Occurrence, Antimicrobial Resistance, and Virulence Profiles of Serovars Isolated from Wild Reptiles in South Africa.

Reptiles are carriers of an array of microorganisms, including significant zoonotic bacteria of the genus , which cause a disease referred to as salmonellosis that affects both animals and humans. This study investigated the occurrence of serovars in wild reptiles at Timbavati Private Game Reserve in Limpopo Province, South Africa, and examined their virulence and antimicrobial resistance gene profiles. A total of 19 wild reptiles were sampled, which resulted in 30 presumptive isolates. The isolates were identified using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) by amplifying the gene and were further confirmed by rRNA gene sequencing. serovars were detected in chameleons (36.8%), lizards (31.6%), snakes (15.8%), and tortoises (15.8%). The use of 16S rRNA gene sequencing revealed that subsp. serovar Salamae (30%), . subsp. (16.7%), . subsp. serovar Typhimurium (13.3%), and . subsp. serovar Indiana (13.3%) were the four most common subspecies among the investigated 30 isolates. Detected virulence genes included N (100%), A (96.7%), B (96.7%), H (86.7%), and T (86.7%). The isolates exhibited resistance to nalidixic acid (43.3%) and kanamycin (43.3%), followed by streptomycin (16.7%) and ciprofloxacin (3.3%). Antibiotic-resistant genes were detected as follows: , , , , , , (')-, and (') at 33.3%, 6.7%, 16.7, 13.3%, 10%, 23.3%, 6.7%, and 10%, respectively. The findings highlight the necessity of educational initiatives aimed at reducing reptile-related infections. Effective antibiotic treatment appears promising for infection, given the minimal drug resistance observed in reptile serovars in the current study.