella was isolated in 41% of the animals sampled and isolates revealed low levels of antimicrobial resistance. Hemolytic and lypolytic phenotypes were detected in all isolates. The majority (90.63%) of the Salmonella isolates were positive for the formation of pellicle in the air-liquid interface. Results indicate chlorhexidine gluconate is an effective antimicrobial agent, against the isolates in both their planktonic and biofilm forms, demonstrating a bactericidal effect in 84.37% of the Salmonella isolates. This study highlights the possible role of pet reptiles in the transmission of non-typhoidal Salmonella to humans, a serious and increasingly relevant route of exposure in the Salmonella public health framework.
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Affiliation(s)
- João B. Cota
- CIISA–Centro de Investigação Interdisciplinar em Sanidade Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. da Universidade Técnica, 1300-477 Lisboa, Portugal; (A.C.C.); (I.D.); (A.R.); (F.B.); (M.O.)
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Chatzopoulos DC, Vasileiou NGC, Ioannidi KS, Katsafadou AI, Mavrogianni VS, Michael CK, Katsarou EI, Karavanis E, Papadopoulos N, Sbiraki A, Athanasiou LV, Billinis C, Fthenakis GC. Experimental Study of the Potential Role of Salmonella enterica subsp. diarizonae in the Diarrhoeic Syndrome of Lambs. Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10020113. [PMID: 33498660 PMCID: PMC7912070 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10020113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Revised: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The objectives of this experimental work were the evaluation of the potential role of Salmonella enterica subsp. diarizonae in diarrhoeic syndrome in lambs and the investigation of facets of the pathogenesis of the infection. In total, 12 lambs were challenged orally on the first day of life, with a S. enterica subsp. diarizonae isolate from a clinical case of diarrhoeic syndrome. Sequential blood, faecal and buccal samples were collected from lambs and faecal and milk samples were taken from their dams. Lambs were euthanised 1, 2, 4, 7, 10, 14 and 21 days after challenge. Samples were processed for recovery of the challenge organism; they were also subjected to examination by PCR for detection of the invA gene. Tissue samples from lambs were also examined as above and histopathologically. S. enterica subsp. diarizonae was recovered from faecal samples of all lambs, in total, from 45/77 samples (median duration: 2.4 days post-inoculation). It was also recovered from buccal samples (10/77) from seven lambs (median duration: 0.8 days), and from tissue samples (small intestine, abomasum, liver, gallbladder) of nine lambs. It was recovered from two consecutive milk samples from the same ewe, but not from any faecal sample from ewes. The invA gene was detected in samples from all lambs (median duration: 5.5 days in faecal and 1.3 days in buccal samples), as well as in milk samples from three ewes. Histopathological findings included abomasitis with subepithelial presence of eosinophils, lymphocytes and plasma cells, consistently observed in all lambs. In the small intestine, salient lesions initially included distension and oedema of intestinal villi, leucocytic infiltration and hyperplasia of lymphoid nodules with apparent germinal centres; this was followed at later stages by atrophy and/or degeneration of the lymphoid tissue of the intestine with marked subepithelial infiltration of lymphocytes, plasma cells and eosinophils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimitris C. Chatzopoulos
- Veterinary Faculty, University of Thessaly, 43100 Karditsa, Greece; (D.C.C.); (K.S.I.); (A.I.K.); (V.S.M.); (C.K.M.); (E.I.K.); (L.V.A.); (C.B.)
| | | | - Katerina S. Ioannidi
- Veterinary Faculty, University of Thessaly, 43100 Karditsa, Greece; (D.C.C.); (K.S.I.); (A.I.K.); (V.S.M.); (C.K.M.); (E.I.K.); (L.V.A.); (C.B.)
| | - Angeliki I. Katsafadou
- Veterinary Faculty, University of Thessaly, 43100 Karditsa, Greece; (D.C.C.); (K.S.I.); (A.I.K.); (V.S.M.); (C.K.M.); (E.I.K.); (L.V.A.); (C.B.)
| | - Vasia S. Mavrogianni
- Veterinary Faculty, University of Thessaly, 43100 Karditsa, Greece; (D.C.C.); (K.S.I.); (A.I.K.); (V.S.M.); (C.K.M.); (E.I.K.); (L.V.A.); (C.B.)
| | - Charalambia K. Michael
- Veterinary Faculty, University of Thessaly, 43100 Karditsa, Greece; (D.C.C.); (K.S.I.); (A.I.K.); (V.S.M.); (C.K.M.); (E.I.K.); (L.V.A.); (C.B.)
| | - Eleni I. Katsarou
- Veterinary Faculty, University of Thessaly, 43100 Karditsa, Greece; (D.C.C.); (K.S.I.); (A.I.K.); (V.S.M.); (C.K.M.); (E.I.K.); (L.V.A.); (C.B.)
| | - Emmanouil Karavanis
- Histopathology Laboratory, 3rd Veterinary Hospital of Greek Army, 57000 Thessaloniki, Greece; (E.K.); (N.P.)
| | - Nikolaos Papadopoulos
- Histopathology Laboratory, 3rd Veterinary Hospital of Greek Army, 57000 Thessaloniki, Greece; (E.K.); (N.P.)
| | - Afroditi Sbiraki
- Veterinary Laboratory of Halkida, Hellenic State Veterinary Service, 34150 Halkida, Greece;
| | - Labrini V. Athanasiou
- Veterinary Faculty, University of Thessaly, 43100 Karditsa, Greece; (D.C.C.); (K.S.I.); (A.I.K.); (V.S.M.); (C.K.M.); (E.I.K.); (L.V.A.); (C.B.)
| | - Charalambos Billinis
- Veterinary Faculty, University of Thessaly, 43100 Karditsa, Greece; (D.C.C.); (K.S.I.); (A.I.K.); (V.S.M.); (C.K.M.); (E.I.K.); (L.V.A.); (C.B.)
| | - George C. Fthenakis
- Veterinary Faculty, University of Thessaly, 43100 Karditsa, Greece; (D.C.C.); (K.S.I.); (A.I.K.); (V.S.M.); (C.K.M.); (E.I.K.); (L.V.A.); (C.B.)
