The oral microbiota has a diversity of microorganisms that together maintain the homeostasis of the oral cavity. Disruptions in the balance of these microbial populations can lead to the development of oral and dental diseases. To characterize the normal oral microbiota of captive ophidians, samples were obtained from the oral cavity of eight Burmese pythons (Python bivittatus) and 11 royal pythons (Python regius), using oral swab, during routine evaluations. In the Laboratory-Antimicrobials, Biocides and Biofilms Unit at University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, the identification and antimicrobial susceptibility profile was determined using the Vitek^® 2 Compact automated device (bioMérieux, Marcy-l’Étoile, France). Of the 106 bacterial isolates obtained, 69% were Gram-negative species and 31% were Gram-positive bacteria. The genus Pseudomonas was the most frequently isolated. Chryseobacterium indologenes, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were the most isolated species. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing revealed that the phenotypic resistance was highest for nitrofurans (47.2%), beta-lactams (45.8%) and sulfonamides (30.6%). Twenty-one multidrug-resistant isolates (58.3%) were identified with Acinetobacter baumannii, Serratia plymuthica, Chryseobacterium indologenes, Providencia rettgeri and Pseudomonas aeruginosa showing the highest resistance frequencies.

The growing popularity of reptiles has contributed to their reproduction in captivity. When subjected to stressful environments, such as the presence of a higher number of humans and animals, reptiles may become more susceptible to parasites. Endoparasites in captive animals may cause several clinical signs ranging from mild to severe: lethargy, anorexia, diarrhea, cloacal/penile prolapse, infertility, intestinal malabsorption syndrome, and weight loss, among others. This study aimed to assess the presence of gastrointestinal parasites in fecal samples of reptiles from a Portuguese zoo through two techniques: a fecal flotation test (using a saturated sodium chloride solution) and Mini-FLOTAC. Ninety-nine samples belonging to 22 different animal species were collected and analyzed. Parasites were identified in 53.5% of the samples. Chelonians had a higher frequency (100%), followed by lizards (56.8%) and snakes (47.4%). The eggs/oocysts found were oxyurids (36.4%), strongylids/Kalicephalus sp. (8.1%), Eimeria sp. (5.1%), Hymenolepis spp. (5.1%), ascarids (4.0%), and Isospora sp. (2.0%). Both techniques presented the same results for each sample. The high prevalence of oxyurids, as well as of other parasites, can be explained by possible environmental contamination as these reptiles are kept in captivity. This study indicated the importance of assessing parasitic infections in reptiles in zoos, where routine coprological examinations should always be considered, as well as adequate prophylaxis.

During a routine clinical examination of a four-year-old female Cuban boa (Epicrates angulifer) belonging to a zoological park located in northern Portugal, a skin lesion was observed. A skin swab was taken. Bacteriological analysis conducted using the Vitek^® 2 Compact system identified the presence of the bacteria species Kocuria kristinae, a new bacterial pathogen that may be a potential pathogen in wild animals. This K. kristinae strain was resistant to kanamycin, pradofloxacin, erythromycin, clindamycin, tetracycline, nitrofurantoin, and trimethoprim/sulphamethoxazole and was therefore classified as a multidrug-resistant bacterium. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first time that K. kristinae has been described in the skin of a Cuban boa. This report serves as a cautionary warning about the importance of recognising and investigating the potential pathogenicity of this agent, as well as contributing to the development of strategies to prevent the spread of antibiotic-resistant microorganisms.