Potential Pathogens in the Environment: Isolation, Enumeration, and Identification of Seven Genera of Intestinal Bacteria Associated with Small Green Pet Turtles1

Abstract

Bacteriological analyses were performed on fecal swabs and the aquarium water of 27 individually purchased specimens of the small green pet turtle, Pseudemys scripta elegans. Representatives of Aeromonas, Citrobacter, Enterobacter, Klebsiella, Proteus, Salmonella, and Serratia were isolated. Enterobacter, Klebsiella, and Salmonella were encountered in 20% or more of the specimens, whereas Aeromonas was isolated from 63%. Klebsiella pneumoniae counts ranged from 103 to 104 per milliliter of aquarium water, whereas Aeromonas routinely exceeded 104 per milliliter. Aeromonas cultures from turtles were identical to 7 human isolates in some 29 biochemical tests. On the basis of our findings, we question whether the Salmonella-free certification program alone is sufficient to render these reptiles as safe pets. An association of the human pathogen Salmonella with reptiles has been a bacteriological fact for over a quarter of a century (14). Salmonellae have been isolated from turtles, snakes, and even from lizards (4, 14). Recently, Congress enacted federal legislation to effectively prohibit the interstate shipment of turtles harboring Salmonella and Arizona (26). Our interest in the microflora of pet turtles results from an interest in the ecology and taxonomy of Aeromonas bacteria. Aeromonads are gram-negative, fermentative, and oxidasepositive bacteria which have classically been associated with diseases in fish, frogs, and reptiles (2). In recent years, these opportunistic pathogens have also been isolated from numerous diseased animals from insects to man (1, 6, 9, 20, 24). During the course of acquiring a collection of Aeromonas cultures for ongoing taxonomic studies, one culture was received from R. M. Wood of the California State Department of Public Health. This isolate, designated CPHL in this paper, had been isolated from aquarium water containing a small green pet turtle which we believed to be Pseudemys scripta elegans. The owner of the 'Technical paper no. 3438, Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station.

Occurrence of Potential Pathogens in Water Containing Ornamental Fishes

“…Significant numbers of Aeromonas, Citrobacter, Enterobacter, enterococcus, and Pseudomonas were often present, whereas Alcaligenes, Flavobacterium, and Vibrio were frequently isolated. This bacterial flora in water containing ornamental fish is similar to the bacterial flora found in water housing small pet green turtles (14,26). Two genera found in the turtle water but not found in water holding ornamental fish are Salmonella and Arizona.…”

“…The association of these bacterial species with turtles has been suggested to have considerable public health significance (14). These workers have in fact questioned whether the Salmonella-free certification program alone is sufficient to render these poikilotherms as safe pets.…”

Isolation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Other Bacterial Species from Ornamental Aquarium Plants

“…The aqueous environment of the ornamental aquarium replete with dissolved nutrients and held at a favorable temperature and pH provides a unique menstruum for bacterial growth. These bacteria can be transferred to humans by a variety of routes, and infections associated with aquarium species have been reported (1,4). This laboratory has been interested in the microbiology of the ornamental aquarium, especially those organisms of potential public health importance, and has reported on the microflora of aquarium water and diets, and the efficacy of aquarium antibacterial formulations (5)(6)(7)(8).…”

Comparison of biochemical and molecular methods for the identification of bacterial isolates associated with failed loggerhead sea turtle eggs

“…Biochemical methods also allowed for the establishment of a database of characteristics and metabolic profiles of our isolates. McRoy and Seidler (1973), Siebeling et al (1975), Acuna et al (1999) and Diaz et al (2006) also utilized biochemical assays for identifying microbial populations associated with turtles.…”