Antibiotic-resistant salmonella, isolated from cloacal swab samples from turtles in Guatemala Salmonella resistente a antibióticos, aislada de muestras de hisopados cloacales en tortugas de Guatemala

Salmonellosis is a relevant public health threat worldwide. Reptiles are commonly involved in human cases. A microbiological survey was conducted from August to October 2018 to isolate Salmonella bacteria and determine if they are resistant to regularly used antibiotics in five species of pet turtles (Kinosternon sp., Rhinoclemmys sp., Staurotypus sp., Trachemys scripta y T. venusta) in Guatemala City, Antigua Guatemala and San Lucas Sacatepéquez. Cloacal swabs were taken from 63 turtles and cultivated in the Microbiology Laboratory at the Veterinary Medicine and Animal Husbandry Faculty, University of San Carlos of Guatemala, in Guatemala City. Three samples were positive to the presence of Salmonella sp. One of these isolates (from Trachemys scripta) was resistant to gentamicin, penicillin and amikacin, other isolate (from T. scripta) was partially resistant to amoxicilin + clavulanic acid and penicillin, and other (from T. venusta) to penicillin. These findings highlight the need for better biosecurity practices and show the capacity of bacteria to develop survival strategies that involve resistance to harmful substances like antibiotics.