Pathological and Microbiological Findings in Fatal Cases of Salmonellosis in Captive Bothrops Snakes in Southern Brazil

Bertolini, Marianna; Schwertz, Claiton I.; Vielmo, Andréia; Piva, Manoela Marchezan; Bilhalva, Lina Crespo; Pavarini, Saulo P.; Driemeier, David; Sonne, Luciana

doi:10.1016/j.jcpa.2021.04.011

Cited by 3 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…Several studies ( Pasmans et al, 2002 ; Clancy et al, 2016a ; Bertolini et al, 2021 ) have suggested that the disparity in shedding and clinical signs observed in Salmonella spp. infection between mammals and reptiles may be attributed to differences in their immune systems.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Welfare assessment methods have been described, with a focus on behavioural criteria being particularly relevant ( Warwick et al, 2013 ; Bashaw et al, 2016 ; Moszuti et al, 2017 ; Benn et al, 2019 ; Whittaker et al, 2021 ). Although the connection between behavioural enrichment, the immune system, and Salmonella has not yet been studied, multiple studies have indicated a relationship between stress, disease, and shedding of Salmonella in reptiles ( Sting et al, 2013 ; Clancy et al, 2016b ; Bertolini et al, 2021 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Several possible predisposing factors have been reported for the development of clinical salmonellosis in reptiles. These include stress ( Clancy et al, 2016a ; Bertolini et al, 2021 ), parasite infestations ( Sting et al, 2013 ), viral disease ( Sting et al, 2013 ), metabolic disease ( Sting et al, 2013 ), and inappropriate husbandry ( Bertolini et al, 2021 ). Snakes have been reported to have a higher risk of salmonellosis, followed by lizards, and crocodilians, with the lowest risk of disease reported for chelonians ( Grupka et al, 2006 ; Clancy et al, 2016a ).…”

Section: Salmonella As Pathogens In Reptilesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Clinical signs of a Salmonella -associated disease in reptiles are highly variable and often non-specific. Septicaemia ( Orós et al, 1996 ; Mitchell and Shane, 2001 ; Téllez et al, 2002 ; Grupka et al, 2006 ; Köbölkuti et al, 2013 ) pneumonia ( Orós et al, 1996 ; Mitchell and Shane, 2001 ; Schroff et al, 2010 ; Sakaguchi et al, 2017 ), enterocolitis ( Sakaguchi et al, 2017 ), abscesses ( Barboza et al, 2018 ; Hyeon et al, 2021 ), osteomyelitis, especially in snakes ( Isaza et al, 2000 ; Ramsay et al, 2002 ; Grupka et al, 2006 ; Di Girolamo et al, 2014 ; Clancy et al, 2016b ; Bertolini et al, 2021 ), dermatitis ( Clancy et al, 2016a ; Sakaguchi et al, 2017 ; Bertolini et al, 2021 ), splenitis ( Sakaguchi et al, 2017 ; Bertolini et al, 2021 ), and hepatitis ( Bertolini et al, 2021 ) have all been described in multiple cases. Clinical signs observed can include anorexia, lethargy, cachexia, paresis, dyspnoea, hypovolemic shock, and sudden death ( Ramsay et al, 2002 ; Jacobson, 2007 ; Bölcskei et al, 2009 ; Gorman, 2010 ; Mayer and Donnelly, 2012 ; Silva-Hidalgo et al, 2014 ; Clancy et al, 2016a ).…”

Section: Salmonella As Pathogens In Reptilesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Salmonella in reptiles: a review of occurrence, interactions, shedding and risk factors for human infections

Pees,

Brockmann,

Steiner

et al. 2023

Front. Cell Dev. Biol.

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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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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Salmonella As Pathogens In Reptilesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Salmonella As Pathogens In Reptilesmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Salmonella in reptiles: a review of occurrence, interactions, shedding and risk factors for human infections

Pees,

Brockmann,

Steiner

et al. 2023

Front. Cell Dev. Biol.

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“…In reptiles, Salmonella becomes the primary pathogen in individuals that are elderly, kept in poor conditions or experiencing a depressed immune response, and the clinical signs of salmonellosis are similar to those of many other diseases. Several authors reported that the infection in reptiles can cause hepatitis, pneumonia, septicaemia, gastritis, enteritis, osteoarthritis and sudden death [ 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 ]. Reports of fatal salmonellosis in various species of snakes indicated the involvement of different Salmonella subspecies and serovars, including S. enterica subsp .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Case of Food-Borne Salmonellosis in a Corn Snake (Pantherophis guttatus) after a Feeder Mouse Meal

Meletiadis,

Romano,

Moroni

et al. 2024

Animals

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Reptiles are usually asymptomatic carriers of Salmonella, with the manifestation of typical clinical signs of acute forms in adult and non-immunocompromised animals being considered exceptions. In the present case, an adult male corn snake (Pantherophis guttatus) was found dead due to septic shock 48 h after consuming a feeder mouse purchased online. The snake’s tissue samples and faeces were cultured for bacteria isolation. Microbiological examinations of the snake and mouse livers revealed the presence of Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Midway. A whole-genome analysis of these two isolates showed a high correlation between them: they belonged to the strain type ST-357 for the classic MLST scheme and to the strain type ST 171322 for the cgMLST scheme. Also, a virulence gene analysis revealed the presence of stdB and STM3026 genes. This report conveys a case of food-borne salmonellosis in a pet snake, transmitted from a feeder mouse, likely responsible for the snake’s death due to septic shock. It highlights the relevance of feeder mice as a source of Salmonella infections in snakes and the associated risks to human health.

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Fibrinonecrotic enteritis and orchitis associated with Salmonella enterica subsp houtenae infection in a short-tailed boa (Boa constrictor amarali)

M. de Freitas Pereira,

de Oliveira Filho,

C. Duarte

et al. 2024

Journal of Comparative Pathology

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Pathological and Microbiological Findings in Fatal Cases of Salmonellosis in Captive Bothrops Snakes in Southern Brazil

Cited by 3 publications

References 18 publications

Salmonella in reptiles: a review of occurrence, interactions, shedding and risk factors for human infections

Salmonella in reptiles: a review of occurrence, interactions, shedding and risk factors for human infections

A Case of Food-Borne Salmonellosis in a Corn Snake (Pantherophis guttatus) after a Feeder Mouse Meal

Fibrinonecrotic enteritis and orchitis associated with Salmonella enterica subsp houtenae infection in a short-tailed boa (Boa constrictor amarali)

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