Fatal melioidosis in a captive elephant trunk snake (Acrochordus javanicus) in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia


Citation

A. A. Saharee, . and L. Hassan, . and Y. Abba, . and M. A. Sadiq, . and Z. Zakaria, . Fatal melioidosis in a captive elephant trunk snake (Acrochordus javanicus) in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia. pp. 20-26. ISSN 0128-2506

Abstract

An adult female Elephant Trunk Snake (Acrochordus javanicus) was reported to have been weak and inappetent for five days. The following morning the snake found dead while in the process of shedding its skin. On post mortem examination there were multiple circumscribed caseous nodules of various sizes distributed all over the liver along the respiratory tract and on the lungs. Bacteriological analysis of the lungs and liver swab samples yielded Burkholderia pseudomallei which was confirmed by PCR amplification of specific 16S rRNA. The condition was diagnosed as melioidosis and the organism was genotypically characterized as sequence type 51 a genotype that has been previously characterized in humans in Malaysia. Antibiotic susceptibility by both Disc diffusion or Kirby Bauer and E-test minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) showed that the organism exhibited susceptibility to meropenem imipenem ceftazidime cotrimoxazole and co-amoxyclav; the antibiotics recommended in the treatment of melioidosis.


Download File

Full text available from:

Abstract

An adult female Elephant Trunk Snake (Acrochordus javanicus) was reported to have been weak and inappetent for five days. The following morning the snake found dead while in the process of shedding its skin. On post mortem examination there were multiple circumscribed caseous nodules of various sizes distributed all over the liver along the respiratory tract and on the lungs. Bacteriological analysis of the lungs and liver swab samples yielded Burkholderia pseudomallei which was confirmed by PCR amplification of specific 16S rRNA. The condition was diagnosed as melioidosis and the organism was genotypically characterized as sequence type 51 a genotype that has been previously characterized in humans in Malaysia. Antibiotic susceptibility by both Disc diffusion or Kirby Bauer and E-test minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) showed that the organism exhibited susceptibility to meropenem imipenem ceftazidime cotrimoxazole and co-amoxyclav; the antibiotics recommended in the treatment of melioidosis.

Additional Metadata

[error in script]
Item Type: Article
AGROVOC Term: Snakes
AGROVOC Term: Melioidosis
AGROVOC Term: Postmortem examination
AGROVOC Term: Caseous lymphadenitis
AGROVOC Term: Root nodules
AGROVOC Term: Liver
AGROVOC Term: Respiratory system
AGROVOC Term: Lungs
AGROVOC Term: Bacteriological analysis
AGROVOC Term: PCR
Depositing User: Mr. AFANDI ABDUL MALEK
Last Modified: 24 Apr 2025 00:54
URI: http://webagris.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/8359

Actions (login required)

View Item View Item