FIG. 2.

Enumeration of VBNC V. vulnificus cells from microcosms. Levels of V. vulnificus MO6-24/O (CFU per milliliter) were determined by real-time PCR (R-PCR) and plate count colony hybridizations, as described in the text. Bacterial viability was based on whether cells stained green (viable) or red (nonviable) in the LIVE/DEAD BacLight assay as observed by fluorescence microscopy. Total direct counts of cells per milliliter (AODC) were made by enumeration of cells stained with acridine orange. Standard deviations of the values obtained from these assays ranged from 0 to 0.5 log CFU ml⁻¹ for duplicate microcosms.