Salmonella spp. in Pet Reptiles in Portugal: Prevalence and Chlorhexidine Gluconate Antimicrobial Efficacy.

João B Cota,Fernando Bernardo,Inês Dias,Ana C Carvalho,Manuela Oliveira,Ana Reisinho

doi:10.3390/antibiotics10030324

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.

Highlights

Salmonella is a well-known food-borne illness etiological agent, reported as the second most common zoonotic agent, causing 91,857 confirmed cases of disease in the European Union during 2018 [1] and an estimated number of 93.8 million cases worldwide annually [2]
Infrequent when compared with food-borne cases, accounting for 6% of all human salmonellosis cases both in the USA and in Europe [10], reptile-associated salmonellosis (RAS) seems to be more related with more severe clinical scenarios, such as systemic and severe disease development, especially in children, elderly people, and pregnant women [6]
The aim of the present study was to assess the presence of Salmonella spp. among the intestinal microbiota of pet reptiles in the Metropolitan area of Lisbon, Portugal, and to characterize those isolates, regarding antimicrobial susceptibility and virulence traits, bringing more information on the role of reptile-associated Salmonella on the public health scenario

Summary

Introduction

Salmonella is a well-known food-borne illness etiological agent, reported as the second most common zoonotic agent, causing 91,857 confirmed cases of disease in the European Union during 2018 [1] and an estimated number of 93.8 million cases worldwide annually [2]. Though most commonly associated with contaminated food, human salmonellosis can occur through the contact with infected animals, such as farm animals and pets, including reptiles [4]. Infrequent when compared with food-borne cases, accounting for 6% of all human salmonellosis cases both in the USA and in Europe [10], reptile-associated salmonellosis (RAS) seems to be more related with more severe clinical scenarios, such as systemic and severe disease development, especially in children, elderly people, and pregnant women [6]. Despite the several RAS cases that have been reported in different

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