- Correspondence:
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Kwon J, Kim SG, Kim HJ, Giri SS, Kim SW, Lee SB, Park SC. Bacteriophage as an alternative to prevent reptile-associated Salmonella transmission. Zoonoses Public Health 2021; 68:131-143. [PMID: 33455089 DOI: 10.1111/zph.12804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2020] [Revised: 12/25/2020] [Accepted: 12/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Salmonellosis is a major global public health issue; its most common infection, gastroenteritis, accounts for approximately 90 million illnesses and 150,000 mortalities per year. Eradicating salmonellosis requires surveillance, prevention and treatment, entailing large expenditures. However, it is difficult to control Salmonella transmission because it occurs via multiple routes; exotic reptiles are a reservoir of Salmonella and comprise one such route. As the popularity of exotic pets and animal exhibition has increased, human encounters with reptiles have also increased. As a result, reptile-associated salmonellosis (RAS) has been recognized as an emerging disease. The development of antimicrobial resistance in RAS-causing Salmonella sp. requires alternatives to antibiotics. In this study, bacteriophages have been established as an alternative to antibiotics because only target bacteria are lysed; thus, they are promising biocontrol agents. Here, bacteriophage pSal-SNUABM-02, which infects and lyses reptile Salmonella isolates, was isolated and characterized. The morphology, host range, growth traits and stability of the phage were investigated. The phage was assigned to Myoviridae and was stable in the following conditions: pH 5-9, 4-37°C, and ultravioletA/ultravioletB (UVA/UVB) exposure. Salmonella clearance efficacy was tested using planktonic cell lysis activity and biofilm degradation on polystyrene 96-well plates and reptile skin fragments. The phage exhibited vigorous lysis activity against planktonic cells. In in vitro biofilm degradation tests on reptile skin and polystyrene plates, both low- and high-concentration phage treatments lowered bacterial cell viability by approximately 2.5-3 log colony-forming units and also decreased biomass. Thus, bacteriophages are a promising alternative to antibiotics for the prevention and eradication of RAS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Kwon
- Laboratory of Aquatic Biomedicine, College of Veterinary Medicine and Research Institute for Veterinary Science, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Sang Geun Kim
- Laboratory of Aquatic Biomedicine, College of Veterinary Medicine and Research Institute for Veterinary Science, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Hyoun Joong Kim
- Laboratory of Aquatic Biomedicine, College of Veterinary Medicine and Research Institute for Veterinary Science, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Sib Sankar Giri
- Laboratory of Aquatic Biomedicine, College of Veterinary Medicine and Research Institute for Veterinary Science, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Sang Wha Kim
- Laboratory of Aquatic Biomedicine, College of Veterinary Medicine and Research Institute for Veterinary Science, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Sung Bin Lee
- Laboratory of Aquatic Biomedicine, College of Veterinary Medicine and Research Institute for Veterinary Science, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Se Chang Park
- Laboratory of Aquatic Biomedicine, College of Veterinary Medicine and Research Institute for Veterinary Science, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
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Marin C, Lorenzo-Rebenaque L, Laso O, Villora-Gonzalez J, Vega S. Pet Reptiles: A Potential Source of Transmission of Multidrug-Resistant Salmonella. Front Vet Sci 2021; 7:613718. [PMID: 33490138 PMCID: PMC7815585 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2020.613718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2020] [Accepted: 12/08/2020] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Salmonella spp. is widely considered one of the most important zoonotic pathogens worldwide. The close contact between reptiles and their owners provides favourable conditions for the transmission of zoonotic pathogen infections, and ~6% of human salmonellosis cases are acquired after direct or indirect contact with reptiles. Moreover, antimicrobial resistance is one of the most important health threats of the twenty-first century and has been reported in Salmonella strains isolated from pet reptiles, which could entail therapeutic consequences for their owners and breeders. The aim of this study was to assess Salmonella carriage by pet reptiles in pet shops and households, and their role in the transmission of antimicrobial resistance, to inform the owners about the possible risks factors. During the period between January 2019 and December 2019, 54 reptiles from pet shops and 69 reptiles from households were sampled in the Valencian Region (Eastern Spain). Three different sample types were collected from each reptile: oral cavity, skin, and cloacal swabs. Salmonella identification was based on ISO 6579-1:2017 (Annex D), serotyped in accordance with Kauffman-White-Le-Minor technique, and antibiotic susceptibility was assessed according to Decision 2013/652. The results of this study showed that 48% of the pet reptiles examined from households and pet shops carry Salmonella spp. All the strains isolated presented resistance to at least one antibiotic, and 72% were multidrug-resistant strains, the most frequently observed resistance patterns being gentamicin-colistin and gentamicin-colistin-ampicillin. The present study demonstrates that pet reptiles could be a source of human multidrug-resistant Salmonella infection. In this context, the most optimal prevention of multidrug-resistant Salmonella infections necessarily involves strict control of the sanitary status of reptile pet shops and hygienic handling by the individual owners at home.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara Marin
- Facultad de Veterinaria, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, Alfara del Patriarca, Spain
| | - Laura Lorenzo-Rebenaque
- Facultad de Veterinaria, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, Alfara del Patriarca, Spain
| | - Omar Laso
- Facultad de Veterinaria, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, Alfara del Patriarca, Spain
| | | | - Santiago Vega
- Facultad de Veterinaria, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, Alfara del Patriarca, Spain
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Salmonella enterica subspecies houtenae as an opportunistic pathogen in a case of meningoencephalomyelitis and bacteriuria in a dog. BMC Vet Res 2020; 16:437. [PMID: 33176763 PMCID: PMC7659121 DOI: 10.1186/s12917-020-02652-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Accepted: 10/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Background We report the first case of canine Salmonella meningoencephalomyelitis and second case of canine Salmonella bacteriuria, as well as the first reported case of Salmonella enterica subspecies houtenae in a dog. Case presentation Immunosuppressive treatment in a dog for a relapse of steroid-responsive meningitis and arteritis (SRMA) allowed for the opportunistic establishment of a bacteremia with Salmonella enterica subsp. houtenae, ultimately causing meningoencephalomyelitis and subclinical bacteriuria. The bacterial infections were treated with a four-month course of amoxicillin; clinical treatment success was determined by serial negative urine cultures and lack of clinical signs correlated to the meningoencephalomyelitis. Conclusions Both the bacteriuria and meningoencephalomyelitis represented opportunistic infections in a dog immunosuppressed for SRMA. The clinical course of this infectious meningoencephalitis emphasizes the importance of differentiating relapse of initial disease from opportunistic infection occurring in a compromised central nervous system. The novel Salmonella species identified in this case acts as a reminder that infectious disease diagnostics should not be curbed by anecdotal prediction of routine pathogenic suspects. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12917-020-02652-5.
