Pathogenic Bacterial Strains from a Pristine Mangrove Ecosystem – Virulence determination through biochemical finger printing

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Water samples from the mangrove ecosystem of Poovar, South Kerala, India yielded four colonies of pathogenic strains of bacteria capable of human infection. The isolated colonies were identified on the basis of their morphologic and biochemical profile as Kocuria kristinae, Granulicatella elegans, Acinetobacter iwoffi and Acinetobacter baumannii. The metabolic fingerprints of the isolates reveal the biochemical pathways that were evolved in these isolates, which in turn play a decisive role in the virulence and the invasion ability of the pathogenic bacteria. The metabolic plasticity of these isolates was evident from their enzyme profile. Biochemical fingerprinting of such pathogenic microbes is essential to device controlling strategies for water born contagious infections. The presence and load of such highly virulent pathogenic strains of bacteria in natural ecosystems like the mangroves are alarming, since mangroves are the repositories that replenish the aqua fauna which serves the health and wealth of global mankind. The ability of the pathogenic microbes to survive in this challenging and highly fluctuating environment when read in conjunction with the threat of antibiotic resistance, horizontal gene transfer, co-evolution and guided evolution indicate multiplied risk magnitude in public health. Since mangroves are the first to suffer from urbanization and industrialization at coastal regions, we suggest that the environmental quality of the mangroves must be regularly monitored in order to avoid potential health hazards.