Zoonotic Bacteria in Anolis sp., an Invasive Species Introduced to the Canary Islands (Spain)

SIMPLE SUMMARY: The anoles are a group of lizards native to America that have been introduced to other regions, such as the Canary Islands (Spain). With this study we aimed to analyze the presence of pathogenic bacteria in a population of this invasive lizard in the Canary Islands. The results highlight the presence of a variety of pathogens of relevance to health, most of them related to gastrointestinal diseases. This archipelago is considered a hotspot of biodiversity, where some species are considered endangered, so the presence of anoles can also be a risk for the biodiversity conservation, by the spread and/or transmission of pathogenic bacteria to the native fauna. In conclusion, the invasive anoles population in the Canary Islands should be considered as a potential risk factor for public health and biodiversity conservation. ABSTRACT: Lizards belonging to the genus Anolis are native to America and have been introduced in many parts of the world. In this work, a gastrointestinal microbiological analysis from Anolis sp. introduced to Tenerife, Canary Island, was carried out. A total of 74 individuals were analyzed by culture and molecular tools. Pseudomonas spp. was the most prevalent bacteria isolated (64.3%), followed by enteropathogenic Escherichia coli with at least one of the investigated virulent genes (stx(1), stx(2), and eae) (44.6%). The stx(2) gene was more prevalent which differs to that reported in other reptiles, probably due to wastewater transmission. Campylobacter spp. was detected in 32.4% of the animals, highlighting the detection of C. jejuni and C. fetus by their relevance to public health. The zoonotic Staphylococcus lugdunensis, found in 14.9% of the animals, was firstly detected in reptiles. Vibrio sp. which is more associated with aquatic environments was found in 10.8% of the lizards in this study, with Vibrio cholerae being found in two of the animals. The prevalence of Salmonella sp. (5.4%) was low, compared with other studies carried out in reptiles. These results indicate that Anolis sp. in Tenerife could be playing a role in the maintenance and spread of the pathogens detected, being a possible risk factor for public health and biodiversity conservation.