The Prevalence of Bacteria Commonly Related to the Production of Mussels and Oysters in Saldanha Bay

Bivalve molluscs are a good source of high quality protein and perform important ecological functions. Their ability to bioaccumulate materials in their soft tissues makes them suitable aquatic species for biomonitoring of environmental conditions. The discharge of treated and untreated sewage into the bivalve-growing areas is a concern. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of bacterial microbiota in shellfish farms in Saldanha Bay harbour using pathogens commonly associated with shellfish-related foodborne disease outbreaks. Seawater and mussel samples were collected from five sampling points located in three sampling locations. Oyster samples were collected from the harbour deck immediately after harvesting by the farmers. The most probable number (MPN) method was used to enumerate E. coli and faecal coliforms. Cultural methods were used for the detection of Salmonella and Vibrio spp. The E. coli concentrations for 15 March and 14 July are <0.18 MPN/100 ml at all sampling sites and for 25 August, <0.18 MPN/100 ml for all sampling sites except sampling site SP2 (0.2 MPN/100 ml). Spikes were observed on the total MPN counts in winter. Salmonella and Vibrio spp. were not detected. However, other bacterial species were identified through their phenotypic profile using the VITEK 2 system. Based on the low E. coli-MPN concentrations, the study concluded that the molluscs were safe for human consumption. Further studies need to be conducted on the bacterial species identified.