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Renfert K, Rabsch W, Fruth A, Marschang RE, Speck S, Pees M. Influence of Salmonella specific bacteriophages (O1; S16) on the shedding of naturally occurring Salmonella and an orally applied Salmonella Eastbourne strain in bearded dragons (Pogona vitticeps). Vet Med Sci 2020; 7:534-547. [PMID: 33161646 PMCID: PMC8025629 DOI: 10.1002/vms3.388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2019] [Revised: 03/02/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
This study determined the passage time and phage propagation time of salmonella specific phages, Felix O1 and S16, in 10 bearded dragons, based on re‐isolation from cloacal swabs and faecal samples following oral administration, as a possible tool for reducing salmonella shedding. In Study 1, Felix O1 was administered orally for 12 consecutive days. Over 60 days, swabs were taken from the oral cavity and cloaca and qualitative Salmonella detection as well as salmonella quantification from faecal samples were performed. In Study 2, a phage cocktail (Felix O1 and S16) was administered to half of the tested animals. Salmonella (S.) Eastbourne was also given orally to all animals. Oral and cloacal swabs were tested as in Study 1, and faecal samples were collected for phage quantification. Various Salmonella serovars were detectable at the beginning of the study. The numbers of serovars detected declined over the course of the study. S. Kisarawe was most commonly detected. Salmonella titres ranged from 102 to 107 cfu/g faeces. The phages (Felix O1 and S16) were detectable for up to 20 days after the last administration. The initial phage titres ranged from 103 to 107 pfu/ml. The study shows that the phages were able to replicate in the intestine, and were shed for a prolonged period and therefore could contribute to a reduction of Salmonella shedding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Renfert
- Department for Birds and Reptiles, Veterinary teaching hospital, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Rabsch
- National Reference Centre for Salmonella and other bacterial Enterics, Robert Koch Institute, Wernigerode, Germany
| | - Angelika Fruth
- National Reference Centre for Salmonella and other bacterial Enterics, Robert Koch Institute, Wernigerode, Germany
| | | | - Stephanie Speck
- Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Michael Pees
- Department for Birds and Reptiles, Veterinary teaching hospital, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
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MiSeq Sequencing of Salmonella enterica subsp. houtenae Isolates from a Dog Treated for Hind-Limb Paresis. Microbiol Resour Announc 2020; 9:9/32/e00655-20. [PMID: 32763933 PMCID: PMC7409850 DOI: 10.1128/mra.00655-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The genomes of three clinical isolates of Salmonella enterica subsp. houtenae were sequenced using an Illumina MiSeq instrument. These isolates came from the urine and cerebrospinal fluid of a dog treated for hind-limb paresis with immunosuppressive drugs. S. enterica subsp. houtenae has also been implicated in brain infections in humans.
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Salmonella enterica subsp. arizonae Isolated from a Canine Clinical Case of Prostatitis. Microbiol Resour Announc 2020; 9:9/13/e00118-20. [PMID: 32217678 PMCID: PMC7098901 DOI: 10.1128/mra.00118-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
This is an announcement for the genome sequence of a clinical isolate of Salmonella enterica subsp. arizonae isolated from the urine and prostate of a 6-year-old male Labrador retriever. This is one of the few reports of a Salmonella enterica subsp. arizonae isolate cultured from canine urine. This is an announcement for the genome sequence of a clinical isolate of Salmonella enterica subsp. arizonae isolated from the urine and prostate of a 6-year-old male Labrador retriever. This is one of the few reports of a Salmonella enterica subsp. arizonae isolate cultured from canine urine.
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Sharma RN, Matthew-Belmar V, Nicholas-Thomas R, Arya G, Holtslander B, Hariharan H, Amadi VA. Prevalence of Salmonella spp. in red-footed tortoises (Chelonoidis carbonaria) from Grenada, West Indies. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ONE HEALTH 2020. [DOI: 10.14202/ijoh.2020.12-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background and Aim: There is currently no published information on the prevalence of Salmonella spp. in pet red-footed tortoises in Grenada. Monitoring is essential to understand the dynamics of the epidemiology of Salmonella. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of Salmonella spp. from pet red-footed tortoises from Grenada and to test for antimicrobial drug resistance of the isolates.
