Preliminary assessment of zoonosis in oral microbiome of Varanus bengalensis through 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing

Authors

  • Hamza Noman Department of Biological Sciences, The Superior University, Lahore, Pakistan.
  • Muhammad Ahmad Rafique Bhati Department of Zoology, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Pakistan
  • Aneela Azhar Department of Zoology, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Pakistan
  • Rimsha Nawaz Department of Zoology, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Pakistan
  • Misbah Shaukat Department of Biosciences, COMSATS, Islamabad
  • Shehar Bano Department of Wildlife and Ecology, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan https://orcid.org/0009-0003-3659-4728
  • Fakhra Anwar Department of Zoology, University of Gujrat, Pakistan
  • Ghulam Muhayyaodin https://orcid.org/0009-0004-1816-5089
  • Adeebia Yousaf Department of Science and Technology, University of Education, Lahore, Pakistan
  • Memona Sadia Department of Zoology, University of Okara, Pakistan
  • Aiza Khaliq Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, University of Veterinary & Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan.
  • Mudassar Nazar Department of Zoology, University of Okara, Pakistan
  • Irfan Irshad Institute of Continuing Education and Extension, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
  • Hassan Ashfaq Institute of Continuing Education and Extension, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
  • Muneeba Butt Department of Biological Sciences, The Superior University, Lahore, Pakistan.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22848488

Keywords:

Varanus bengalensis, Oral microbiota, Zoonotic disease transmission, Proteobacteria, High-throughput analysis, Antimicrobial resistance (AMR)

Abstract

Oral microorganisms of wild reptiles constitute a crucial interface for zoonotic disease transmission, and there is limited information available on reservoirs. The present study provides baseline information regarding the oral microbiota of the Bengal monitor lizard (Varanus bengalensis) collected from Punjab, Pakistan, and its possible impact on public health. During field sampling in Tehsil Pattoki, District Kasur, Punjab, three live specimens of V. bengalensis were captured. Oral cavities were sampled using sterile cotton swabs, after which all specimens were released unharmed into the wild. Swabs were preserved in bovine albumin transport medium. Total genomic DNA was isolated from saliva samples utilizing the QIAamp DNA Microbiome Kit, and DNA yield was quantified via a Thermo Scientific NanoDrop One spectrophotometer. High-throughput analysis uncovered a very complex and dynamic bacterial system. Proteobacteria was the most common phylum in all the profiles. Other microorganisms remaining in the samples were characterized, and a prominent presence of Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Fusobacteria and Patescibacteria was observed. Importantly, the core microbiota comprised genera that are known to be human pathogens, such as Escherichia, Neisseria, Capnocytophaga and Fusobacterium. Generally considered commensal flora of mammals, Capnocytophaga can cause severe, systemic infections after animal bites, such as septicemia. The abundance of Proteobacteria may indicate that they play a basic role in the homeostatic balance in the oral cavity of reptiles. The co-occurrence of pathogenic genera, however, suggests that Varanus bengalensis is a carrier of zoonotic agents and represents a public health threat for people who have close contact with these reptiles. These results highlight the need for active monitoring of the wild reptile populations and campaigns of public health awareness for local populations. Future studies are needed to extend the reference libraries to include characterization of poorly resolved taxa and determination of the antimicrobial resistance (AMR) phenotype of these isolates to minimize the risk of untreatable zoonotic infections in humans.

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2026-09-19

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Noman, H., Bhati, M. A. R., Azhar, A., Nawaz, R., Shaukat, M., Bano, S., Anwar, F., Muhayyaodin, G., Yousaf, A., Sadia, M., Khaliq, A., Nazar, M., Irshad, I., Ashfaq, H., & Butt, M. (2026). Preliminary assessment of zoonosis in oral microbiome of Varanus bengalensis through 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. Journal of Wildlife and Biodiversity, 10(2), 246–277. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22848488

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Vol. 10 No. 2 (2026): Journal of Wildlife and Biodiversity

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Original Article

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