First isolation of Prototheca species in Spain

One-hundred forty samples of waste water were studied in search of algae of the genus Prototheca, that are potentially pathogenic to man. The samples were taken from collector outlets opening onto the Guadelquivir River. Nineteen cultures of Prototheca were isolated and identified as P. wickerhamii 9, P. zopffi 8 and P. stagnore 2. This is the first report of these algae in Spain and it is to be anticipated that these opportunist human pathogens will eventually be found to cause disease in the general population.