Dynamics of Vibrio vulnificus in the Neuse River Estuary: Model for Public Health Protection from Multidisciplinary Monitoring Efforts

J. Stephen Fries,  jsfries@email.unc.edu
Institute of Marine Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Morehead City, NC 28557

HW Paerl, hans_paerl@unc.edu
Institute of Marine Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Morehead City, NC 28557

JF Paul, Paul.John@epamail.epa.gov
National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711

ZF Williams
Carolina Environmental Program, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599

JL Hsieh
Institute of Marine Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Morehead City, NC 28557

Rachel T Noble, rtnoble@email.unc.edu
Institute of Marine Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Morehead City, NC 28557


Human activities impact the transport, proliferation, and fate of microbial groups in estuarine environments, which in turn impact human health.  Predictions of pathogen fate and the exposure of local populations are critically linked to their growth and behavior in the ecosystem.  In addition to gradients in salinity and nutrients found in estuaries, these environments are increasingly susceptible to climate-induced perturbations on both short and long time scales (from hurricanes to global warming).  To diagnose the ecosystem components mediating pathogen transport, multidisciplinary efforts are underway to monitor water quality and microbial populations in the Neuse River Estuary (NRE).  In particular, total Vibrio and V. vulnificus have been targeted as potential causes of illness in the watershed and an important group to integrate into environmental models.  Salinity and temperature have proven to be powerful predictors of both total Vibrio and V. vulnificus concentrations in the NRE, however, samples collected during tropical storms and hurricanes have revealed perturbations not accounted for in the models to date.  A likely cause for anomalous concentrations during storms is the resuspension of sediments and nutrients during vertical mixing.  Measurements of particle attachment support this hypothesis and the potential role of sediment reservoirs in sheltering and shifting the Vibrio population in the NRE.  Current work continues the use of novel observation platforms (in-situ samplers and drifters) and genomic techniques to better resolve the Vibrio dynamics.  The ongoing multidisciplinary research produces observations that translate into models for the protection of public health.