Occurrence and distribution of microbiological contamination and enteric viruses in shallow ground water in Baltimore and Harford counties, Maryland

Protection of public health requires routine monitoring of environmental waters for fecal contamination, especially waters serving as drinking supplies. Municipalities typically rely on assays of indicator microorganisms to detect fecal contamination. Ideally, indicators and pathogens share a common origin. However, the indicators should have higher numbers, survive longer, and be easier to detect and quantify in the laboratory than pathogens. Coliform bacteria are the standard microbial indicator currently used in the United States. Enteric viruses are smaller and survive longer than coliform bacteria, therefore they are inadequate indicators of enteric viruses. Enteric bacteriophages, viruses infecting bacteria, may be a more reliable indicator for human viral pathogens. However, there are several taxonomic groups of enteric bacteriophages, all of which may not be good virus indicators. This project examines the ecology of coliphages, bacteriophages infecting Escherichia coli, in a ground water aquifer which serves as a municipal water supply.

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Environmental factors and chemical and microbiological water-quality constituents related to the presence of enteric viruses in ground water from small public water supplies in southeastern Michigan

Scientific Investigations Report ◽

10.3133/sir20045219 ◽

2004 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Donna S. Francy ◽

Rebecca N. Bushon ◽

Julie Stopar ◽

Emma J. Luzano ◽

G. Shay Fout

Keyword(s):

Water Quality ◽

Environmental Factors ◽

Ground Water ◽

Enteric Viruses ◽

Water Supplies ◽

Microbiological Water Quality

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Survival of Bacteriophages MS-2 and PRD-1 in Ground Water

Water Science & Technology ◽

10.2166/wst.1993.0382 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 27 (3-4) ◽

pp. 409-412 ◽

Cited By ~ 32

Author(s):

Moysar T. Yahya ◽

Laurence Galsomies ◽

Charles P. Gerba ◽

Roger C. Bales

Keyword(s):

North America ◽

Ground Water ◽

Water Temperature ◽

Water Samples ◽

Fate And Transport ◽

Enteric Viruses ◽

Collection Site ◽

Higher Temperature

Bacteriophages are potentially useful models for studying the fate and transport of pathogenic enteric viruses and other biocoUoids through soil and ground water. To be useful for this purpose they must be capable of surviving for significant periods in ground water and demonstrate low adsorption to soil surfaces. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the survival of two bacteriophages which have been shown to adsorb poorly to soils, i.e. the Escherichiacoli phages MS-2 and PRD-1 which infect Salmonellatyphimurium. Samples of ground water from various regions of North America were inoculated with the test phages and incubated at temperatures near the ambient ground water temperature of the collection site. At 7°C no significant inactivation of the phages occurred over a period of 80 days. At higher temperature (10 to 23°C) PRD-1 was far more resistant to inactivation than MS-2, persisting for periods of 7 to 10 times longer in most water samples.

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Electron Microscopic Detection and Characterization of Nonhuman Primate Enteric Viruses

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100054145 ◽

1982 ◽

Vol 40 ◽

pp. 306-307

Author(s):

G. C. Smith ◽

R. L. Heberling ◽

S. S. Kalter

Keyword(s):

Electron Microscopy ◽

Animal Model ◽

Nonhuman Primate ◽

Clinical Condition ◽

Intestinal Tract ◽

Enteric Viruses ◽

Electron Microscopic ◽

Microscopic Detection

A number of viral agents are recognized as and suspected of causing the clinical condition “gastroenteritis.” In our attempts to establish an animal model for studies of this entity, we have been examining the nonhuman primate to ascertain what viruses may be found in the intestinal tract of “normal” animals as well as animals with diarrhea. Several virus types including coronavirus, adenovirus, herpesvirus, and picornavirus (Table I) were detected in our colony; however, rotavirus, astrovirus, and calicivirus have not yet been observed. Fecal specimens were prepared for electron microscopy by procedures reported previously.

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