Potential pathogens in the environment: isolation, enumeration, and identification of seven genera of intestinal bacteria associated with small green pet turtles.

Bacteriological analyses were performed on fecal swabs and the aquarium water of 27 individually purchased specimens of the small green pet turtle, Pseudemys scripta elegans. Representatives of Aeromonas, Citrobacter, Enterobacter, Klebsiella, Proteus, Salmonella, and Serratia were isolated. Enterobacter, Klebsiella, and Salmonella were encountered in 20% or more of the specimens, whereas Aeromonas was isolated from 63%. Klebsiella pneumoniae counts ranged from 10(3) to 10(4) per milliliter of aquarium water, whereas Aeromonas routinely exceeded 10(4) per milliliter. Aeromonas cultures from turtles were identical to 7 human isolates in some 29 biochemical tests. On the basis of our findings, we question whether the Salmonella-free certification program alone is sufficient to render these reptiles as safe pets.