Materials and Methods: Established bacterial culture, serotyping, and antimicrobial susceptibility methods were used. Fecal samples were obtained from 114 tortoises from five parishes of Grenada, and cultured for Salmonella using enrichment and selective culture techniques. The serotyping of isolated Salmonella was performed at the Office International des Epizooties Salmonella Reference Laboratory, Guelph, Ontario, Canada. The isolates were tested for antimicrobial susceptibility in the Microbiology Laboratory of the School of Veterinary Medicine, St. George's University, Grenada.
Results: Fifteen tortoises (13.2%) out of 114 were positive for Salmonella spp. Five serovars were identified: Salmonella Javiana (6.3%), Salmonella Rubislaw (6.3%), Salmonella Saintpaul (18.75%), Salmonella Glostrup (6.3%), and S. I: Rough.O;e,h:1,2 (62.5%). All isolates were sensitive to the 12 antimicrobial drugs.
Conclusion: Three serovars (S. Javiana, S. Saintpaul, and S. Rubislaw) are known pathogens causing disease in humans. Since tortoises included in the study were pets, the tortoises may be a possible source of transmission of Salmonella to their owners. The tortoise owners should be educated on the importance of hygienic raising of their pets. This is the first report of isolation of Salmonella spp. from pet red-footed tortoises in Grenada.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ravindra Nath Sharma
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, St. George's University, Grenada, West Indies
| | - Vanessa Matthew-Belmar
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, St. George's University, Grenada, West Indies
| | - Roxane Nicholas-Thomas
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, St. George's University, Grenada, West Indies
| | - Gitanjali Arya
- Office International des Epizooties Salmonella Reference Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, National Microbiology at Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Bob Holtslander
- Office International des Epizooties Salmonella Reference Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, National Microbiology at Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Harry Hariharan
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, St. George's University, Grenada, West Indies
| | - Victor A. Amadi
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, St. George's University, Grenada, West Indies
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Rush EM, Amadi VA, Johnson R, Lonce N, Hariharan H. Salmonella serovars associated with Grenadian tree boa (Corallus grenadensis) and their antimicrobial susceptibility. Vet Med Sci 2020; 6:565-569. [PMID: 31943909 PMCID: PMC7397926 DOI: 10.1002/vms3.234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Cloacal swabs from 45 Grenada bank tree boas (Corallus grenadensis) were sampled during a 12-month period (2011-2012) from the rain forests and scrublands of Grenada. Cloacal swabs were examined by enrichment and selective culture for the presence of Salmonella spp. In all, 16 (35.6%) of the snakes were positive for Salmonella, and six serovars of Salmonella were isolated. The most common serovar was Rubislaw (31.3%), the most frequent serovar recently isolated from green iguanas in Grenada, followed by serovar Braenderup (18.8%), and serovar IV:48:g,z51:- (formerly, S. Marina) (18.8%), also found in green iguanas in this country. The remaining three less frequent serovars were, IV:53:g,z51:-, I:6,7:e,h:- and IIIb:38:i:z. Antimicrobial susceptibility tests conducted by a disc diffusion method against amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, ampicillin, cefotaxime, ciprofloxacin, enrofloxacin, gentamicin, imipenem, nalidixic acid, streptomycin, tetracycline and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole showed that drug resistance is minimal, with intermediate susceptibility, only to streptomycin. This is the first report of isolation and antimicrobial susceptibilities of Salmonella serovars from wild Grenadian tree boas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth M Rush
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, St. George's University, St. George's, Grenada, West Indies.,Antech Imaging Services, Irvine, CA, USA.,Windward Island Research and Education Foundation, Grenada, West Indies
| | - Victor A Amadi
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, St. George's University, St. George's, Grenada, West Indies
| | - Roger Johnson
- Office International des Epizooties (OIE) Salmonella Reference Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, National Microbiology at Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Nicholas Lonce
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, St. George's University, St. George's, Grenada, West Indies
| | - Harry Hariharan
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, St. George's University, St. George's, Grenada, West Indies
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Bjelland AM, Sandvik LM, Skarstein MM, Svendal L, Debenham JJ. Prevalence of Salmonella serovars isolated from reptiles in Norwegian zoos. Acta Vet Scand 2020; 62:3. [PMID: 31918736 PMCID: PMC6953243 DOI: 10.1186/s13028-020-0502-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2019] [Accepted: 01/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Reptiles are known to be asymptomatic carriers of Salmonella spp. in their gastrointestinal mucosa and a variety of Salmonella serovars including exotic serovars mainly associated with reptiles as well as human pathogenic serovars have been isolated. There are many case reports of reptile-associated Salmonella infections worldwide, including one case in Norway in 2000. In August 2017, there was a legislative change in Norway that allowed more permissive reptile ownership and legalized the keeping of 19 different reptile species by private persons. There has been a concern that this new legislation will lead to an increase in reptile-associated salmonellosis in Norway, however knowledge is lacking on the occurrence of Salmonella spp. in Norwegian reptiles. The aim of this study was therefore to investigate the prevalence of Salmonella spp. in captive reptile species in Norway, identify the serovars and evaluate their zoonotic potential. Thus, cloacal swabs were taken from 53 snakes, 15 lizards and 35 chelonians from three Norwegian zoos, and assessed for the presence of Salmonella spp. by culture, biochemical testing and serotyping. Results In total, 43% of the reptiles were shedding Salmonella spp., with a prevalence of 62%, 67% and 3% in snakes, lizards and chelonians, respectively. A total of 26 different serovars were found, including Salmonella enterica spp. enterica (40%) and S. enterica spp. arizonae (4%), both of which are considered to have a high zoonotic potential. S. enterica spp. diarizonae, salamae and houtenae were also identified, however these serovars are considered to have a lower zoonotic potential. Conclusions The current study demonstrates that captive Norwegian reptiles are carriers of potentially zoonotic Salmonella spp. Given the increasing popularity of reptiles as pets and the legislative change, reptile-associated salmonellosis could become an increasingly important public health concern in Norway. Adequate public information about the risk of Salmonella infection as well as preventive measures to avoid Salmonella transmission from reptiles to humans is needed. The risk of Salmonella infection is considered low when recommended precautions are taken and good hygiene exhibited.
