Colimetry of marine waters off Fortaleza (Ceará State, Brazil) and detection of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli strains

Bacteriological analyses of seawater from three main beaches in Fortaleza, Brazil were performed during 1997. Thirty-six samples per beach were collected for a total of 108 samples. For Meireles Beach, 44% of the samples had MPN total coliforms values of at least 1100 or over 2400/100 ml, followed by Formosa and Diários beaches showing lower counts. For fecal coliforms the highest numbers were demonstrated for Formosa, followed by Meireles and Diários beaches in this descending order: 13.0%, 11.1% and 8.3%, respectively. Escherichia coli strains were identified in 76.8% of the 108 samples. Among 295 strains of E.coli, 21 belonged to serogroups O25, O26, O91, O112, O119, O158 and O164. Strains from serogroup O26 were tested using PCR, ELISA and Vero cells to detect Verotoxins VT1 and VT2 and all strains were negative. No LT and ST, as determined by ELISA and suckling mice assays, were detected among the 295 strains. All strains of E. coli were sensitive to ampicillin, cephalothin, gentamicin, tetracycline, sulfametox-trimethoprim, chloramphenicol and ciprofloxacin. Although the E. coli strains were not toxigenic, their presence in high numbers could be of public health significance

Vibrio spp. e Salmonella spp. em caranguejos, Ucides cordatus

The presence of Vibrio spp. and Salmonella spp. in crabs marketed at the Bezerra de Menezes Ave., Fortaleza, State of Ceará, Brazil, was assessed between February and May, 2003. The number of individuals sampled in each one of the fifteen weekly samplings ranged between four and eight. Seven strains of Salmonella, from four different samplings, were identified, being five of them identified as serotype S. Senftenberg and two as S. Poona. All strains of Salmonella were sensitive to the tested anti-microbial drugs, with the exception of tetracycline and nalidixic acid, for which an intermediary sensibility was found. The MPN's for Vibrio ranged between 110/g and 110,000/g. Of the forty five Vibrio strains isolated from the crab samples, only 10 were identified up to the species level: two V. alginolyticus and eight V. parahaemolyticus. Bacteria belonging to the Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonaceae families were also identified, namely Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter cloacae, Pantoea agglomerans and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The proper cooking of the animals is recommended in order to avoid problems for the consumers of this crustacean.Foram pesquisadas a presença de Vibrio spp. e de Salmonella spp. em caranguejos comercializados na Av. Bezerra de Menezes, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brasil, no período entre fevereiro e maio de 2003. O número de indivíduos em cada, das quinze coletas realizadas, semanalmente, variava entre quatro e oito dependendo do tamanho dos animais, totalizando um número de 90 (noventa) animais examinados. Foram identificadas sete cepas de Salmonella spp. provenientes de quatro coletas: cinco foram identificadas como sorovar S. Senftenberg e duas como S. Poona. Todas as cepas de Salmonella, isoladas das amostras de caranguejos, apresentaram sensibilidade aos antimicrobianos testados, com exceção de tetraciclina e ácido nalidíxico para os quais elas apresentaram uma sensibilidade intermediária. Os NMPs para Vibrio spp. variaram entre 110 e 110.000/g. Das quarenta e cinco cepas de Vibrio spp. isoladas das amostras de caranguejo, foram identificadas, até espécie, somente 10: duas de V. alginolyticus e oito de V. parahaemolyticus. Foram também identificadas bactérias pertencentes às famílias Enterobacteriaceae e Pseudomonadaceae: Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter cloacae, Pantoea agglomerans e Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Recomenda-se que a cocção dos animais seja bem feita a fim de se evitar problemas para os consumidores dos crustáceos

Aeromonas spp. isoladas de ostras (Crassostrea rhizophorea) coletadas em um criadouro natural, Ceará, Brazil

