[Occurrence of Salmonella in healthy snakes and snake cadavers- isolation of a new Salmonella species belonging to the sub-genus IV (S. IV 18:Z36, Z38:-) (AUTHOR'S TRANSL)].

Forty-seven isolation attempts performed with 20 fecal samples of exotic snakes yielded 27 Salmonella species belonging to the sub-genus I-IV. The majority of isolates (78.7%), however, was identified as sub-genus III (Arizona). The snakes under study were hold captured for less than one year (one part) or for longer than one year. Bacteriological investigations of the 7 snakes studied, repeated 7 to 21 months thereafter, revealed uniformly other Salmonella species in comparison to those found at primary examination. Necropsy investigations were performed with materials from 3 snakes. One Salmonella species (Arizona) was isolated from the colon of one snake presenting with massive necrotic enteritis. The results with blood, bile and other colon sections were negative. Several Salmonella species were found in the colon of two other snakes presenting with infiltrative and necrotic changes in the organs, but without any pathologic finding in the intestinal tract. A new Salmonella species belonging to the sub-genus IV (S. IV 18:Z36, Z38:-) was recovered from fecal sample of a Black Mamba (Dendroaspis polylepis) and another Cascabel snake (Crotalus durissus terrificus).