OCCURRENCE AND DISTRIBUTION OF VIBRIO SPECIES IN A TROPICAL LAGOON (GRAND-LAHOU LAGOON, C TE D’IVOIRE, WEST AFRICA)

This study was carried out to investigate the occurrence and distribution of Vibrio species in a tropical lagoon of Grand-Lahou. A total of 130 water samples were collected from June 2003 to June 2004 and analyzed by the membrane filtration technique. Presumptive Vibrio colonies were isolated and identified to species level using a gallery of biochemical and differential tests. V. vulnificus was the most predominant species isolated (37%) followed by V. alginolyticus (31%), V. cholerae (14%), V. fluvialis (13%) and V. parahaemolyticus (4%). All the Vibrio species isolated were found to occur at a wide range of salinities (from 0 to 34 parts per thousand (p.p.t)). The results of this study demonstrated the presence of potentially pathogenic Vibrio species in the Grand-Lahou waters. These findings indicate the potential sanitary risk associated with the presence of potentially pathogenic Vibrio species in this lagoon.