Faecal contamination of echinoderms: first report of heavy Escherichia coli loading of sea urchins from a natural growing area

Type Article
Date 2016-02
Language English
Author(s) Bouchoucha Marc1, Piquet Jean-ComeORCID2, Chavanon Fabienne1, Dufresne C.3, Le Guyader Soizick2
Affiliation(s) 1 : IFREMER, Lab Environm Ressources Provence Azur Corse, Zone Portuaire Bregaillon CS 20330, F-83500 Seyne Sur Mer, France.
2 : IFREMER, LSEM SG2M, Lab Microbiol, Nantes, France.
3 : IRSN, La Seyne Sur Mer, France.
Source Letters In Applied Microbiology (0266-8254) (Wiley-blackwell), 2016-02 , Vol. 62 , N. 2 , P. 105-110
DOI 10.1111/lam.12524
WOS© Times Cited 2
Keyword(s) E. coli, fecal contamination, mussel, Sea urchin, shellfish monitoring program
Abstract Although little evidence existed to support that view, European countries and in particular France, have regarded echinoderms, including sea urchins, as low risk in terms of feacal contamination. It is hypothesized that the sea urchins mode of feeding, which is based on grazing and differs from bivalve molluscs, would prevent it from concentrating high levels of Escherichia coli. Here, we monitored E. coli levels in sea urchins (Paracentrotus lividus) and in filter-feeder mussels (Mytillus galloprovincialis), collected concurrently from the same natural area over a 1-year period to verify this assumption. Sea urchins were collected on the seafloor, whereas mussels were collected from the water column at a depth of 4 m. Our results showed heavy bacterial loading of sea urchins in a natural growing environment. Moreover, we highlighted that E. coli contamination of sea urchins could, in certain conditions, be higher than those detected in filter-feeding mussels collected at the same location. Finally, the results showed a significant correlation between rainfall and E. coli concentrations in sea urchins, suggesting that the bacterial safety of sea urchin could be linked to the quality of the surrounding water.
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Bouchoucha Marc, Piquet Jean-Come, Chavanon Fabienne, Dufresne C., Le Guyader Soizick (2016). Faecal contamination of echinoderms: first report of heavy Escherichia coli loading of sea urchins from a natural growing area. Letters In Applied Microbiology, 62(2), 105-110. Publisher's official version : https://doi.org/10.1111/lam.12524 , Open Access version : https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00310/42086/