CARACTERIZAÇÃO DA DIVERSIDADE BACTERIANA AERÓBICA E PERFIL DE RESISTÊNCIA A ANTIMICROBIANOS NA MICROBIOTA BACTERIANA ORAL DE Bothrops sp.

Abstract

ABSTRACT Among the most common venomous snakes in Brazil, the genus Bothrops is responsible for 73% of snakebite accidents reported in Mato Grosso do Sul. This study investigated the oral microbiota of Bothrops spp. and analyzed its antimicrobial resistance profile. Oral cavity samples were collected from 69 snakes (B. matogrossensis, B. alternatus, and B. moojeni) for bacterial identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Bacterial isolation revealed a higher frequency of Pseudomonas spp. (25.9%), followed by Staphylococcus spp. (16.4%), Klebsiella spp. (10.3%), and Shigellaspp. (6.9%). A total of 116 isolates were identified across 21 genera, with a predominance of Gram-negative bacteria (80%). Among the antimicrobials tested, carbapenems showed the greatest efficacy, particularly meropenem (46.6% susceptibility), while β-lactams demonstrated the lowest effectiveness. Analysis classified 63.7% of isolates as multidrug-resistant (MDR), with 5.08% identified as ESBL producers. This study reports, for the first time in Brazil, the occurrence of Chryseobacterium indologenes in Bothrops alternatus, confirmed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing with 100% identity in GenBank. The findings reinforce the importance of understanding the oral microbiota of these snakes to guide clinical management of snakebite victims and support evidence-based antimicrobial therapy. The results highlight the need for continuous microbiological surveillance and therapeutic protocols grounded in the One Health approach. Keywords: One Health; Neglected diseases; Snakebite envenomation.