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Dudek B, Książczyk M, Krzyżewska E, Rogala K, Kuczkowski M, Woźniak-Biel A, Korzekwa K, Korzeniowska-Kowal A, Ratajszczak R, Wieliczko A, Rybka J, Bugla-Płoskońska G. Comparison of the phylogenetic analysis of PFGE profiles and the characteristic of virulence genes in clinical and reptile associated Salmonella strains. BMC Vet Res 2019; 15:312. [PMID: 31477105 PMCID: PMC6721270 DOI: 10.1186/s12917-019-2019-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2018] [Accepted: 07/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Salmonella is generally considered as a human pathogen causing typhoid fever and gastrointestinal infections called salmonellosis, with S. Enteritidis and S. Typhimurium strains as the main causative agents. Salmonella enterica strains have a wide host array including humans, birds, pigs, horses, dogs, cats, reptiles, amphibians and insects. Up to 90% of reptiles are the carriers of one or more serovars of Salmonella. Extraintestinal bacterial infections associated with reptiles pose serious health threat to humans. The import of exotic species of reptiles as pet animals to Europe correlates with the emergence of Salmonella serotypes, which not found previously in European countries. The presented study is a new report about Salmonella serotypes associated with exotic reptiles in Poland. The goal of this research was to examine the zoonotic potential of Salmonella strains isolated from reptiles by comparative analysis with S. Enteritidis strains occurring in human population and causing salmonellosis. RESULTS The main findings of our work show that exotic reptiles are asymptomatic carriers of Salmonella serovars other than correlated with salmonellosis in humans (S. Enteritidis, S. Typhimurium). Among the isolated Salmonella strains we identified serovars that have not been reported earlier in Poland, for example belonging to subspecies diarizonae and salamae. Restriction analysis with Pulsed-field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE), showed a great diversity among Salmonella strains isolated from reptiles. Almost all tested strains had distinct restriction patterns. While S. Enteritidis strains were quite homogeneous in term of phylogenetic relations. Most of the tested VGs were common for the two tested groups of Salmonella strains. CONCLUSIONS The obtained results show that Salmonella strains isolated from reptiles share most of virulence genes with the S. Enteritidis strains and exhibit a greater phylogenetic diversity than the tested S. Enteritidis population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bartłomiej Dudek
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Wrocław, 51-148 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Marta Książczyk
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Wrocław, 51-148 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Eva Krzyżewska
- Department of Immunology of Infectious Diseases, Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, 53-114 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Klaudia Rogala
- Department of Immunology of Infectious Diseases, Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, 53-114 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Maciej Kuczkowski
- Department of Epizootiology and Clinic of Birds and Exotic Animals, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, 50-366 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Anna Woźniak-Biel
- Department of Epizootiology and Clinic of Birds and Exotic Animals, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, 50-366 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Kamila Korzekwa
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Wrocław, 51-148 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Korzeniowska-Kowal
- Department of Immunology of Infectious Diseases, Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, 53-114 Wrocław, Poland
| | | | - Alina Wieliczko
- Department of Epizootiology and Clinic of Birds and Exotic Animals, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, 50-366 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Jacek Rybka
- Department of Immunology of Infectious Diseases, Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, 53-114 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Gabriela Bugla-Płoskońska
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Wrocław, 51-148 Wrocław, Poland
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Pulford CV, Wenner N, Redway ML, Rodwell EV, Webster HJ, Escudero R, Kröger C, Canals R, Rowe W, Lopez J, Hall N, Rowley PD, Timofte D, Harrison RA, Baker KS, Hinton JCD. The diversity, evolution and ecology of Salmonella in venomous snakes. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2019; 13:e0007169. [PMID: 31163033 PMCID: PMC6548357 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2019] [Accepted: 05/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Reptile-associated Salmonella bacteria are a major, but often neglected cause of both gastrointestinal and bloodstream infection in humans globally. The diversity of Salmonella enterica has not yet been determined in venomous snakes, however other ectothermic animals have been reported to carry a broad range of Salmonella bacteria. We investigated the prevalence and diversity of Salmonella in a collection of venomous snakes and non-venomous reptiles. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPLE FINDINGS We used a combination of selective enrichment techniques to establish a unique dataset of reptilian isolates to study Salmonella enterica species-level evolution and ecology and used whole-genome sequencing to investigate the relatedness of phylogenetic groups. We observed that 91% of venomous snakes carried Salmonella, and found that a diverse range of serovars (n = 58) were carried by reptiles. The Salmonella serovars belonged to four of the six Salmonella enterica subspecies: diarizonae, enterica, houtanae and salamae. Subspecies enterica isolates were distributed among two distinct phylogenetic clusters, previously described as clade A (52%) and clade B (48%). We identified metabolic differences between S. diarizonae, S. enterica clade A and clade B involving growth on lactose, tartaric acid, dulcitol, myo-inositol and allantoin. SIGNIFICANCE We present the first whole genome-based comparative study of the Salmonella bacteria that colonise venomous and non-venomous reptiles and shed new light on Salmonella evolution. Venomous snakes examined in this study carried a broad range of Salmonella, including serovars which have been associated with disease in humans such as S. Enteritidis. The findings raise the possibility that venomous snakes could be a reservoir for Salmonella serovars associated with human salmonellosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caisey V. Pulford
- Department of Functional and Comparative Genomics, Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Nicolas Wenner
- Department of Functional and Comparative Genomics, Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Martha L. Redway
- Department of Functional and Comparative Genomics, Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Ella V. Rodwell
- Department of Functional and Comparative Genomics, Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Hermione J. Webster
- Department of Functional and Comparative Genomics, Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Roberta Escudero
- Department of Functional and Comparative Genomics, Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Carsten Kröger
- Department of Functional and Comparative Genomics, Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Rocío Canals
- Department of Functional and Comparative Genomics, Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Will Rowe
- Department of Functional and Comparative Genomics, Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Javier Lopez
- Animal Health Department, Chester Zoo, Cheshire, United Kingdom
| | - Neil Hall
- Earlham Institute, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, United Kingdom
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom
| | - Paul D. Rowley
- Centre for Snakebite Research and Interventions, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Dorina Timofte
