OCCURRENCE OF ORAL CAVITY BACTERIA IN SNAKES AND ANTIMICROBIAL RESPONSES IN ZOOS OF SANTA CATARINA, BRAZIL

Resumo

Wild animals are exposed to numerous infectious and parasitic agents. The oral cavity microbiota of snakes can be a concerning source of infection, especially in animals under human care, such as those in zoos. The majority of diagnosed bacteria are associated with opportunistic profiles. The oral microbiota of snakes is diverse, with variations influenced by the species of the animal, environmental conditions, health status, diet, feeding type, and feeding time. Thirty-one samples of oral cavity secretions were collected from non-venomous snake species and one venomous snake for bacterial identification. The animals were sampled regardless of age, sex, or oral cavity lesions, from two zoos located in the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil. The samples were collected between September and October 2019. The isolated bacteria included Escherichia coli, Klebsiella oxytoca, Klebsiella ozaenae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus mirabilis, Acinetobacter baumannii, Burkholderia cepacia, Chromobacterium violaceum, Enterobacter aerogenes, Flavobacterium odoratum, Staphylococcus aureus, and Staphylococcus epidermidis, with Pseudomonas aeruginosa being the most common among the 31 analyzed snakes. The majority of antibiotics tested in the antibiogram showed good response against the bacterial isolates. P. aeruginosa, the most frequent bacteria, showed resistance to cefazolin and polymyxin in the sensitivity test. The study was important for assessing the sanitary situation regarding the bacterial microbiota of the oral cavity in snakes kept in the two zoos in Santa Catarina state. Routine monitoring of stressful situations that can affect these animals is necessary to prevent secondary infections involving other microorganisms and to preserve the snakes' lives.