Prevalence of Salmonella spp. and serogroups found in venomous and nonvenomous snakes maintained in a zoological collection

Abstract

This study set out to identify Salmonella species and serogroups found in the fecal matter from the snake collection, including venomous snakes, from a local zoo. Snakes are known asymptomatic carriers ofSalmonella spp. Previous studies have shown that Salmonella subspecies arizoniae can cause osteomyelitis in Ridgenose Rattlesnakes (Crotalus willardi). This study examining the carriage rate of serogroups in multiple snake species can help determine the possible spread of clinically significant Salmonella spp. within the collection and possible disease manifestations in both humans and snakes. All fecal samples were collected by professionally trained reptile keepers. Feces were placed in buffered peptone water using aseptic technique. The samples were then enriched using selenite broth and plated for isolation on hektoen enteric agar. Single colonies that tested positive motility, negative indole reaction, and negative for urease were sequenced using 16s ribosomal sequencing techniques. The samples were also serogrouped using a latex agglutination test. A total of thirty‐two samples were taken from twenty‐six species of snakes. Of the samples, 84.38% (27/32) had positive Salmonella colonies. The twenty‐seven positive Salmonella colonies were isolated and sequenced from 22 species of snakes. Serogrouping revealed clinically significant Salmonella serogroups C, A, B, and E or G. Clinically significant Salmonella spp. were found to be prevalent in the venomous and nonvenomous snakes. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) is being conducted to examine the pathogenicity islands from the isolates.