Aspectos microbiológicos de águas estuarinas nos estados do Rio Grande do Norte e Ceará

Abstract

Microbiological aspects as to quality of estuarine waters of Jaguaribe River (Ceará State), and Curimataú and Açu Rivers (Rio Grande do Norte State) were assessed by means of the estimation of fecal and total coliforms, vibrios and salmonelas. The most coliform-infected sites were found to be points 5 and 7 at Jaguaribe River, points 1, 3, 6, 3 and 7 at Açu River and points 1, 3 and 4 at Curimatú River. Several serovars of Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica were detected in those estuaries. The Vibrio species isolated were V. carchariae, V. alginolyticus and non-O1, non-O139 V. cholerae, at Jaguaribe River; non-O1, non-O139 V. cholerae, V. alginolyticus and V. parahaemolyticus, at Açu River; and V. parahaemolyticus, V. cholerae non-O1, non-O139, V. vulnifi cus, V. harveyi, V. alginolyticus and V. mimicus, at Curimataú River. The results of this research should be used as background information to health-oriented policies through programs meant for sanitary education as a fi rst step towards establishing an effi cient system of basic sanitation in the region.