“The oral microbiota of Patagonian lizards: A preliminary study

IBARGUENGOYTIA, N.; BIRD, P.; UZAL, F. Y CIPOLLA, A.

Puerto Madryn

Congreso; XVII Reunión de Comunicaciones Herpetológicas; 2003

Diplolaemus lizards from Patagonia, Argentina are believed to have poisonous bites that can cause inflammation of farm and wild animals. However there is no evidence of poisonous glands in these lizards. It is proposed that the inflammation and abscesses resulting from these bite wounds are caused by infectious agent(s). One specimen of D. darwini and three individuals of Diplolaemus "forma alto patagonica" were captured in the field and transported alive to the laboratory. A sample was taken from the mouth using a swab moistened with sterile saline, inoculated onto 5% sheep blood agar plates, and incubated aerobically and anaerobically. Swabs were also inoculated into cooked meat broth, incubated anaerobically and then subcultured onto 5% sheep blood agar plates and incubated again. Isolates identified as Clostridium perfringens were typed by a PCR technique. The bacteria isolated are etiological agents of animal and human diseases. Staphylococus warneri was isolated from D. darwini, while Clostridium bifermentans, Stomatococcus muscilaginosus and C. perfringens type A were isolated from the three individuals of Diplolaemus "forma alto-patagonica". Our study shows that pathogenic bacteria are found in the mouth of the Diplolaemus lizards, suggesting that their bites may result in transmission of infectious agent(s) causing serious infection. More research is currently under way to further test this hypothesis.