Captive reptiles are routinely identified as reservoirs of pathogenic bacteria and reports of reptile-associated infections relating to some species are well documented (e.g., salmonellosis). Currently, relatively little is known about the epidemiology and bacteria of ball pythons. We carried out a survey of ball python farms in Togo, West Africa to assess the presence of any potentially pathogenic bacterial taxa that have been identified in recent scientific literature relating to this species. The presence of bacteria belonging to the genera Acinetobacter, Bacteroides, Citrobacter, Enterobacter, Lysobacter, Proteus, Pseudomonas, Staphylococcus, and Tsukamurella in oral and cloacal samples taken from five individual ball pythons is of potential concern for horizontal transmission given that pathogenic species belonging to these genera have been previously documented. The presence of bacteria belonging to the genera Clostridium, Escherichia, Moraxella, and Stenotrophomonas in the oral and rectal samples taken from five mice used to feed ball pythons suggests that they represent a potential reservoir of infection for wild caught ball pythons and their progeny. Furthermore, possible sources of environmental contamination include other captive amphibians, birds, reptiles and mammals, as well as free ranging birds and small mammals. Additional surveillance of ball pythons in the wild and in captivity at python farms in West Africa will shed light on whether or not this type of commercial activity is increasing pathogen exposure and lowering barriers to transmission. Meanwhile, as a precautionary measure, it is recommended that python farms should immediately establish biosecurity and disease surveillance practices to minimize potential horizontal and vertical bacterial transfer.

中文翻译：

---

西非多哥“牧场”球形蟒（Python regius）中细菌的初步评估

圈养爬行动物通常被确定为致病细菌的储存库，关于与某些物种有关的爬行动物相关感染的报道也有据可查（例如沙门氏菌病）。目前，关于球形蟒的流行病学和细菌的了解相对较少。我们对西非多哥的球形蟒蛇养殖场进行了一项调查，以评估在有关该物种的最新科学文献中已发现的任何潜在致病细菌类群。存在不动杆菌属，不动杆菌属，柠檬酸杆菌属，肠杆菌属，溶菌属，变形杆菌属，假单胞菌属，葡萄球菌属的细菌，鉴于先前已经记录了属于这些属的致病菌种，因此从五个单独的球形蟒蛇获得的口腔和泄殖腔样品中的Tsukamurella和Tsukamurella可能会引起水平传播。从用来喂养球形蟒蛇的五只小鼠的口腔和直肠样本中发现了梭状芽胞杆菌，埃希氏菌，莫拉氏菌和嗜单胞菌属细菌的存在，这表明它们代表了野生捕获球形蟒蛇及其后代的潜在感染源。此外，可能的环境污染源包括其他圈养的两栖动物，鸟类，爬行动物和哺乳动物，以及自由放养的鸟类和小型哺乳动物。西非蟒蛇养殖场对野生和圈养球形蟒蛇的进一步监视将揭示这种商业活动是否正在增加病原体暴露并降低传播障碍。同时，作为预防措施，建议蟒蛇养殖场应立即建立生物安全和疾病监测措施，以最大程度地减少潜在的水平和垂直细菌转移。