Indicator organisms for estuarine and marine waters

Elliot, Elisa L.; Colwell, Rita R.

doi:10.1111/j.1574-6968.1985.tb01183.x

Cited by 51 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 146 publications

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“…The lack of correlation between bacterial indicator levels and levels of human-pathogenic viruses has been observed in previous studies (8,9) and demonstrates the value of the multitiered approach used here for source identification. For example, analysis of wild shellfish from the Atlantic coast of France indicated no significant correlation between fecal coliforms and enteroviruses or hepatitis A virus (26,27), and viruses have sometimes been found in oysters without coliform contamination (15,45).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 84%

Multitiered Approach Using Quantitative PCR To Track Sources of Fecal Pollution Affecting Santa Monica Bay, California

Noble

Griffith

Fuhrman

et al. 2006

Appl Environ Microbiol

127

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The ubiquity of fecal indicator bacteria such as Escherichia coli and Enterococcus spp. in urban environments makes tracking of fecal contamination extremely challenging. A multitiered approach was used to assess sources of fecal pollution in Ballona Creek, an urban watershed that drains to the Santa Monica Bay (SMB) near Los Angeles, Calif. A mass-based design at six main-stem sites and four major tributaries over a 6-h period was used (i) to assess the flux of Enterococcus spp. and E. coli by using culture-based methods (tier 1); (ii) to assess levels of Enterococcus spp. by using quantitative PCR and to detect and/or quantify additional markers of human fecal contamination, including a human-specific Bacteroides sp. marker and enterovirus, using quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR (tier 2); and (iii) to assess the specific types of enterovirus genomes found via sequence analysis (tier 3). Sources of fecal indicator bacteria were ubiquitous, and concentrations were high, throughout Ballona Creek, with no single tributary dominating fecal inputs. The flux of Enterococcus spp. and E. coli averaged 10 9 to 10 10 cells h ؊1 and was as high at the head of the watershed as at the mouth prior to discharge into the SMB. In addition, a signal for the human-specific Bacteroides marker was consistently detected: 86% of the samples taken over the extent during the study period tested positive. Enteroviruses were quantifiable in 14 of 36 samples (39%), with the highest concentrations at the site furthest upstream (Cochran). These results indicated the power of using multiple approaches to assess and quantify fecal contamination in freshwater conduits to high-use, high-priority recreational swimming areas.The Santa Monica Bay (SMB), California, is home to some of the most popular beaches in the world. It is located adjacent to metropolitan Los Angeles, and more than 50 million beachgoers visit SMB shorelines every year-more than those visiting all other beaches in California combined (38). However, there are serious concerns about beach water quality because of continued exceedances of water quality thresholds based on fecal indicator bacteria such as total coliforms, fecal coliforms, or Escherichia coli and Enterococcus spp., particularly in areas impacted by urban runoff. Thirteen percent of the shoreline mile-days in the SMB exceeded water quality thresholds between 1995 and 2000, with over 50% of these exceedances located near storm drains (37). The public health risk associated with urban runoff has been directly demonstrated through epidemiology studies. Haile et al. (19) demonstrated that swimmers near storm drain discharges in the SMB had a higher likelihood of respiratory and/or gastrointestinal symptoms than swimmers more than 400 m from a storm drain.Despite the impairment of water quality and risks to human health, identification and elimination of the sources of bacteria responsible for the beach warnings remain elusive. The difficulty in identifying and eliminating the sources of bacteria results from thre...

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 84%

Multitiered Approach Using Quantitative PCR To Track Sources of Fecal Pollution Affecting Santa Monica Bay, California

Noble

Griffith

Fuhrman

et al. 2006

Appl Environ Microbiol

127

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“…Consequently, considerable interest has been shown in the fate of enteric bacteria in natural and drinking waters (McFeters & Stuart, 1972 ;Davenport et al 1976 ;Xu et al, 1982 ;Elliot & Colwell, 1985 ;Grimes et al ., 1986 ;Rhodes & Kator, 1988 ;Gonzalez et al, 1992) .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The fate of enteric bacteria in natural waters is affected by factors such as light (Fujioka et al, 1981 ;Elliot & Colwell, 1985 ; Barcina et al ., 1986Barcina et al ., , 1989Barcina et al ., , 1991, protistan predation (Enzinger &Cooper, 1976 ;McCambridge & McMeekin, 1979, 1980Anderson et al, 1983 ;Mallory et al, 1983 ;Rhodes & Kator, 1988; Barcina et al, 1989Barcina et al, , 1991Gonzalez et al ., 1992), temperature (Verstraete & Voets, 1976 ;McCambridge & McMeekin, 1979 ;Anderson et al, 1983 ;Gameson, 1984 ;Barcina et al, 1986Barcina et al, , 1991 and other physical and chemical parameters (Davenport et al, 1976 ;Dawe & Penrose, 1978 ;Xu et al, 1982 ;Anderson et al, 1983 ;Elliot & Colwell, 1985 ;Grimes et al, 1986 ;Gonzalez et al, 1992) . Due to these factors, the number of enteric bacteria in natural waters decreases over time .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Modelling enteric bacteria survival in aquatic systems

González

1995

Hydrobiologia

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“…This implies that the indicator will have the same source specificity as pathogens, be easy to detect, and exhibit similar but superior survival characteristics (Elliot & Colwell 1985). Many microorganisms have been suggested as potential indicators and the topic has been reviewed by several authors, including Cabelli (1978) and Stanfield (1985).…”

Section: Faecal Streptococci As Indicators In Recreational Watersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Faecal streptococci as faecal pollution indicators: A review. Part II: Sanitary significance, survival, and use

Sinton

Donnison²,

Hastie

1993

New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research

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Some New Zealand regional councils are examining the use of faecal streptococci (or the subset, enterococci) to assist in identifying pollution sources, or as better indicators of disease risk in bathing waters than faecal coliforms. However, in spite of worldwide investigation, faecal streptococci have largely failed to fulfil their potential as pollution source (human versus animal) indicators in receiving waters. Many qualifications accompany the use of faecal coliform : faecal streptococci (FC : FS) ratios, and the species identification approach (using biochemical and DNA-based methods) has produced inconclusive results. Nevertheless, the FC : FS shift method (in which the ratio changes under sample storage) may M92025 Received 6 May 1992 ; accepted 18 January 1993 warrant further investigation. Although reported results vary widely, most studies indicate that faecal streptococci outlive faecal coliforms in receiving waters and are more resistant to sunlight-induced inactivation. USEPA epidemiological studies showed that enterococcus concentrations were better correlated than faecal conform concentrations with disease risk associated with bathing in sewage-polluted waters. These results, which implied that the enterococci better represented viral hazard, led the USEPA to recommend the use of enterococci (or Escherichia coli in freshwaters) as bathing water quality indicators. These recommendations have largely been followed in provisional New Zealand Department of Health guidelines. However, adoption of the USEPA criteria should be approached cautiously, because of doubts about their epidemiological applicability in New Zealand, and a lack of information about streptococcal concentrations and species profiles in local effluents and receiving waters.

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Indicator organisms for estuarine and marine waters

Cited by 51 publications

References 146 publications

Multitiered Approach Using Quantitative PCR To Track Sources of Fecal Pollution Affecting Santa Monica Bay, California

Multitiered Approach Using Quantitative PCR To Track Sources of Fecal Pollution Affecting Santa Monica Bay, California

Modelling enteric bacteria survival in aquatic systems

Faecal streptococci as faecal pollution indicators: A review. Part II: Sanitary significance, survival, and use

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