Survival of Microbial Pathogens in the Marine Environment
Abstract
Studies on the virucidal properties of seawater indicate that microbial agents are involved since (a) both autoclaving and filtration remove the activity and (b) the activity can be restored to the filtrate if the filter pads are immersed back in the filtrate. Studies on high temperature (62 C) inactivation indicate that all 3 enteroviruses were inactivated within 30' at pasteurization temperatures. Studies of the effects of temperature and salinity on the survival of three enteric viruses (Poliomyelitis type 1, echovirus-6, and coxsackievirus B-5) under controlled laboratory conditions and in situ indicate that temperature rather than salinity is the critical factor affecting their stability, in that the higher the temperature the more rapid was the loss of viral infectivity. In the laboratory studies all three viruses were quite stable at 4 C, with infectious virus still detectable after 46 weeks of incubation. In situ studies on virus survival in free-flowing estuarine or marine waters showed that, although the viruses were more labile in natural waters than in the laboratory studies, they persisted for several months, in some cases during the winter months. At all tmeperatures and salinities, coxsackievirus B-5 was the most stable, echovirus-6 was intermediate, and poliovirus 1 was the least stable of the viruses tested.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 15, 1976
- Accession Number
- ADA030799
Entities
People
- Frank M. Hetrick
- J. Gilbert
- Rita R. Colwell
- Sam Lo
Organizations
- University of Maryland