Bacterial microflora in the contents of Baltic herring (Clupea harengus) intestinal tracts during spawning in the polluted Vistula Lagoon
Bulletin of the Sea Fisheries Institute 3 (154) 2001, pp. 83-90

Izabella Zmysłowska
University of Warmia and Mazury, Prawocheńskiego 1, 10-957 Olsztyn, Poland

Key words: Baltic Sea, Vistula Lagoon, bacteria, water, herring, intestinal tract

Abstract.
Quantitative investigations revealed that bacteria incubated on a common agar medium at temperatures of 20°C (TVC 20°C) and 37°C (TVC 37°C) occurred in the ranges of 3,800 to 18,300 and from 900 to 6,700 cfu in 1 ml of Vistula Lagoon water, respectively. The same bacteria groups identified in herring intestinal tract contents varied from 4,210 to 37,700 (TVC 20°C) and 950 to 28,840 (TVC 37°C) cfu/g.
Qualitative investigations revealed a similar composition of bacteria in water and intestinal tract contents. The following bacteria were confirmed in both environments: Vibrio, Pseudomonas, Aeromonas, Enterobacter, Escherichia, Streptococcus and Staphylococcus. Bacillus and Micrococcus occurred only in the water.