scholarly journals Differential Decay of Enterococci and Escherichia coli Originating from Two Fecal Pollution Sources

2013 ◽  
Vol 79 (7) ◽  
pp. 2488-2492 ◽  
Author(s):  
Asja Korajkic ◽  
Brian R. McMinn ◽  
Valerie J. Harwood ◽  
Orin C. Shanks ◽  
G. Shay Fout ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Fecal Indicator Bacteria ◽  
Fecal Pollution ◽  
Pollution Sources ◽  
Indicator Bacteria ◽  
Fecal Indicator ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Marine Habitats ◽  
Aquatic Mesocosms

ABSTRACTUsingin situsubtropical aquatic mesocosms, fecal source (cattle manure versus sewage) was shown to be the most important contributor to differential loss in viability of fecal indicator bacteria (FIB), specifically enterococci in freshwater andEscherichia coliin marine habitats. In this study, sunlight exposure and indigenous aquatic microbiota were also important contributors, whose effects on FIB also differed between water types.

scholarly journals Poikilothermic Animals as a Previously Unrecognized Source of Fecal Indicator Bacteria in a Backwater Ecosystem of a Large River

2018 ◽  
Vol 84 (16) ◽  
Author(s):  
Christina Frick ◽  
Julia Vierheilig ◽  
Rita Linke ◽  
Domenico Savio ◽  
Horst Zornig ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Clostridium Perfringens ◽  
Fecal Indicator Bacteria ◽  
Indicator Bacteria ◽  
Primary Sources ◽  
Fecal Indicator ◽  
Content Type ◽  
E Coli ◽  
High Concentrations ◽  
Intestinal Enterococci

ABSTRACTQuantitative information regarding the presence ofEscherichia coli, intestinal enterococci, andClostridium perfringensin poikilotherms is notably scarce. Therefore, this study was designed to allow a systematic comparison of the occurrence of these standard fecal indicator bacteria (SFIB) in the excreta of wild homeothermic (ruminants, boars, carnivores, and birds) and poikilothermic (earthworms, gastropods, frogs, and fish) animals inhabiting an alluvial backwater area in eastern Austria. With the exception of earthworms, the average concentrations ofE. coliand enterococci in the excreta of poikilotherms were equal to or only slightly lower than those observed in homeothermic excreta and were 1 to 4 orders of magnitude higher than the levels observed in the ambient soils and sediments. Enterococci reached extraordinarily high concentrations in gastropods. Additional estimates of the daily excreted SFIB (E. coliand enterococcus) loads (DESL) further supported the importance of poikilotherms as potential pollution sources. The newly established DESL metric also allowed comparison to the standing stock of SFIB in the sediment and soil of the investigated area. In agreement with its biological characteristics, the highest concentrations ofC. perfringenswere observed in carnivores. In conclusion, the long-standing hypothesis that only humans and homeothermic animals are primary sources of SFIB is challenged by the results of this study. It may be necessary to extend the fecal indicator concept by additionally considering poikilotherms as potential important primary habitats of SFIB. Further studies in other geographical areas are needed to evaluate the general significance of our results. We hypothesize that the importance of poikilotherms as sources of SFIB is strongly correlated with the ambient temperature and would therefore be of increased significance in subtropical and tropical habitats and water resources.IMPORTANCEThe current fecal indicator concept is based on the assumption that the standard fecal indicator bacteria (SFIB)Escherichia coli, intestinal enterococci, andClostridium perfringensmultiply significantly only in the guts of humans and other homeothermic animals and can therefore indicate fecal pollution and the potential presence of pathogens from those groups. The findings of the present study showed that SFIB can also occur in high concentrations in poikilothermic animals (i.e., animals with body temperatures that vary with the ambient environmental temperature, such as fish, frogs, and snails) in an alluvial backwater area in a temperate region, indicating that a reconsideration of this long-standing indicator paradigm is needed. This study suggests that poikilotherms must be considered to be potential primary sources of SFIB in future studies.

scholarly journals Distribution of Genetic Marker Concentrations for Fecal Indicator Bacteria in Sewage and Animal Feces

2012 ◽  
Vol 78 (12) ◽  
pp. 4225-4232 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine A. Kelty ◽  
Manju Varma ◽  
Mano Sivaganesan ◽  
Richard A. Haugland ◽  
Orin C. Shanks
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Genetic Markers ◽  
Animal Species ◽  
Fecal Indicator Bacteria ◽  
The United States ◽  
Pollution Sources ◽  
Indicator Bacteria ◽  
Fecal Indicator ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Animal Feces

