Prevalence of Citrobacter spp. From Pet Turtles and Their Environment

Pet turtles are considered a source of bacterial infection to humans when handled in captivity. Turtles purchased from nine pet shops and eight online markets in Korea were examined to determine whether the turtles and their environment were contaminated with Citrobacter spp. Biochemical tests and morphology revealed that Citrobacter spp. were isolated from 7 fecal and seventy-six environmental samples. Five bacteria among the seven fecal isolates were identified as Citrobacter freundii through 16S rRNA gene sequencing.
Source: Journal of Exotic Pet Medicine - Category: Veterinary Research Authors: Source Type: research