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Autecology of Vibrio vulnificus and Vibrio parahaemolyticus in tropical waters

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/355031· OSTI ID:355031
; ;  [1]
  1. Univ. of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras (Puerto Rico)
Water and shellfish samples collected from estuaries, mangroves, and beaches along the coast of Puerto Rico were examined for Vibrio vulnificus and Vibrio parahaemolyticus. An array of water quality parameters were also measured simultaneous with bacteria sampling. Both species of vibrio were associated with estuary and mangrove locations, and neither was isolated from sandy beaches. Densities of V. vulnificus were negatively correlated with salinity, 10--15 ppt being optimal. V. parahaemolyticus was isolated from sites with salinities between 20 and 35 ppt, the highest densities occurring at 20 ppt. Densities of Vibrio spp. and V. parahaemolyticus for a tropical estuary surpassed those reported for temperate estuaries by several orders of magnitude. Both densities of total Vibrio spp. and V. parahaemolyticus in the water were directly related to densities of fecal coliforms, unlike V. vulnificus. The incidence of ONPG(+) strains among sucrose({minus}) Vibrio spp. served as an indicator of the frequency of V. vulnificus in this group. More than 63% of the V. vulnificus isolated were pathogenic. V. vulnificus and V. parahaemolyticus occupy clearly separate niches within the tropical estuarine-marine ecosystem.
Research Organization:
E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Co., Savannah River Lab., Aiken, SC (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE, Washington, DC (United States); National Inst. of Health, Bethesda, MD (United States); National Insts. of Health, Bethesda, MD (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
AC09-89SR18035; AC09-76SR00001
OSTI ID:
355031
Report Number(s):
DP-MS--88-8; ON: DE99002905; CNN: Grant R/LR-08-87-THA1; Grant RR-2657; Grant RR-8102
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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