Distribution of potentially pathogenic bacteria as free living and plankton associated in a marine coastal zone.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the abundance of faecal and nonfaecal bacteria related to human and animal health, as free living or associated with small (>64 microm) and large (>200 microm) plankton, samples were collected monthly from the coastal zone at Messina (Italy).


RESULTS
Different enrichment and selective cultural methods were used to determine the abundance of bacteria in sea water and plankton. The bacteria were more frequently isolated from water and large plankton than from small plankton. Vibrio and Aeromonas spp. showed different distribution patterns in water and plankton. Faecal indicators were always present in water and the large size class plankton samples. Enterococci associated with large plankton were more abundant than E. coli in the winter. Vibrio species distributions were different in water and plankton samples. Among arcobacters only A. butzleri was isolated from water and plankton samples. Campylobacter spp. was always absent in small plankton and more frequent in large plankton than in water.


CONCLUSIONS
The colonization of zooplankton by potentially pathogenic bacteria is a widespread phenomenon.


CONCLUSIONS
The presence of potentially pathogenic bacteria in sea water and associated with plankton can have ecological and epidemiological implications.
Maugeri
T L
TL
Dipartimento di Biologia Animale ed Ecologia Marina, University of Messina, Messina, Italy. tmaugeri@unime.it
Carbone
M
M
Fera
M T
MT
Irrera
G P
GP
Gugliandolo
C
C
D000333:Aeromonas / Q000302:isolation & purification; D000818:Animals; D020640:Arcobacter / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002167:Campylobacter / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003470:Culture Media; D016983:Enterococcus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D010839:Phytoplankton / Q000382:microbiology; D010933:Plankton / Q000382:microbiology*; D012623:Seawater / Q000382:microbiology*; D014733:Vibrio / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014871:Water Microbiology; D015048:Zooplankton / Q000382:microbiology
D003470:Culture Media