Biomaterial Database

Patterns of oral bacterial infection in captive snakes. 1981

C S Draper, and R D Walker, and H E Lawler

The bacterial isolates from culture specimens of snakes with infectious stomatitis were compared with those from culture specimens of the oral cavity of healthy captive snakes. Cloacal swab specimens were also taken from healthy snakes to compare their intestinal and oral bacterial populations. The healthy snakes had a predominantly gram-positive oral flora, with Corynebacterium spp and coagulase-negative Staphylococcus spp being the organisms isolated most frequently. The specimens from snakes with infectious stomatitis yielded predominantly gram-negative bacteria. The organisms most frequently isolated from these specimens were Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Providencia rettgeri, and P maltophilia. The cloacal swabbing of healthy snakes also resulted in the isolation of predominantly gram-negative organisms, suggesting that these bacteria are not exogenous pathogens but opportunistic invaders.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D009055	Mouth	The oval-shaped oral cavity located at the apex of the digestive tract and consisting of two parts: the vestibule and the oral cavity proper.	Oral Cavity,Cavitas Oris,Cavitas oris propria,Mouth Cavity Proper,Oral Cavity Proper,Vestibule Oris,Vestibule of the Mouth,Cavity, Oral
D011532	Providencia	Gram-negative rods isolated from human urine and feces.
D011549	Pseudomonas	A genus of gram-negative, aerobic, rod-shaped bacteria widely distributed in nature. Some species are pathogenic for humans, animals, and plants.	Chryseomonas,Pseudomona,Flavimonas
D003352	Corynebacterium	A genus of asporogenous bacteria that is widely distributed in nature. Its organisms appear as straight to slightly curved rods and are known to be human and animal parasites and pathogens.
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D000836	Animals, Zoo	Animal population groups or individual animals that reside in captivity at a zoological park.	Animal, Zoo,Zoo Animal,Zoo Animals
D001424	Bacterial Infections	Infections by bacteria, general or unspecified.	Bacterial Disease,Bacterial Infection,Infection, Bacterial,Infections, Bacterial,Bacterial Diseases
D012911	Snakes	Limbless REPTILES of the suborder Serpentes.	Serpentes,Ophidia,Snake
D013210	Staphylococcus	A genus of gram-positive, facultatively anaerobic, coccoid bacteria. Its organisms occur singly, in pairs, and in tetrads and characteristically divide in more than one plane to form irregular clusters. Natural populations of Staphylococcus are found on the skin and mucous membranes of warm-blooded animals. Some species are opportunistic pathogens of humans and animals.
D013280	Stomatitis	INFLAMMATION of the soft tissues of the MOUTH, such as MUCOSA; PALATE; GINGIVA; and LIP.	Oral Mucositis,Mucositis, Oral,Oromucositis,Mucositides, Oral,Oral Mucositides,Oromucositides,Stomatitides