Quantification and distribution of vibrio species in water from an estuary in Ceará-Brazil impacted by shrimp farming

Vibrios were quantified and their distribution determined for the estuary of the Coreaú river, in Northeastern Brazil, based on 24 water samples collected between June and October 2005. The most probable number of vibrios per 100 mL ranged from 230 x 10³ to 240 x 10(11). The pH value was the environmental factor most strongly associated with the abundance of vibrios. Sixty-two vibrio strains were isolated belonging to 15 species (6 of which observed in June-September and 8 in October). The most frequently isolated species were V. parahaemolyticus and V. cholerae.Foram realizadas análises concernentes à quantificação e distribuição de Vibrio em 24 amostras de água do estuário do Rio Coreaú (CE) no período de junho a novembro de 2005. O Número Mais Provável (NMP/100 mL) de Vibrio oscilou de 230 x 10³ a 240 x 10(11). O pH foi o fator ambiental que mais favoreceu ao aumento da microbiota de Vibrio. Foram isoladas 62 cepas de Vibrio, sendo observada uma distribuição de sete espécies nos meses de junho a setembro, e oito espécies no mês de outubro. As espécies mais freqüentes nos isolamentos foram V. parahaemolyticus e V. cholerae

Monitoring viral contamination of molluscan shellfish

Infectious diseases linked to the consumption of raw shellfish like oysters, mussels, cockles and clams, have long been identified. Bacterial diseases such as cholera and typhoid fever were the first to be suspected of being linked to consumption of contaminated shellfish (Butt et al., 2004). During the past century, various strategies have been established in shellfish growing areas throughout the world to assure the sanitary quality of shellfish. More recently, despite sanitary surveys, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Vibrio vulnificus and enteric viruses - especially Hepatitis A virus (HAV) and norovirus (NoV) – were found to be associated in outbreaks of human illness

Diversity of <i>Vibrio spp. </i>isolated at ambient environmental temperature in the Eastern English Channel as determined by <i>pyrH</i> sequencing

International audienc

Temporal and Spatial Distribution Patterns of Potentially Pathogenic Vibrio spp. at Recreational Beaches of the German North Sea

The number of reported Vibrio-related wound infections associated with recreational bathing in Northern Europe has increased within the last decades. In order to study the health risk from potentially pathogenic Vibrio spp. in the central Wadden Sea, the seasonal and spatial distribution of Vibrio vulnificus, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Vibrio alginolyticus and Vibrio cholerae were investigated at ten recreational beaches in this area over a 2-year period. V. alginolyticus and V. parahaemolyticus were found to be omnipresent all year round in the study area, while V. vulnificus occurrence was restricted to summer months in the estuaries of the rivers Ems and Weser. Multiple linear regression models revealed that water temperature is the most important determinant of Vibrio spp. occurrence in the area. Differentiated regression models showed a species-specific response to water temperature and revealed a particularly strong effect of even minor temperature increases on the probability of detecting V. vulnificus in summer. In sediments, Vibrio spp. concentrations were up to three orders of magnitude higher than in water. Also, V. alginolyticus and V. parahaemolyticus were found to be less susceptible towards winter temperatures in the benthic environment than in the water, indicating an important role of sediments for Vibrio ecology. While only a very small percentage of tested V. parahaemolyticus proved to be potentially pathogenic, the presence of V. vulnificus during the summer months should be regarded with care