- Institute of Veterinary Science, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Cheshire, United Kingdom
- Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Robert A. Harrison
- Centre for Snakebite Research and Interventions, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Kate S. Baker
- Department of Functional and Comparative Genomics, Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Jay C. D. Hinton
- Department of Functional and Comparative Genomics, Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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Identification and Characterization of Escherichia coli, Salmonella Spp., Clostridium perfringens, and C. difficile Isolates from Reptiles in Brazil. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2019; 2019:9530732. [PMID: 31263711 PMCID: PMC6556801 DOI: 10.1155/2019/9530732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2019] [Revised: 04/09/2019] [Accepted: 05/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Considering the increasing popularity of reptiles as pets and their possible role as reservoirs of pathogenic microorganisms, the aim of this study was to isolate Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., Clostridium perfringens, and C. difficile strains from reptiles in Brazil and to characterize the isolated strains. The characterization was based on phylogenetic typing of E. coli, identification of virulence genes of E. coli, C. perfringens, and C. difficile, serotyping of Salmonella spp., ribotyping and MLST of C. difficile and antimicrobial susceptibility test of pathogenic strains. Cloacal swabs were collected from 76 reptiles, of which 15 were lizards, 16 chelonians, and 45 snakes, either living in captivity, in the wild, or as companion animals. E. coli was isolated from 52 (68.4%) reptiles, of which 46 (88.4%) were characterized as phylogroup B1. The virulence factor CNF1 of E. coli was found in seven (9.2%) sampled animals, whereas the gene of EAST1 was found in isolates from two (2.6%) reptiles. Three isolates positive for CNF1 were resistant to cephalothin, one of which was also resistant to ciprofloxacin, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, and chloramphenicol, being then classified as multidrug resistant strain (MDR). Salmonella enterica was identified in 26 (34.2%) reptiles, of which 13 belonged to the subspecies enterica. Serotypes such as S. Mbandaka, S. Panama, S. Infantis, S. Heidelberg, and S. Anatum were identified. One isolate of S. enterica subsp. houtenae was resistant to cephalothin and ciprofloxacin. C. perfringens type A was isolated from six (7.8%) animals. C. difficile was isolated from three (3.9%) reptiles. Two of these isolates were toxigenic and classified into ribotypes/MLST 081/ST9 and 106/ST42, which have been previously reported to infect humans. In conclusion, reptiles in Brazil can harbor toxigenic C. difficile and potentially pathogenic E. coli and Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica, thus representing a risk to human and animal health.
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Paisley M, Faunce N, Hosea S, Casey K. Isolated mycotic hypogastric artery aneurysm. JOURNAL OF VASCULAR SURGERY CASES INNOVATIONS AND TECHNIQUES 2019; 5:22-25. [PMID: 30619986 PMCID: PMC6313829 DOI: 10.1016/j.jvscit.2018.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2018] [Accepted: 09/01/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Isolated iliac artery aneurysms are rare and commonly associated with aortic aneurysms. Hypogastric artery aneurysms (HAAs) are exceptionally rare. The general approach to HAAs has been exclusion and bypass, although when this is complicated by mycotic disease, endovascular techniques can provide unique approaches to management. We present the case of a patient with a mycotic HAA treated with endovascular coil and exclusion followed by aortic to external iliac artery bypass with cadaveric conduit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Paisley
- Department of Surgery, Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, Santa Barbara, Calif
| | - Nick Faunce
- Department of Surgery, Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, Santa Barbara, Calif
| | - Stephen Hosea
- Department of Internal Medicine, Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, Santa Barbara, Calif
| | - Kevin Casey
- Department of Surgery, Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, Santa Barbara, Calif
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30
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Bruce HL, Barrow PA, Rycroft AN. Zoonotic potential of Salmonella enterica carried by pet tortoises. Vet Rec 2017; 182:141. [PMID: 29217765 DOI: 10.1136/vr.104457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2017] [Revised: 08/23/2017] [Accepted: 11/11/2017] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
The prevalence of Salmonella in chelonians is not known in the UK and it is not clear whether such Salmonella strains would be pathogenic for human beings. Some strains, such as members of the Arizonae subgroup, may be unable to cause anything more than very mild disease. To determine the carriage of Salmonella in pet tortoises, cloacal swabs were taken for culture. Salmonella enterica Group D was isolated from 5 of the 89 samples. All five were from the same household of seven tortoises. Salmonella isolates were shown by PCR to carry the invA and spiC genes associated with pathogenicity islands 1 and 2. Each isolate carried both genes indicating they had the genetic basis for disease and enterocyte invasion in human beings. The study indicates a low rate of asymptomatic carriage among the general population of pet tortoises. However, it does suggest that those Salmonella strains colonising the tortoise can carry Salmonellapathogenicity island (SPI)-1 and SPI-2 conferring the potential to cause disease in human beings and other animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hayley L Bruce
- Department of Pathobiology & Population Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, Hatfield, UK
| | - Paul A Barrow
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Nottingham, UK
| | - Andrew N Rycroft
- Department of Pathobiology & Population Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, Hatfield, UK
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31
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Whiley H, Gardner MG, Ross K. A Review of Salmonella and Squamates (Lizards, Snakes and Amphisbians): Implications for Public Health. Pathogens 2017; 6:pathogens6030038. [PMID: 28829352 PMCID: PMC5617995 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens6030038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2017] [Revised: 08/18/2017] [Accepted: 08/21/2017] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Globally, there has been an increase in squamates (particularly lizards and snakes) being kept as pets. Additionally, urban spread has resulted in greater human encroachment and interaction with the natural habitat of wild squamates. A potential consequence of increasing human interaction with squamates is the increased potential for disease transfer. This review collates the literature describing clinical salmonellosis cases that were definitively linked to a squamate through testing of the animal and population-based studies which investigate the risk of salmonellosis linked to pet squamates. It was demonstrated that although squamate-acquired salmonellosis accounted for a small percentage of total cases, children under five were at greatest risk, with the clinical manifestations tending to be more severe. In many cases, it was noted that the patient was unaware of the risks associated with keeping squamates and did not practice proper hand hygiene after handling the animals or cleaning cages. This highlights the need for more education focused on informing the general public of ways to reduce the risk of salmonellosis from pet squamates. There is also the need for future research into the role of wild squamates in the spread of human salmonellosis, both directly and indirectly through cross contamination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harriet Whiley
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, GPO Box 2100, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia.
