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Distribution of Genetic Marker Concentrations for Fecal Indicator Bacteria in Sewage and Animal Feces
Citation:
KELTY, C. A., M. VARMA, M. SIVAGANESAN, R. A. HAUGLAND, AND O. C. SHANKS. Distribution of Genetic Marker Concentrations for Fecal Indicator Bacteria in Sewage and Animal Feces. APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY. American Society for Microbiology, Washington, DC, 78(12):4225-4232, (2012).
Impact/Purpose:
To inform the public.
Description:
The application of quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) methods for the identification of fecal microorganisms in surface waters has the potential to revolutionize water quality monitoring worldwide. Unlike traditional cultivation methods, qPCR estimates the concentration of genetic markers isolated from impaired waters rather than viable microorganisms able to grow on selective media. These molecular methods can target DNA from specific groups of fecal microorganisms and estimate genetic marker concentrations within hours of water sampling. As a result, qPCR methods have been developed for a number of fecal indicator microorganisms. However, very little is known about the density and distribution of these genetic markers in fecal pollution sources. We report the distribution of rRNA genetic markers for several general fecal indicator bacteria groups including Clostridium spp., Escherichia coli, enterococci, and Bacteroidales determined by qPCR. Analyses were performed on reference collections consisting of 54 primary influent sewage samples collected from treatment facilities across the United States and 169 fecal samples representing 20 different animal species. Results indicate that there can be substantial differences in the distribution of genetic markers from these fecal indicator bacteria groups and that these differences vary between different fecal indicator microorganisms.
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DISTRIBUTION OF GENETIC MARKER CONCENTRATIONS FOR FECAL INDICATOR BACTERIA IN SEWAGE AND ANIMAL FECES
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