Survival dynamics of cystic fibrosis-related gram-negative bacterial pathogens (Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Burkholderia cenocepacia) in Dead Sea and Atlantic Ocean waters

Michal Shteinberg, Tamar Kis-Papo, Beverley C. Millar, Jacqueline C. Rendall, Damian G. Downey, J. Stuart Elborn, John E. Moore*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

4 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Clinical cystic fibrosis (CF) Pseudomonas aeruginosa (n = 6) and Burkholderia cenocepacia (n = 4) were inoculated in marine brines from the Dead Sea and the Atlantic Ocean and their survival was monitored over a 1 month duration. In Dead Sea samples, all P. aeruginosa and B. cenocepacia isolates were non-detectable by culture following 24 h incubation, including the non-selective enrichment samples. In the Atlantic Ocean brine, over a 1 month period, mean P. aeruginosa counts decreased by only 0.25 log10 units and mean B. cenocepacia counts decreased by approximately 4 log10 units (10,000 cfu/ml). This study demonstrated that Dead Sea brine exerted a lethal effect within 24 h on planktonic P. aeruginosa and B. cenocepacia. Thus, the Dead Sea effectively purges these organisms from its environment on a daily basis.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)773-776
JournalJournal of Water and Health
Volume13
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Sept 2015

Keywords

  • Burkholderia cenocepacia
  • Cystic fibrosis
  • Dead Sea
  • Environmental persistence
  • Microbiology
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa
  • Survival

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Water Science and Technology
  • Waste Management and Disposal
  • Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
  • Microbiology (medical)
  • Infectious Diseases

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