Abstract

Oral swabs collected from 10 freshly captured reticulated pythons (Python reticulatus) from mainland Singapore were cultured for bacteria using aerobic and anaerobic techniques. The samples were collected over a 3 month period. All of the oral swabs had positive bacterial cultures, with a majority of swabs yielding multiple organisms. Gram-negative organisms were isolated from 80% (8/10) of the snakes' oral cavities. The most-common organisms isolated were Pseudomonas spp. (50%) and Staphylococcus sciuri (40%), both of which are known human pathogens. The results are discussed in the context of the existing literature.