Email: martha@vims.edu Office: Chesapeake Bay Hall, N Phone: (804) 684-7311, 7438

Martha Rhodes Marine Scientist and Instructor, VIMS B.S. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University M.S. Medical College of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University

Research Interests Current Projects Selected Publications

Research Interests

My research interests are focused primarily on public health microbiology as it relates to the estuarine environment.  Emphasis is directed at underestanding the ecology of autochthonous bacteria and viruses in estuarine waters and evaluating new alternative bacterial and viral predictors of pollution to the traditional fecal coliform indicators..  These studies also involve evaluation and modification of detection methods and their use to identify sources of contamination.  Research includes shellfish microbiology and nonpoint pollution. 

A second area of focus is the study of mycobacteriosis in striped bass, Morone saxatilis.  Research includes determining the distribution and prevalence of this disease, development of cultural methods for isolation, characterization of mycobacteria and challenge studies to assess isolate virulence.  Issues relating to human health concerns are also being addressed.

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Current Projects

• Bacterial source tracking of fecal pollution

• Mycobacteriosis in striped bass

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Selected Publications

Rhodes. M. W., H. Kator, S. Kotob, P. van Berkum, I. Kaattari, W. Vogelbein, M. M. Floyd, W. Ray Butler, F. D. Quinn, C. Ottinger, and E. Shotts.  2001.  A unique Mycobacterium species isolated from an epizootic of striped bass.  Emerging Infectious Diseases (in press).  Available online. 

Kator, H. and M. W. Rhodes.  2001.  Elimination of fecal coliforms and FRNA coliphage from oysters (Crassostrea virginica) relaid in floating containers.  J. Food Protect. 64:796-801

Rhodes, M. W. and H. Kator.  1999.  Sorbitol-fermenting bifidobacteria as indicators of diffuse human fecal pollution in estuarine watersheds.  J. Appl. Bact. 87:528-535. 

Vogelbein, W.,  D. E. Zwerner, H. Kator, M. Rhodes, S. Kotob and M. Faisal.  1998.  Mycobacteriosis in stripedbass, Morone saxatilis, from Chesapeake Bay.  Third International Symposium on Aquatic Animal Health.  August 30-September 3, 1998, Baltimore, Maryland.

Rhodes, M. W. and H. Kator.  1997.  Enumeration of Enterococcus sp. using a modified mE method.  J. Appl. Microbiol. 83:120-126.

Rhodes, M. W. and H. Kator.  1994.  Seasonal occurrence of mesophilic Aeromonas spp. as a function of biotype and water quality in temperate freshwater lakes. Water Res. 28:2241-2251.

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