FN Archimer Export Format PT J TI Faecal contamination of echinoderms: first report of heavy Escherichia coli loading of sea urchins from a natural growing area BT AF BOUCHOUCHA, Marc PIQUET, Jean-Come CHAVANON, Fabienne DUFRESNE, C. LE GUYADER, Soizick AS 1:1;2:2;3:1;4:3;5:2; FF 1:PDG-ODE-LITTORAL-LERPAC;2:PDG-RBE-SG2M-LSEM;3:PDG-ODE-LITTORAL-LERPAC;4:;5:PDG-RBE-SG2M-LSEM; C1 IFREMER, Lab Environm Ressources Provence Azur Corse, Zone Portuaire Bregaillon CS 20330, F-83500 Seyne Sur Mer, France. IFREMER, LSEM SG2M, Lab Microbiol, Nantes, France. IRSN, La Seyne Sur Mer, France. C2 IFREMER, FRANCE IFREMER, FRANCE IRSN, FRANCE SI TOULON NANTES SE PDG-ODE-LITTORAL-LERPAC PDG-RBE-SG2M-LSEM IN WOS Ifremer jusqu'en 2018 copubli-france IF 1.575 TC 2 UR https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00310/42086/41400.pdf LA English DT Article DE ;E. coli;fecal contamination;mussel;Sea urchin;shellfish monitoring program AB 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. PY 2016 PD FEB SO Letters In Applied Microbiology SN 0266-8254 PU Wiley-blackwell VL 62 IS 2 UT 000368701900001 BP 105 EP 110 DI 10.1111/lam.12524 ID 42086 ER EF