Bactérias entéricas presentes em amostras de água e camarão marinho Litopenaeus vannamei oriundos de fazendas de cultivo no estado do Ceará, Brasil.

Abstract

Samples of water (n = 28) and Litopenaeus vannamei (n = 28) from two shrimp farms in Ceará state, Brazil were evaluated for total coliforms (TC), total thermotolerant coliforms (TTC), coliform species diversity and Salmonella. No water sample presented TTC levels above the maximum level (2,500 MPN/100 mL) established by regulation for brackish water aquaculture producing seafood for human consumption. The most probable number (MPN) of TTC in shrimp samples ranged from <3 to 2.9 x 104 CFU/g. The coliform species most frequently isolated from water and shrimp was Escherichia coli. Only three (5.35%) of the 56 samples tested were positive for Salmonella (Newport and Saintpaul serovars). In spite of the low TTC levels observed, the presence of potentially pathogenic enteric bacteria in shrimp culture is a disquieting finding.