| | - Michael G Gardner
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, GPO Box 2100, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia.
- Evolutionary Biology Unit, South Australian Museum, North Terrace, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia.
| | - Kirstin Ross
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, GPO Box 2100, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia.
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More S, Bøtner A, Butterworth A, Calistri P, Depner K, Edwards S, Garin-Bastuji B, Good M, Gortázar Schmidt C, Michel V, Miranda MA, Nielsen SS, Raj M, Sihvonen L, Spoolder H, Stegeman JA, Thulke HH, Velarde A, Willeberg P, Winckler C, Baldinelli F, Broglia A, Beltrán-Beck B, Kohnle L, Bicout D. Assessment of listing and categorisation of animal diseases within the framework of the Animal Health Law (Regulation (EU) No 2016/429): Salmonella infection in poultry with serotypes of animal health relevance ( S. Pullorum, S. Gallinarum and S. arizonae). EFSA J 2017; 15:e04954. [PMID: 32625620 PMCID: PMC7009822 DOI: 10.2903/j.efsa.2017.4954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Salmonella infection in poultry (Salmonella Pullorum, Salmonella Gallinarum and Salmonella arizonae) has been assessed according to the criteria of the Animal Health Law (AHL), in particular criteria of Article 7 on disease profile and impacts, Article 5 on the eligibility of Salmonella to be listed, Article 9 for the categorisation of Salmonella according to disease prevention and control rules as in Annex IV and Article 8 on the list of animal species related to Salmonella. The assessment has been performed following a methodology composed of information collection and compilation, expert judgement on each criterion at individual and, if no consensus was reached before, also at collective level. The output is composed of the categorical answer, and for the questions where no consensus was reached, the different supporting views are reported. Details on the methodology used for this assessment are explained in a separate opinion. According to the assessment performed, Salmonella can be considered eligible to be listed for Union intervention as laid down in Article 5(3) of the AHL. The disease would comply with the criteria as in Sections 4 and 5 of Annex IV of the AHL, for the application of the disease prevention and control rules referred to in points (d) and (e) of Article 9(1). The assessment here performed on compliance with the criteria as in Section 1 of Annex IV referred to in point (a) of Article 9(1) is inconclusive. The main animal species to be listed for Salmonella according to Article 8(3) criteria are all species of domestic poultry and wild species of mainly Anseriformes and Galliformes, as indicated in the present opinion.
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Abba Y, Ilyasu YM, Noordin MM. Isolation and identification of bacterial populations of zoonotic importance from captive non-venomous snakes in Malaysia. Microb Pathog 2017; 108:49-54. [PMID: 28478198 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2017.04.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2017] [Revised: 04/25/2017] [Accepted: 04/26/2017] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
AIM Captivity of non-venomous snakes such as python and boa are common in zoos, aquariums and as pets in households. Poor captivity conditions expose these reptiles to numerous pathogens which may result in disease conditions. The purpose of this study was to investigate the common bacteria isolated from necropsied captive snakes in Malaysia over a five year period. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 27 snake carcasses presented for necropsy at the Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) were used in this survey. Samples were aseptically obtained at necropsy from different organs/tissues (lung, liver, heart, kindey, oesophagus, lymph node, stomach, spinal cord, spleen, intestine) and cultured onto 5% blood and McConkey agar, respectively. Gram staining, morphological evaluation and biochemical test such as oxidase, catalase and coagulase were used to tentatively identify the presumptive bacterial isolates. RESULTS Pythons had the highest number of cases (81.3%) followed by anaconda (14.8%) and boa (3.7%). Mixed infection accounted for 81.5% in all snakes and was highest in pythons (63%). However, single infection was only observed in pythons (18.5%). A total of 82.7%, 95.4% and 100% of the bacterial isolates from python, anaconda and boa, respectively were gram negative. Aeromonas spp was the most frequently isolated bacteria in pythons and anaconda with incidences of 25 (18%) and 8 (36.6%) with no difference (p > 0.05) in incidence, respectively, while Salmonella spp was the most frequently isolated in boa and significantly higher (p < 0.05) than in python and anaconda. Bacteria species were most frequently isolated from the kidney of pythons 35 (25.2%), intestines of anacondas 11 (50%) and stomach of boa 3 (30%). CONCLUSION This study showed that captive pythons harbored more bacterial species than anaconda or boa. Most of the bacterial species isolated from these snakes have public health importance and have been incriminated in human infections worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yusuf Abba
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400, Serdang, Selangor D.E, Malaysia; Department of Veterinary Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maiduguri, PMB 1069, Maiduguri 600233, Borno State, Nigeria.
| | - Yusuf Maina Ilyasu
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400, Serdang, Selangor D.E, Malaysia.
| | - Mustapha Mohamed Noordin
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400, Serdang, Selangor D.E, Malaysia.
