Vibrio bacteria are emerging pathogens responsible for 80,000 illnesses and 100
deaths in the United States each year. Infections are directly linked to the marine
environment and are acquired by consuming contaminated seafood or exposing wounds
during aquatic activities. Florida has the highest national incidence of vibriosis, with 20%
of its cases reported from the Indian River Lagoon region, a popular recreation destination.
This study utilized a combination of cultivation and molecular techniques to investigate
the local distribution of V. vulnificus, V. parahaemolyticus and V. cholerae in this local
waterway. The targeted species were found in an array of samples which may facilitate their
transmission to humans. Overall, these bacteria were abundant in estuarine sediments (Vp:
2,439 CFU/g, Vv: 303 CFU/g, Vc: 176 CFU/g), on the sharp edges of oyster shells (Vp: 82
CFU/cm, Vv: 102 CFU/cm, Vc: 41 CFU/cm), and in the water column (Vp: 3.78 CFU/ml,
Vv: 5.51 CFU/ml, Vc: 2.46 CFU/ml). Vibrio also pose a hazard to recreational anglers as
they were recovered from fish (Vp: 61%, Vv: 55%, Vc: 30%), live bait shrimp (Vp: 80%,
Vv: 37%, Vc: 0%) and hooks (Vp: 32%, Vv: 18%, Vc: 0%). Additionally, a molecular
analysis of the V. vulnificus virulence revealed that the local population was dominated by
disease-causing (vcgC) strains, which may explain why wound-related infections are
common in this region.
Vibrio occurrence varied both spatially and temporally due to their relationship with
salinity and temperature. These bacteria exhibited a strong negative correlation with
salinity, being particularly abundant near freshwater discharge locations. Due to Florida’s
year-round warm climate, these species were found to be permanent members of the local
microbial community. Seasonal peaks in abundance occurred between August and
October, a period which corresponds with the warmest water temperatures as well as
frequent rainfall. Predictive models were constructed based on these parameters to provide
a better understanding of how, when and where Vibrio spp. may be encountered by humans.
This information is important for both water management and healthcare initiatives, with
an overall goal of improving local recreational safety. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2016. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fau.edu/oai:fau.digital.flvc.org:fau_33733 |
| Contributors | Barbarite, Gabrielle M. (author), McCarthy, Peter J. (Thesis advisor), Florida Atlantic University (Degree grantor), Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Biological Sciences |
| Publisher | Florida Atlantic University |
| Source Sets | Florida Atlantic University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation, Text |
| Format | 154 p., application/pdf |
| Rights | Copyright © is held by the author, with permission granted to Florida Atlantic University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder., http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ |
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