Detection of Vibrio parahaemolyticus , Vibrio vulnificus and Vibrio cholerae with respect to seasonal fluctuations in temperature and plankton abundance

2014

Authors

• Jeffrey W. Turner National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Northwest Fisheries Science Center , University of Washington School of Oceanography
• Leena Malayil The University of Georgia Department of Environmental Health Science
• Dominic Guadagnoli Georgia Department of Natural Resources
• D. Cole The University of Georgia Department of Environmental Health Science
• Erin Lipp The University of Georgia Department of Environmental Health Science

Funding Agency

• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Oceans and Human Health Initative

Description

Over a 1-year period, bi-monthly estuarine surface water and plankton samples (63-200 and > 200 mm fractions) were assayed by polymerase chain reaction for the prevalence of total Vibrio parahaemolyticus, V. vulnificus and V. cholerae and select genes associated with clinical strains found in each species. Neither temperature nor plankton abundance was a significant correlate of total V. parahaemolyticus; however, the prevalence of genes commonly associated with clinical strains (trh, tdh, ORF8) increased with temperature and copepod abundance (P < 0.05). The prevalence of total V. vulnificus and the siderophore-related viuB gene also increased with temperature and copepod and decapod abundance (P < 0.001). Temperature and copepod abundance also covaried with the prevalence of V. cholerae (P < 0.05), but there was no significant relationship with ctxA or other genes commonly found in clinical strains. Results show that genes commonly associated with clinical Vibrio strains were more frequently detected in association with chitinous plankton. We conclude that V. parahaemolyticus, V. vulnificus, V. cholerae and subpopulations that harbour genes common to clinical strains respond distinctly to seasonal changes in temperature as well as shifts in the taxonomic composition of discrete plankton fractions.

Environmental Microbiology volume 16 pages 1019-1028

DOI : 10.1111/1462-2920.12246

Cited by finding 6.1,chapter 6, and usgcrp-climate-human-health-assessment-2016. (reference: cb3ad7db)