In vitro inhibition of Salmonella organisms isolated from reptiles by an inactivated culture of microcin-producing Escherichia coli

Richard E. Wooley Departments of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602.

Search for other papers by Richard E. Wooley in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
 DVM, PhD
,
Branson W. Ritchie Department of Small Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602.

Search for other papers by Branson W. Ritchie in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
 DVM, PhD
,
M. F. Pamela Currin Athens Diagnostic Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602.

Search for other papers by M. F. Pamela Currin in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
 DVM
,
Sharon W. Chitwood Athens Diagnostic Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602.

Search for other papers by Sharon W. Chitwood in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
Susan Sanchez Athens Diagnostic Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602.

Search for other papers by Susan Sanchez in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
 PhD
,
Maria M. Crane Zoo Atlanta, 800 Cherokee Ave SE, Atlanta, GA 30315.

Search for other papers by Maria M. Crane in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
 MS, DVM
, and
Nadine Lamberski Riverbanks Zoo, PO Box 1060, Columbia, SC 29202-1060.

Search for other papers by Nadine Lamberski in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
 DVM
Full access

Abstract

Objective—To determine whether an inactivated culture of a microcin-producing avian Escherichia coli was capable of killing Salmonella isolates from reptiles in an in vitro test system.

Sample Population—57 Salmonella isolate from reptiles.

Procedure—A wild-type avian E coli electrotransformed with a plasmid coding for the production of microcin 24 was tested in an in vitro microassay system for its ability to kill 57 Salmonella spp isolated from reptiles. The reptile population included snakes, iguana, frilled lizards, turtles, other lizards, and unspecified reptiles.

Results—44 of the Salmonella isolates were inhibited strongly, compared with the in vitro assay controls; 12 had weak inhibition, and 1 was not inhibited by the microcin-producing E coli. Thirteen of the 57 isolates had resistance to at least 1 antibiotic, primarily streptomycin. There were 9 O serogroups identified in the 57 isolates, with serogroup H being the most prevalent (18 to 57).

Conclusion and Clinical Relevance—Antibiotics are not recommended to eliminate Salmonella organisms from reptiles because of the development of antibiotic resistance. Further studies are necessary to determine whether the use of microcin-producing bacteria will be effective in controlling Salmonella infections in companion reptiles. (Am J Vet Res 2001;62:1399–1401)

All Time Past Year Past 30 Days
Abstract Views 126 0 0
Full Text Views 2294 1920 33
PDF Downloads 230 44 1
Advertisement