ABSTRACTVery little is known about the density and distribution of fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) genetic markers measured by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) in fecal pollution sources. Before qPCR-based FIB technologies can be applied to waste management and public health risk applications, it is vital to characterize the concentrations of these genetic markers in pollution sources (i.e., untreated wastewater and animal feces). We report the distribution of rRNA genetic markers for several general FIB groups, includingClostridiumspp.,Escherichia coli, enterococci, andBacteroidales, as determined by qPCR on reference collections consisting of 54 primary influent sewage samples collected from treatment facilities across the United States and fecal samples representing 20 different animal species. Based on raw sewage sample collection data, individual FIB genetic markers exhibited a remarkable similarity in concentration estimates from locations across the United States ranging from Hawaii to Florida. However, there was no significant correlation between genetic markers for most FIB combinations (P> 0.05). In addition, large differences (up to 5 log10copies) in the abundance of FIB genetic markers were observed between animal species, emphasizing the importance of indicator microorganism selection and animal source contribution for future FIB applications.

scholarly journals Lack of Direct Effects of Agrochemicals on Zoonotic Pathogens and Fecal Indicator Bacteria

2012 ◽  
Vol 78 (22) ◽  
pp. 8146-8150 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zachery R. Staley ◽  
Jacob K. Senkbeil ◽  
Jason R. Rohr ◽  
Valerie J. Harwood
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Enterococcus Faecalis ◽  
Salmonella Enterica ◽  
Fecal Indicator Bacteria ◽  
Indicator Bacteria ◽  
Direct Effects ◽  
Fecal Indicator ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Zoonotic Pathogens ◽  
Human Polyomaviruses

ABSTRACTAgrochemicals, fecal indicator bacteria (FIB), and pathogens frequently contaminate water simultaneously. No significant direct effects of fertilizer, atrazine, malathion, and chlorothalonil on the survival ofEscherichia coli,Enterococcus faecalis,Salmonella enterica, human polyomaviruses, and adenovirus were detected, supporting the assertion that previously observed effects of agrochemicals on FIB were indirect.

scholarly journals Bacteriophages as Fecal Pollution Indicators

Viruses ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 1089
Author(s):  
Daniel Toribio-Avedillo ◽  
Anicet R. Blanch ◽  
Maite Muniesa ◽  
Lorena Rodríguez-Rubio
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Risk Assessment ◽  
Fecal Indicator Bacteria ◽  
Fate And Transport ◽  
Fecal Pollution ◽  
Indicator Bacteria ◽  
Fecal Indicator ◽  
Viral Pathogen ◽  
Viral Indicators ◽  
Potential Use

Bacteriophages are promising tools for the detection of fecal pollution in different environments, and particularly for viral pathogen risk assessment. Having similar morphological and biological characteristics, bacteriophages mimic the fate and transport of enteric viruses. Enteric bacteriophages, especially phages infecting Escherichia coli (coliphages), have been proposed as alternatives or complements to fecal indicator bacteria. Here, we provide a general overview of the potential use of enteric bacteriophages as fecal and viral indicators in different environments, as well as the available methods for their detection and enumeration, and the regulations for their application.

scholarly journals Depth-Dependent Survival of Escherichia coli and Enterococci in Soil after Manure Application and Simulated Rainfall

2015 ◽  
Vol 81 (14) ◽  
pp. 4801-4808 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. D. Stocker ◽  
Y. A. Pachepsky ◽  
R. L. Hill ◽  
D. R. Shelton
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Fecal Indicator Bacteria ◽  
Indicator Bacteria ◽  
Initial Growth ◽  
Bacterial Survival ◽  
Fecal Indicator ◽  
Manure Application ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
Content Type ◽  
E Coli

ABSTRACTOnce released, manure-borne bacteria can enter runoff via interaction with the thin mixing layer near the soil surface. The objectives of this work were to document temporal changes in profile distributions of manure-borneEscherichia coliand enterococci in the near-surface soil layers after simulated rainfalls and to examine differences in survival of the two fecal indicator bacteria. Rainfall simulations were performed in triplicate on soil-filled boxes with grass cover and solid manure application for 1 h with rainfall depths of 30, 60, and 90 mm. Soil samples were collected weekly from depth ranges of 0 to 1, 1 to 2, 2 to 5, and 5 to 10 cm for 1 month. Rainfall intensity was found to have a significant impact on the initial concentrations of fecal indicator bacteria in the soil. While total numbers of enterococci rapidly declined over time,E. colipopulations experienced initial growth with concentration increases of 4, 10, and 25 times the initial levels at rainfall treatment depths of 30, 60, and 90 mm, respectively.E. colipopulations grew to the approximately the same level in all treatments. The 0- to 1-cm layer contained more indicator bacteria than the layers beneath it, and survival of indicator bacteria was better in this layer, with decimation times between 12 and 18 days after the first week of growth. The proportion of bacteria in the 0- to 1-cm layer grew with time as the total number of bacteria in the 0- to 10-cm layer declined. The results of this work indicate the need to revisit the bacterial survival patterns that are assumed in water quality models.

