Ma. Mitchell et Sm. Shane, Preliminary findings of Salmonella spp. in captive green iguanas (Iguana iguana) and their environment, PREV VET M, 45(3-4), 2000, pp. 297-304
Captive reptiles are routinely identified as reservoirs of Salmonella spp.
and reports of reptile-associated salmonellosis are increasing. Unfortunate
ly, little is known about the epidemiology of Salmonella spp. and green igu
anas. We did a limited survey of a green-iguana farm in El Salvador to iden
tify sources of Salmonella spp. in green iguanas and their environment. A l
imited number of samples for microbiological culture were collected from ig
uanas (adult, hatchling, and embryos) and their environment (food, water, s
oil, shelter, insects, and wild-caught lizards). Salmonella spp. was isolat
ed from the intestine of both adult (3/20) and hatchling iguanas (8/20). Th
ere was no evidence of Salmonella spp. in the reproductive tracts of female
iguanas (0/10). Salmonella spp. was isolated from the surface of 40% (7/16
) of the egg surfaces tested. Salmonella spp. was not identified from the e
xternalized yolk-sac of the iguana embryos tested. Soil samples from a bree
ding pen and a nest were both positive for Salmonella spp. Eight different
Salmonella spp. serotypes were identified in this survey. These results sug
gest that horizontal transmission of Salmonella spp. is a potential source
of exposure to hatchling iguanas at this facility. (C) 2000 Elsevier Scienc
e B.V. All rights reserved.