Conjunctival flora of clinically normal captive green iguanas (Iguana iguana)

The number of pet reptiles is steadily increasing and green iguanas (Iguana iguana) are frequently being kept as pets. This short communication describes a study carried out to determine the normal conjunctival aerobic bacterial flora of captive green iguanas. The survey showed the predominance of Gram-positive species, in accordance with data reported for other animal species. Bacterial isolates were not involved in clinical disease. As the animals in this study were clinically healthy, it is not possible to assign a specific pathogenic role to the bacteria isolated in terms of ocular diseases. However, given the potential role of many of the isolated species in causing disease in human beings, the zoonotic risk associated with keeping green iguanas as pets should not be considered limited only to salmonellosis, especially for immunocompromised people. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first report on the normal bacterial flora of the conjunctiva in green iguanas.