Between April and October 2002, thirty fortnightly collections of oysters (Crassostrea rhizophorea) from a natural oyster bed at the Cocó River estuary in the Sabiaguaba region (Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil) were carried out, aiming to isolate Aeromonas spp. strains. Oyster samples were submitted to the direct plating (DP) and the presence/absence (P/A) methods. Aeromonas were identified in 15 (50%) samples analyzed by the DP method and in 13 (43%) analyzed by the P/A method. A. caviae, A. eucrenophila, A. media, A. sobria, A. trota, A. veronii bv. sobria, A. veronii bv. veronii and Aeromonas sp. were isolated. The predominant species was A. veronii (both biovars), which was identified in 13 (43%) samples, followed by A. media in 11 (37%) and A. caviae in seven (23%). From the 59 strains identified, 28 (48%) presented resistance to at least one of the eight antibiotics tested.Foram realizadas 30 coletas quinzenais, entre abril e outubro de 2002, de ostras (Crassostrea rhizophorea) de um criadouro natural, no estuário do rio Cocó (Fortaleza/Ceará/Brasil), objetivando-se isolar cepas de Aeromonas spp. As amostras de ostras foram submetidas aos métodos de plaqueamento direto (PD) e presença/ausência (P/A). Foram identificadas Aeromonas em 15 (50%) amostras analisadas pelo método PD e em 13 (43%) pelo método P/A. Foram isoladas: A. caviae, A. eucrenophila, A. media, A. sobria, A. trota, A. veronii bv. sobria, A. veronii bv. veronii e Aeromonas sp. A espécie predominate foi A. veronii (ambos biovars), identificada em 13 (43%) amostras, seguida de A. media em 11 (37%) e A. caviae em 7 (23%). Das 59 cepas identificadas, 28 (48%) apresentaram resistência a pelo menos um, dos oitos antibióticos testados

Avaliação da atividade antibacteriana de extrato de folhas de goiabeira, Psidium guajava Linnaeus, sobre bactérias entéricas diarreiogênicas, isoladas de camarão sete-barbas, Xiphopenaeus kroyeri (Heller)

Guava leaf tea of Psidium guajava Linnaeus is commonly used as a medicine against gastroenteritis and child diarrhea by those who cannot afford or do not have access to antibiotics. This study screened the antimicrobial effect of essential oils and methanol, hexane, ethyl acetate extracts from guava leaves. The extracts were tested against diarrhea-causing bacteria: Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella spp. and Escherichia coli. Strains that were screened included isolates from seabob shrimp, Xiphopenaeus kroyeri (Heller) and laboratory-type strains. Of the bacteria tested, Staphylococcus aureus strains were most inhibited by the extracts. The methanol extract showed greatest bacterial inhibition. No statistically significant differences were observed between the tested extract concentrations and their effect. The essential oil extract showed inhibitory activity against S. aureus and Salmonella spp. The strains isolated from the shrimp showed some resistance to commercially available antibiotics. These data support the use of guava leaf-made medicines in diarrhea cases where access to commercial antibiotics is restricted. In conclusion, guava leaf extracts and essential oil are very active against S. aureus, thus making up important potential sources of new antimicrobial compounds.O chá de folhas de goiaba Psidium guajava Linnaeus é comumente usado como remédio nas gastrenterites e diarréias infantis por aqueles que não têm acesso a antibióticos. Esta pesquisa estudou o efeito antibacteriano sobre bactérias causadoras de diarréias, do óleo essencial e do extrato de folhas de goiabeira usando como diluente: metanol, hexano e acetato de etila. Os extratos foram testados sobre Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella spp. e Escherichia coli. As bactérias testadas foram isoladas de camarão sete-barbas Xiphopenaeus kroyeri (Heller) usando-se como controle cepas padrão, de cada espécie. Das bactérias testadas, o melhor efeito inibitório foi observado sobre Staphylococcus aureus. O extrato de metanol apresentou maior inibição bacteriana. O óleo essencial mostrou ação inibitória contra S. aureus e Salmonella spp. Foi demonstrada alguma resistência das cepas isoladas de camarão aos antibióticos comerciais testados. Estes dados confirmam que remédios à base de folhas de goiabeira podem ser utilizados em casos de diarréia provocada por essas bactérias, quando o uso de antibiótico for restrito. Conclui-se que extratos de folhas de goiaba e o seu óleo essencial são muito ativos contra S. aureus, tornando-os importantes fontes em potencial de novos compostos antimicrobianos

