Pathology and Prevalence of Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria: A Study of 398 Pet Reptiles

SIMPLE SUMMARY: The importance of the present study stems from the fact that some isolated bacterial pathogens from pet reptiles represent a high zoonotic risk, with the human owners of these pets also being considered potential reservoirs for resistant bacteria. This research emerged for practical reasons and the need for more information on this subject. The observations were focused on parallel analysis of the pathologies responsible for major diseases in reptile species kept in terrariums as pets. The aim of this study was to obtain a deeper understanding of the main features of antibiotic therapy and antibiotic resistance in these species. In reptilian species, the simplest and easiest way to combat resistance is by the completion of an antibiogram, it is a current and reliable method to prepare the best anti-infective remedy and to preserve the antimicrobial agents available for therapy. However, generally, the antibiotic dosages used in reptiles are either extrapolated from human medicine or empirically assumed according to the reptile species. A reason for this could be the lack of a proper anti-infective agent (or group) for the particular pathologies affecting reptiles, which may often cause the inaccurate use of another related class of antimicrobials for long periods. ABSTRACT: Reptiles are potential reservoirs of bacteria that could be transmitted, thus becoming a zoonotic hazard. (1) Background: This three-year investigation surveyed the pathological status of 398 pet reptiles: chelonians, snakes (venomous/non-venomous), and lizards. The main pathological entities found were related to the skin, the sensory organs, the digestive system, the respiratory system, the cardiovascular system, the urinary system, the genitalia, the osteo–muscular tract, surgical issues, tumors, and intoxications. (2) Methods: In 25 individuals treated with antibiotics, no clinical healing was recorded, for this reason, an antimicrobial resistance profile analysis of the 43 samples gathered was processed. An antibiogram was performed using the VITEK(®)2 ID-GP (bio-Mérieux, Marcy l’Etoile, France) automated platform, with 22 bacterial strains being isolated. (3) Results: The statistics (ANOVA) revealed that the most common disease category was diseases of the digestive system, followed by diseases of the skin, respiratory system, nervous system, and reproductive system. A significant correlation (p < 0.01) between disease incidence and reptile species was reported, with correlations found between all species and diseases diagnosed. The most common bacteria isolated were Enterococcus faecalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Stenotrophomas (Xanthomonas) maltophilia, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella oxytoca, and Salmonella spp., but Beta-hemolytic Streptococcus, Staphylococcus aureus, Citrobacter spp., and Proteus spp. were also identified. (4) Conclusions: These microorganisms revealed degrees of resistance against penicillins, cephalosporins, macrolides, lincosamides, aminoglycosides, and tetracyclines. The animals can be categorized according to their sensitivity to diseases in the following order (most sensitive to least sensitive): chelonians, venomous snakes, non-venomous snakes, and lizards.