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Strategies for recovering of planktonic and sessile cells of Escherichia coli O157:H7 from freshwater environment

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Abstract

The experiments were performed with Escherichia coli O157:H7 EDL 933 in freshwater microcosms at 12 °C. At 35, 45, and 70 days, samples were taken and filtered through 0.45 μm membrane filters. The following alternatives were tested to evaluate the recovery percentage of injured cells: (1) selective media CHROMagar™O157 and chromID™O157:H7 agar, at 37 °C for 24 h; (2) tryptic soy agar supplemented with yeast extract (TSAE), incubated at 25 °C for 2 or 4 h, then transferred to CHROMagar™O157 or chromID™O157:H7 agar at 37 °C (TSAE2h-CHROM, TSAE4h-CHROM and TSAE2h-ID, TSAE4h-ID); (3) thin agar layer (TAL) method, TSAE was overlaid on CHROMagar™O157 or chromID™O157:H7 agar (TALCHROM and TALID, respectively) and incubated at 37 °C for 24 h; and (4) TALCHROM at 25 °C for 4 h, then continued up to complete 24 h at 37 °C (TALCHROM4h). Furthermore, the recovery of E. coli O157:H7 cells adhering to glass coverslips were evaluated to mimic biofilm conditions. The recovery percentages obtained from each alternative were calculated relative to TSAE counts. After 70 days, TSAE4h-CHROM and TALCHROM4h showed the highest recovery percentage (>90 %) from water microcosms. Despite the improved recovery of cell adhering to glass surfaces, the percentages obtained with TSAE4h-CHROM were low. Further studies for the recovery of biofilm-forming E. coli O157:H7 are required. Pre-incubation on TSAE at 25 °C for 4 h, combined with CHROMagar™O157, or by thin agar layer method (TALCHROM) enhanced significantly the recovery of viable cells of E. coli O157:H7 after prolonged stay in water microcosms.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Secretaría de Ciencia y Tecnología de la Universidad Nacional del Sur, Argentina (PGI 24/B219). The comments of the anonymous reviewers were appreciated.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional del Sur, San Juan 670, 8000, Bahía Blanca, Argentina

    Patricia L. Marucci & María A. Cubitto

  2. Centro de Recursos Naturales Renovables de la Zona Semiárida (CERZOS, UNS–CONICET), Bahía Blanca, Argentina

    María A. Cubitto

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  1. Patricia L. Marucci
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  2. María A. Cubitto
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Correspondence to María A. Cubitto.

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Marucci, P.L., Cubitto, M.A. Strategies for recovering of planktonic and sessile cells of Escherichia coli O157:H7 from freshwater environment. Environ Monit Assess 188, 432 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-016-5434-9

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