The stormwater drain system as a pollution vector of the seashore in Fortaleza (Ceará State, Brazil) Sistema de galerias pluviais como vetor poluente da zona costeira de Fortaleza, Ceará, Brasil

The aim of this study was to make a diagnosis of coastal pollution through bacteriological analysis of water taken from stormwater drain systems and the nearby seashore. The results were submitted to statistical analysis as to differences in the Most Probable Number (MPN) of fecal coliform (FC) found between the stormwater drain systems and adjacent seashore locations both at low and high tides. The main conclusions were: (a) most water samples collected from the stormwater systems presented MPN values for FC above 1,000 per 100 ml; (b) only 20% of the samples from the adjacent seashore presented MPN values for FC above 1,000 per 100 ml, a fact which may be explained by the distance between the drain system outlets and the actual seashore; (c) FC/100 ml values were invariably higher in the stormwater drain systems than in seawater; (d) out of the 180 strains isolated, 118 were Escherichia coli; (e) the highest in-sewer pollution rate was found at the sampling location in front of Imperial Othon Palace Hotel (IO-SEW), characterized by the presence of an everlasting puddle, while the most polluted seawater sample was taken in front of Statue of Iracema (SI-SEA); (g) the high tide regime enhances the chance of pollution of the coastal zone by fecal coliforms; (h) the high pollution indices by fecal coliforms can only be accounted for by the existence of illegal sewage pipelines connected to the stormwater drain systems.<br>O objetivo deste trabalho foi realizar o diagnóstico da poluição costeira, através da análise bacteriológica da água de galerias pluviais e da zona marinha adjacente. Entre setembro de 2000 e março de 2001 foram obtidas 90 amostras, sendo 45 nas galerias e 45 na adjacente zona marinha, localizadas em frente aos seguintes pontos de coleta: Esplanada Hotel, Imperial Othon Palace e Estátua de Iracema. Os resultados foram apresentados como o Número Mais Provável (NMP) de coliformes fecais por 100 ml (CF/100ml), e submetidos a comparação estatística nos regimes de preamar e baixamar por Análise de Variância e Teste de Tukey. As conclusões são: (a) a maior parte das amostras de água coletadas nas galerias apresentou valores de NPM de CF/100 ml superiores a 1.000; (b) a zona marinha adjacente apresentou apenas 20% das amostras com NPM de CF/100 ml maior do que 1.000, fato que pode estar relacionado com a distância das galerias à praia; (c) as galerias apresentaram NMP de CF/100 ml sempre mais altos que a zona marinha; (d) das 180 cepas isoladas, 118 eram E. coli; (e) os maiores índices de poluição por CF em galerias ocorreram em frente ao Imperial Othon Palace e, na zona marinha adjacente, em frente à Estátua de Iracema; (f) o regime de preamar contribui para o aumento da poluição da zona costeira por coliformes fecais; (g) os elevados índices de poluição por coliformes fecais só podem ser explicados pela existência de esgotos ilegais conectados às galerias pluviais

Pathogenic Vibrio species isolated from estuarine environments (Ceará, Brazil) - antimicrobial resistance and virulence potential profiles

ABSTRACT Detection of virulent strains associated with aquatic environment is a current concern for the management and control of human and animal health. Thus, Vibrio diversity was investigated in four estuaries from state of Ceará (Pacoti, Choró, Pirangi and Jaguaribe) followed by antimicrobial susceptibility to different antimicrobials used in aquaculture and detection of main virulence factors to human health. Isolation and identification were performed on TCBS agar (selective medium) and dichotomous key based on biochemical characteristics, respectively. Nineteen strains of genus Vibrio were catalogued. Vibrio parahaemolyticus (Choró River) and V. alginolyticus (Pacoti River) were the most abundant species in the four estuaries. All strains were submitted to disk diffusion technique (15 antimicrobials were tested). Resistance was found to: penicillin (82%), ampicillin (54%), cephalotin (7%), aztreonan (1%), gentamicin, cefotaxime and ceftriaxone (0.5%). Five pathogenic strains were chosen to verification of virulence factors. Four estuaries showed a high abundance of species. High number of tested positive strains for virulence is concerning, since some of those strains are associated to human diseases, while others are known pathogens of aquatic organisms