Bacteria and free-living amoeba in the Lascaux Cave

Author

Fabiola Bastian
Claude Alabouvette
Cesareo Saiz-Jimenez

Files

Publication Date

October 2008

Abstract

The Lascaux Cave was discovered in 1940, and by 1960 it had received up to 1800 daily visitors. In 1963, the cave was closed and in 2001 it was invaded by a Fusarium solani species complex which was treated for four years with benzalkonium chloride. However, Lascaux Cave bacteria have only been poorly investigated. Here we show that the cave is now a reservoir of potential pathogenic bacteria and protozoa which can be found in outbreaks linked to air-conditioning systems and cooling towers in community hospitals and public buildings.

Keywords

Lascaux Cave, Benzalkonium Chloride, Bacteria, Protozoa, Pathogens

Document Type

Article

Identifier

SFS0073146_00001

Recommended Citation

Bastian, Fabiola; Alabouvette, Claude; and Saiz-Jimenez, Cesareo, "Bacteria and free-living amoeba in the Lascaux Cave" (2008). KIP Articles. 489.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/kip_articles/489