scholarly journals Decay of Fecal Indicator Bacterial Populations and Bovine-Associated Source-Tracking Markers in Freshly Deposited Cow Pats

2013 ◽  
Vol 80 (1) ◽  
pp. 110-118 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adelumola Oladeinde ◽  
Thomas Bohrmann ◽  
Kelvin Wong ◽  
S. T. Purucker ◽  
Ken Bradshaw ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Decay Rate ◽  
Fecal Indicator Bacteria ◽  
Decay Rates ◽  
Indicator Bacteria ◽  
Source Tracking ◽  
Fecal Indicator ◽  
Bacterial Populations ◽  
Content Type ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Decay Dynamic

ABSTRACTUnderstanding the survival of fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) and microbial source-tracking (MST) markers is critical to developing pathogen fate and transport models. Although pathogen survival in water microcosms and manure-amended soils is well documented, little is known about their survival in intact cow pats deposited on pastures. We conducted a study to determine decay rates of fecal indicator bacteria (Escherichia coliand enterococci) and bovine-associated MST markers (CowM3, Rum-2-bac, and GenBac) in 18 freshly deposited cattle feces from three farms in northern Georgia. Samples were randomly assigned to shaded or unshaded treatment in order to determine the effects of sunlight, moisture, and temperature on decay rates. A general linear model (GLM) framework was used to determine decay rates. Shading significantly decreased the decay rate of theE. colipopulation (P< 0.0001), with a rate of −0.176 day−1for the shaded treatment and −0.297 day−1for the unshaded treatment. Shading had no significant effect on decay rates of enterococci, CowM3, Rum-2-bac, and GenBac (P> 0.05). In addition,E. colipopulations showed a significant growth rate (0.881 day−1) in the unshaded samples during the first 5 days after deposition. UV-B was the most important parameter explaining the decay rate ofE. colipopulations. A comparison of the decay behaviors among all markers indicated that enterococcus concentrations exhibit a better correlation with the MST markers thanE. coliconcentrations. Our results indicate that bovine-associated MST markers can survive in cow pats for at least 1 month after excretion, and although their decay dynamic differs from the decay dynamic ofE. colipopulations, they seem to be reliable markers to use in combination with enterococci to monitor fecal pollution from pasture lands.

scholarly journals Relationships between Microbial Indicators and Pathogens in Recreational Water Settings

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (12) ◽  
pp. 2842 ◽  
Author(s):  
Asja Korajkic ◽  
Brian McMinn ◽  
Valerie Harwood
Keyword(s):  
Pathogenic Bacteria ◽  
Fecal Indicator Bacteria ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Complex Mixture ◽  
Fecal Pollution ◽  
Indicator Bacteria ◽  
Fecal Coliforms ◽  
Recreational Waters ◽  
Fecal Indicator ◽  
Significant Relationships

Fecal pollution of recreational waters can cause scenic blight and pose a threat to public health, resulting in beach advisories and closures. Fecal indicator bacteria (total and fecal coliforms, Escherichia coli, and enterococci), and alternative indicators of fecal pollution (Clostridium perfringens and bacteriophages) are routinely used in the assessment of sanitary quality of recreational waters. However, fecal indicator bacteria (FIB), and alternative indicators are found in the gastrointestinal tract of humans, and many other animals and therefore are considered general indicators of fecal pollution. As such, there is room for improvement in terms of their use for informing risk assessment and remediation strategies. Microbial source tracking (MST) genetic markers are closely associated with animal hosts and are used to identify fecal pollution sources. In this review, we examine 73 papers generated over 40 years that reported the relationship between at least one indicator and one pathogen group or species. Nearly half of the reports did not include statistical analysis, while the remainder were almost equally split between those that observed statistically significant relationships and those that did not. Statistical significance was reported less frequently in marine and brackish waters compared to freshwater, and the number of statistically significant relationships was considerably higher in freshwater (p < 0.0001). Overall, significant relationships were more commonly reported between FIB and pathogenic bacteria or protozoa, compared to pathogenic viruses (p: 0.0022–0.0005), and this was more pronounced in freshwater compared to marine. Statistically significant relationships were typically noted following wet weather events and at sites known to be impacted by recent fecal pollution. Among the studies that reported frequency of detection, FIB were detected most consistently, followed by alternative indicators. MST markers and the three pathogen groups were detected least frequently. This trend was mirrored by reported concentrations for each group of organisms (FIB > alternative indicators > MST markers > pathogens). Thus, while FIB, alternative indicators, and MST markers continue to be suitable indicators of fecal pollution, their relationship with waterborne pathogens, particularly viruses, is tenuous at best and influenced by many different factors such as frequency of detection, variable shedding rates, differential fate and transport characteristics, as well as a broad range of site-specific factors such as the potential for the presence of a complex mixture of multiple sources of fecal contamination and pathogens.

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