Dynamics of Vibrio cholerae abundance in Austrian saline lakes, assessed with quantitative solid‐phase cytometry. (18th May 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Schauer, Sonja; Jakwerth, Stefan; Bliem, Rupert; Baudart, Julia; Lebaron, Philippe; Huhulescu, Steliana; Kundi, Michael; Herzig, Alois; Farnleitner, Andreas H.; Sommer, Regina; Kirschner, Alexander
• Is Part Of: Environmental microbiology. Volume 17:Number 11(2015:Nov.)
• Page Start: 4366
• Page End: 4378
• Publication Date: 2015-05-18
• Subjects: Microbial ecology -- Periodicals; Environmental Microbiology -- Periodicals; 579.17
• DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.12861
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1462-2912

Abstract

Summary: In order to elucidate the main predictors of V ibrio cholerae dynamics and to estimate the risk of V ibrio cholera ‐related diseases, a recently developed direct detection approach based on fluorescence in situ hybridization and solid‐phase cytometry (CARD‐FISH/SPC) was applied in comparison to cultivation for water samples from the lake Neusiedler See, Austria and three shallow alkaline lakes over a period of 20 months. V ibrio cholerae attached to crustacean zooplankton was quantified via FISH and epifluorescence microscopy. Concentrations obtained by CARD‐FISH/SPC were significantly higher than those obtained by culture in 2011, but were mostly of similar magnitude in 2012. Maximum cell numbers were 1.26 × 10 6 V . cholerae per L in Neusiedler See and 7.59 × 10 7 V . cholerae per L in the shallow alkaline lakes. Only on a few occasions during summer was the crustacean zooplankton the preferred habitat for V . cholerae . In winter, V . cholerae was not culturable but could be quantified at all sites with CARD‐FISH/SPC. Beside temperature, suspended solids, zooplankton and ammonium were the main predictors of V . cholerae abundance in Neusiedler See, while in the shallow alkaline lakes it was organic carbon, conductivity and phosphorus. Based on the obtained concentrations a first estimation of the health risk for visitors of the lake could be performed.