Download The San Pedro Riparian Area

The San Pedro
Riparian Area
A Microbiological Overview
The San Pedro Riparian area is located
in the Southeastern quadrant of the state.
Encompassing more than 250 square miles,
and four major communities.
The San Pedro River runs South to North,
across the state line into Arizona, from
Mexico.
Water is present high in the water table,
above ground throughout the year in many
places.
Plants along the river provide numerous
benefits to the river and environment for
a great diversity of life.
Issues in the Area:
Erosion
Sedimentation
Loss of native
vegetation and
denitrifying
plants.
Several native species are
Endangered and rely on the
San Pedro for survival.
Excess use of fertilizers affect:
Long Fin Dace
Desert Pup Fish
Colorado River Toad- definitely not
Endangered but fun to watch.
Bacteria are ubiquitous in the
environment. They are the most numerous
organism on Earth.
Bacteria occur on all surfaces and in
water. Bacteria are also found in soil.
Mesquite bosques are very beneficial, harboring denitrifying microbes in
their root systems. They are not alone. Cottonwoods and grasses are
beneficial as well.
Denitrification in bacteria:
This slide shows how nitrate penetrates cell membranes in microbes and is
Reduced ultimately to nitrogen gas.
Riparian Filter
Use of buffer systems and
strips can greatly benefit water
systems by filtering and
denitrifying soil and water
careful planting of native species
and denitrifying species are
helpful.
Riparian Buffer
Change to use of new fertilizers
Carbomate based and organophosphates.
Use of biological controls
land use management- grazing
changes and crop rotation.
Very little microbiological testing of the water
in the San Pedro has been done to date.
Hydro Lab are used for collecting data
about water such as:
Conductivity
Turbidity
pH
Temperature
Dissolved Oxygen
Collilert testing is used to determine
and quantify the number of coliform
Bacteria present in water samples.
Yellow indicates a positive cell.
Viruses are present in water and can be
detrimental to humans and animals.
Polio-paralysis
Hepatitis A- liver dysfunction
Calici virus-cats
Echo virus -heart
Norwalk virus-flu-like
Dengue
Adenovirus-respiratory
Yellow Fever
Coxsackie virus-Conjunctivitis
West Nile
Rota virus –Diarrhea (children)
Many illnesses in humans and animals are caused by viruses and by
vectors associated with water such as; mosquitoes.
Esherichia coli
Escherichia coli also known as
E.Coli is often found in water. It is
used as an indicator for water quality
and safety. Most often it is from human
Or animal feces either directly deposited
into the water system or from run off.
infections from E.coli cause severe
diarrhea, high fever, and some strains
can cause renal failure.
Salmonella typhi
A close relative to
E.coli. Salmonella also
causes severe gastric
upset.
Other symptoms include explosive
Diarrhea and vomiting.
Dehydration is often a result. In some
Cases death can occur in old and very
young victims. Symptoms last 1-3 days.
Salmonella is associated with food
poisoning and is carried in feces
by cattle and fowl. It is also carried by
wild birds, and amphibians; snakes, lizards, turtles and frogs.
Legionella
Legionella is found in water treated and untreated.
It is commonly found in hospitals and in areas
That are aeorsolized such as showers, sprinkler
And misting systems.
When inhaled it causes severe respiratory
Infections and can be fatal to those with immune
Deficiencies.
Legionella was found in the UMC shower system
Several years ago and caused a great deal of
Illness within the hospital.
Shigella dysentariae
Shigella is associated with water and
food born outbreaks
Most often it is a problem in third world countries.
It causes life threatening diarrhea and
dehydration by disrupting intestinal fluid balance.
Often results in hospitalization and is treated with
antibiotics.
Infectious dose is very low and takes only eight
organisms to promote a very nasty result.
Clostridia
Clostridium botulinum and tetani
Are found in both soil and water.
Both produce an endotoxin which
Are very powerful and cause life
Threatening disease.
C. botulinum causes botulism.
Often found in canned vegetables
due to soil particles introduced
during the canning
process.
C. tetani causes
Tetanus, resulting in
Rigid paralysis and
Death once advanced.
Both are spore producers.
Leptospira
Found in streams and pond and water
systems where large mammals such as
deer are present. Transmitted via urine, when
ingested it produces a febrile condition and
hides and becomes undetectable to the immune
system. If not treated with antibiotics it can
resurface and cause kidney failure. Can be
fatal.
Leptospira is a spirokete and is
very motile, able to work it’s way
through the digestive system tissues
and into the circulatory system on it’s
way to the kidneys. Keep your mouth
closed if you fall in a river!
COWS!!
Cattle present a problem in more ways
than grazing down foliage in a riparian
area. They can carry Cryptosporidium
Spp. in their feces and transmit it to
humans and other mammals ,and birds.
Cryptosporidium causes gastric distress,
diarrhea, and cramping. It is self limiting and
usually last approximately 2 weeks.
It can be fatal to immune compromised
individuals and to at risk groups. Dehydration
is the major cause of death. There is no
antibiotic treatment for this organism.
Giardia Lamblia
Carried by beavers, dogs,
and other small mammals,
This parasite is difficult to
Treat and may require 2 to
3 rounds of antibiotics.
Infection symptoms include
Diarrhea, bloody stool,
Often lasting for months.
The parasite lives in
the intestine and
attaches its self via a
sucker-like structure
mn its underside. It is
Motile and can migrate
throughout the gut.
Naegleria fowleri
Found in hot springs
and warm bodies of
water, Naegleria lives
at the surface air/water
interface and is motile in its
flagellate stage.
It can be contracted by humans via
the nasal cavity following immersion
in an infected body of water. The
parasite becomes a motile amoeba
In the nose and travels through the
sinuses to the brain to cause meningitis
and ultimately death within 3-5 days
if untreated.
Young children and older individuals
are most susceptible.
Acanthamoeba:
Present in tap
water and natural
bodies of water.
This critter causes
some very alarming disturbance to eyes
and mucus membranes. Usually contracted
by swimming in lakes and other bodies of
water that are infected. The amoeba works
its way into the mucoid tissue and travels
as it multiplies thru the cornea of the eye.
The cornea is scleritized forming a false
Cataract. Contact wearers are most susceptible.
Precautions:
Don’t drink untreated water while camping.
Wash fruits and vegetables in chlorine treated water before eating.
Wash your hands frequently.
Wear insect repellent.
Don’t wash contacts in tap water.
Be sure that your vaccines for childhood diseases are up to date.
Don’t swim or dive into warm pools of water that are untreated.
Never put your head under in a natural warm spring or hot pool.
If you do feel ill following activities in natural waters or after camping
Seek medical attention as soon as possible.
The life you save may be your own.