title: Survival trends of Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Clostridium perfringens in a sandy South Florida beach.
abstract: The search for alternative indicators of disease-risk from non-enteric pathogens at the beach revealed high densities of targeted bacteria. To explain the high numbers of potential non-enteric pathogens, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, in beach sand, we investigated factors affecting their survival and distribution, as well as those of a potential fecal indicator, Clostridium perfringens. Results indicated greater S. aureus and P. aeruginosa survival and proliferation in sterile beach sand, than seawater, with diminished numbers upon exposure to natural micro-predators. C. perfringens remained relatively consistent with initial numbers. Intermediate sand particles (850 μm-2 mm) constituted the major micro-niche; creating implications for beach classification programs. Colonization of sterile sand boxes at the beach by S. aureus and P. aeruginosa confirmed the filtering action (>100×) of beach sand. The use of these potential pathogens in periodic sanitary evaluation of beach sand quality is indicated, regardless of the factors influencing their abundance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Florida Atlantic University, 3200 College Ave., Davie, FL 33314, USA.
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Mohammed
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Echeverry
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Stinson
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Green
authors.forename: T D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Bonilla
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hartz
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: McCorquodale
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rogerson
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Esiobu
mesh_terms: D001493:Bathing Beaches; D003016:Clostridium perfringens / Q000254:growth & development*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005431:Florida; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D010316:Particle Size; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000254:growth & development*; D012623:Seawater / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000254:growth & development*; D014871:Water Microbiology; D014876:Water Pollution / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D012822:Silicon Dioxide