Abstract
Investigation was carried out to see the association of Vibrio cholerae O139 with Anabaena variabilis, in four different types of water. Conventional media were used to count culturable bacteria while epi fluorescence microscopy to count the viable but non culturable (VBNC) V. cholerae O139. It was found that the culturable form of V. cholerae O139 found 9 days in the control artificial sea water and 4 days in river water and BOD dilution water. However, in association with A. variabilis, culturable form was found for 6 days in artificial sea water, 4 days in distilled water, 1 day in BOD dilution water, 4 days in river water. The bacterial count of surrounding water decreased inversely with the bacterial count in association with algae. Among these four microcosm water, associations of V. cholerae O139 with algae was higher in artificial sea water. In control water of four microcosms, direct viable count (DVC) gradually decreased with time. In association with algae the DVC increased after some time then reached a peak in 4-8 days depending on the types of water. The epi fluorescence microscopy indicated that V. cholerae O139 survived for more than one month in association with algae. Present study demonstrated that survival of V. cholerae O139 appears to get advantages in association with A. variabilis in different types of water.
Highlights
Cholera which is a major public-health problem in developing countries, caused by infection of the intestine with toxigenic Vibrio cholerae[1]
During interepedemic period V. cholerae cannot be cultured from the surface water whereas in epidemic season it can be isolated from the patient body as well as from surface water [4]
The A. variabilis belonging to the phylum Cyanophyta, used in this study was initially collected from the department of Botany, Bangladesh, DU, Bangladesh and maintained as pure culture for long time at Enviromental Microbiology Lab of ICDDR,B, Dhaka.For the current study algae was used from this stock culture and all experiments were conducted at International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh ( ICDDR,B)
Summary
Cholera which is a major public-health problem in developing countries, caused by infection of the intestine with toxigenic Vibrio cholerae[1]. Cholera is endemic in Bangladesh and maintains a regular seasonal pattern[3]. In this country, cholera epidemics occur twice every year, the highest peak during post monsoon (September-January) and second smaller peak during pre monsoon (March-May). The rest of the non O1 and non O139 serogroups of V. cholerae do not have epidemic and pandemic potential[8] They are known to cause sporadic or small outbreaks of diarrhoea and extra intestinal infections[9]. Artificial sea water, distilled water, river water and BOD dilution water If this virulent agent of cholera has got broad spectrum survival, it would have a greater potency of availability in nature; this would help in public health safety. River water was collected from Dhonagoda river of Matlab, Bangladesh
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