Enterobacteria identification and detection of diarrheagenic Escherichia coli in a Port Complex

• Published in: Brazilian journal of microbiology Vol. 45; no. 3; pp. 945 - 952
• Main Authors: Costa, Clarissa Frota Macatrão, Monteiro Neto, Valério, Santos, Bruno Rafael de Carvalho, Costa, Bruno Rafael Rabelo, Azevedo, Alexandre, Serra, Josilene Lima, Mendes, Hermínio Benítez Rabello, Nascimento, Adenilde Ribeiro, Mendes, Mariana Bonfim Pinto, Kuppinger, Oliver
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Portuguese
• Published: Brazil Springer Nature B.V 01.07.2014; Sociedade Brasileira de Microbiologia
• Subjects: Bacteria; Bacterial Load; Brazil; Chemical Phenomena; E coli; Enterobacteriaceae - classification; Enterobacteriaceae - isolation & purification; Escherichia coli Proteins - genetics; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; MICROBIOLOGY; Pathogens; Research Paper; Salinity; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Virulence Factors - genetics; Water - chemistry; Water Microbiology; Water pollution; enterobacterias; microbiological analysis; Escherichia coli; coliforms; ballast water
• ISSN: 1517-8382; 1678-4405; 1678-4405
• DOI: 10.1590/S1517-83822014000300026

The Port Complex of Maranhão (PCM) is the second largest port complex in Brazil, receiving ships with large volumes of ballast water. To evaluate the microbiological quality of its waters, physicochemical parameters (pH and salinity), the number of coliforms (thermotolerants and totals), and the presence of enterobacterias and diarrheagenic Escherichia coli strains were analyzed. In order to identify the presence of E. coli virulence genes target regions of the stx, elt, est, aggR, CVD432, ipaH and eae nucleotide sequences were studied. The presence of totals and thermotolerants coliforms were positive. Analyzing the salinity parameter, a significant increase in total coliforms was observed during the rainy season. We identified the species Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis, Citrobacter freundii, Proteus vulgaris, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Klebsiella ozaenae, Morganella morganii, Enterobacter cloacae and Edwardsiella tarda. Out of the 51 E. coli isolated, two were positive for the elt gene and one was positive for the CVD432 sequence, features of enterotoxigenic and enteroaggregative strains, respectively. This study reveals that the PCM is contaminated by enterobacteria and diarrheagenic E.coli thus providing evidence regarding the risk of these bacteria being carried by ships to other countries, and draws attention to the input of fecal bacteria brought by ships in the port waters of Maranhão.