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Case Reports
. 2023 Oct 29;13(11):2133.
doi: 10.3390/life13112133.

First Report of Kocuria kristinae in the Skin of a Cuban Boa (Epicrates angulifer)

Inês Marques  1   2 , Nuno Alvura  3 , José Júlio Martins  4   5   6 , João F Requicha  1   5 , Maria J Saavedra  1   2   5   6   7
Affiliations
Case Reports

First Report of Kocuria kristinae in the Skin of a Cuban Boa (Epicrates angulifer)

Inês Marques et al. Life (Basel). .

Abstract

During a routine clinical examination of a four-year-old female Cuban boa (Epicrates angulifer) belonging to a zoological park located in northern Portugal, a skin lesion was observed. A skin swab was taken. Bacteriological analysis conducted using the Vitek® 2 Compact system identified the presence of the bacteria species Kocuria kristinae, a new bacterial pathogen that may be a potential pathogen in wild animals. This K. kristinae strain was resistant to kanamycin, pradofloxacin, erythromycin, clindamycin, tetracycline, nitrofurantoin, and trimethoprim/sulphamethoxazole and was therefore classified as a multidrug-resistant bacterium. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first time that K. kristinae has been described in the skin of a Cuban boa. This report serves as a cautionary warning about the importance of recognising and investigating the potential pathogenicity of this agent, as well as contributing to the development of strategies to prevent the spread of antibiotic-resistant microorganisms.

Keywords: Cuban boa; Epicrates angulifer; Kocuria kristinae; One Health; skin.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Macroscopic aspect of the skin wound observed in the studied Cuban boa.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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