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Sakaguchi K, Nevarez JG, Del Piero F. Salmonella Enterica Serovar Pomona Infection in Farmed Juvenile American Alligators (Alligator Mississippiensis). Vet Pathol 2016; 54:316-319. [DOI: 10.1177/0300985816677149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
A fatal epizootic of salmonellosis occurred in farmed juvenile American alligators in Louisiana. Six animals were examined. Gross lesions included severe fibrinonecrotizing enterocolitis, necrotizing splenitis, coelomic effusion, and perivisceral and pulmonary edema. Microscopic examination revealed severe necrotizing enterocolitis and splenitis with intralesional bacteria and pneumocyte necrosis with fibrin thrombi. Salmonella enterica serovar Pomona was isolated from intestine and lung. Clinical salmonellosis is a rare finding in reptiles and salmonellosis caused by S. Pomona is not previously reported in American alligators. Since S. Pomona is a commonly isolated Salmonella serotype from patients with reptile-associated salmonellosis in the United States, and since alligator meat is consumed and the skin is exported to numerous countries, risk of human and animal infection should be considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- K. Sakaguchi
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA
| | - J. G. Nevarez
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA
| | - F. Del Piero
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA
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Marin C, Vega S, Marco-Jiménez F. Tiny Turtles Purchased at Pet Stores are a Potential High Risk for Salmonella Human Infection in the Valencian Region, Eastern Spain. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2016; 16:455-60. [PMID: 27228194 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2016.1950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Turtles may be considered unsafe pets, particularly in households with children. This study aimed to assess Salmonella carriage by turtles in pet stores and in private ownership to inform the public of the potential health risk, enabling informed choices around pet selection. During the period between September and October 2013, 24 pet stores and 96 private owners were sampled in the Valencian Region (Eastern Spain). Salmonella identification procedure was based on ISO 6579: 2002 recommendations (Annex D). Salmonella strains were serotyped in accordance with Kauffman-White-Le-Minor technique. The rate of isolation of Salmonella was very high from pet store samples (75.0% ± 8.8%) and moderate for private owners (29.0% ± 4.6%). Serotyping revealed 18 different serotypes among two Salmonella enterica subspecies: S. enterica subsp. enterica and S. enterica subsp. diarizonae. Most frequently isolated serotypes were Salmonella Typhimurium (39.5%, 17/43) and Salmonella Pomona (9.3%, 4/43). Serotypes identified have previously been reported in turtles, and child Salmonella infections associate with pet turtle exposure. The present study clearly demonstrates that turtles in pet stores, as well as in private owners, could be a direct or indirect source of a high risk of human Salmonella infections. In addition, pet stores should advise their customers of the potential risks associated with reptile ownership.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara Marin
- 1 Departamento de Producción Animal, Sanidad Animal, Salud Pública Veterinaria y Ciencia y Tecnología de los Alimentos, Facultad de Veterinaria, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Universidad CEU-Cardenal Herrera , Alfara del Patriarca, Valencia, Spain
| | - Santiago Vega
- 1 Departamento de Producción Animal, Sanidad Animal, Salud Pública Veterinaria y Ciencia y Tecnología de los Alimentos, Facultad de Veterinaria, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Universidad CEU-Cardenal Herrera , Alfara del Patriarca, Valencia, Spain
| | - Francisco Marco-Jiménez
- 2 Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología Animal, Universidad Politécnica de Valencia , Valencia, Spain
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Reptile Toll-like receptor 5 unveils adaptive evolution of bacterial flagellin recognition. Sci Rep 2016; 6:19046. [PMID: 26738735 PMCID: PMC4703953 DOI: 10.1038/srep19046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2015] [Accepted: 11/27/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Toll-like receptors (TLR) are ancient innate immune receptors crucial for immune homeostasis and protection against infection. TLRs are present in mammals, birds, amphibians and fish but have not been functionally characterized in reptiles despite the central position of this animal class in vertebrate evolution. Here we report the cloning, characterization, and function of TLR5 of the reptile Anolis carolinensis (Green Anole lizard). The receptor (acTLR5) displays the typical TLR protein architecture with 22 extracellular leucine rich repeats flanked by a N- and C-terminal leucine rich repeat domain, a membrane-spanning region, and an intracellular TIR domain. The receptor is phylogenetically most similar to TLR5 of birds and most distant to fish TLR5. Transcript analysis revealed acTLR5 expression in multiple lizard tissues. Stimulation of acTLR5 with TLR ligands demonstrated unique responsiveness towards bacterial flagellin in both reptile and human cells. Comparison of acTLR5 and human TLR5 using purified flagellins revealed differential sensitivity to Pseudomonas but not Salmonella flagellin, indicating development of species-specific flagellin recognition during the divergent evolution of mammals and reptiles. Our discovery of reptile TLR5 fills the evolutionary gap regarding TLR conservation across vertebrates and provides novel insights in functional evolution of host-microbe interactions.
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