First findings of potentially human pathogenic bacteria Vibrio in the south-eastern Baltic Sea coastal and transitional bathing waters.

Abstract

Vibrio spp. are bacteria that inhabit fresh and marine waters throughout the world and can cause severe infections in humans. This study aimed to investigate the presence of potentially pathogenic Vibrio bacteria in the coastal waters of the Lithuanian Baltic Sea and the Curonian Lagoon. The results of cultivation on TCBS media showed that total abundance of Vibrio spp. varied from 1.2 × 102 to 6 × 104 CFU L-1. Real-time PCR revealed that the V. vulnificus vvhA gene varied from 2.8 × 103 to 3.7 × 104 copies L-1, with the highest amounts in sites with average water salinity of 7.1 PSU. Both green and blue-green algae and lower salinity play a role in the growth and spread of total Vibrio spp. Although potential infection risk was low at the time of this study, regular monitoring of Vibrio spp. and infection risk assessments are recommended.