• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.143-150
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• 1998

Characteristics and distribution of the natural commensal flora in the surrounding environment and tissues of clam in Hadong area were studied under varying conditions of growth media and incubation temperatures. Total numbers of bacteria present in intestinal tract, gill, body fluid and surrounding mud were found to be not influenced by the used BHIA, STA and SNA media. Although the growth rate of bacteria at the condition of $15^{\circ}C$ incubation temperature was slower than that of $25^{\circ}C$ and $35^{\circ}C$, it showed the highest number of total bacteria compared with other two different conditions of incubation temperature. Interestingly, the proportion of bacteria able to form colony on several selective media was higher in replica analysis from nutrient media to selective media than that in direct smearing from samples. The generic diversity of bacteria isolated from the tissues and analyzed by API 20E and API 20NE kit showed similar pattern with each other and distinct from that of environment. The distribution of bacteria in the surrounding mud or mantle fluid of clam indicated a high diversity comparable to that found for the gill or intestinal tract microflora, with Pseudomonas being the prevalent group. It implies that the tissues of clam may probide a selective habitat for a commensal microflora.