title: Survival of Candida albicans in tropical marine and fresh waters.
abstract: A survey of Candida albicans indicated that the organism was present at all sites sampled in a rain forest stream and in near-shore coastal waters of Puerto Rico. In the rain forest watershed no relationship existed between densities of fecal coliforms and densities of C. albicans. At two pristine sites in the rain forest watershed both C. albicans and Escherichia coli survived in diffusion chambers for extended periods of time. In near-shore coastal waters C. albicans and E. coli survival times in diffusion chambers were enhanced by effluent from a rum distillery. The rum distillery effluent had a greater effect on E. coli than on C. albicans survival in the diffusion chambers. These studies show that neither E. coli nor C. albicans organisms are good indicators of recent fecal contamination in tropical waters. It further demonstrates that pristine freshwater environments and marine waters receiving organic loading in the tropics can support densities of C. albicans which may be a health hazard.
authors.affiliation: Microbial Ecology Laboratory, University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Valdes-Collazo
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Schultz
authors.forename: T C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Hazen
mesh_terms: D002176:Candida albicans / Q000254:growth & development*; D004755:Enterobacteriaceae / Q000254:growth & development; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000254:growth & development; D005618:Fresh Water; D011647:Puerto Rico; D012623:Seawater; D014329:Tropical Climate; D014871:Water Microbiology