Nucleic acid based profile of body surface and gut bacteria among wall gecko: a potential hub for antibiotic resistance dissemination within household.

BACKGROUND: Wall gecko (WG) (Hemidactylus frenatus), a common reptile seen around human dwellings within tropics, subtropics, as well as warm/coastal regions and countries is a genre of reptile, often seen as harmless, yet reported as potential reservoir of resistant bacteria housed on body-surface and gastrointestinal-tract (GIT). METHODS: This pilot study evaluates the antibiotic-resistance-index (ARI) and gene profiles of bacterial species isolated from body-surface and GIT of WG captured from residential environments at Abraka, Ethiope East Local government area, Delta state, Nigeria. Five representative WG were captured from study area between 16th may and 30th august 2025. Triplicate collected swab samples from skin and GIT-tissue were cultured onto growth media. Using standard Microbiological procedures (Gram-staining, biochemical tests etc.), preliminary bacteria identification were conducted. Kirby-Bauer-disk-diffusion method of Antibiotic-susceptibility-testing was performed and ARI were calculated to assess environmental antibiotic-resistance implication. Molecular biology analysis of antibiotic-resistant (AR) strains using Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) (including DNA extraction, target-gene amplification) sequencing and phylogenetics analyses were performed to confirm isolates/gene identity. RESULTS: This investigation revealed strains of Staphylococcus aureus, Acinetobacter nosocomialis, Mammaliicoccus sciuri, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli. High ARI were recorded for Escherichia coli (0.8). The molecular analysis revealed presence of AR-genes including mecA, ermA, SHV, CTX-M, OXA, KPC, AMPC, ermC and blaTEM genes among isolates. CONCLUSION: These findings highlight the role of WGs as potential reservoir and disseminator of multidrug-resistant bacteria. The need for public health awareness and integrated pest-pathogen control strategies is highly recommended especially among household/environments were wall-gecko is prevalent.