Harwood Valerie J, Levine Audrey D, Scott Troy M, Chivukula Vasanta, Lukasik Jerzy, Farrah Samuel R, Rose Joan B
Department of Biology, SCA 110, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa, Florida 33620, USA.
Appl Environ Microbiol. 2005 Jun;71(6):3163-70. doi: 10.1128/AEM.71.6.3163-3170.2005.
The validity of using indicator organisms (total and fecal coliforms, enterococci, Clostridium perfringens, and F-specific coliphages) to predict the presence or absence of pathogens (infectious enteric viruses, Cryptosporidium, and Giardia) was tested at six wastewater reclamation facilities. Multiple samplings conducted at each facility over a 1-year period. Larger sample volumes for indicators (0.2 to 0.4 liters) and pathogens (30 to 100 liters) resulted in more sensitive detection limits than are typical of routine monitoring. Microorganisms were detected in disinfected effluent samples at the following frequencies: total coliforms, 63%; fecal coliforms, 27%; enterococci, 27%; C. perfringens, 61%; F-specific coliphages, approximately 40%; and enteric viruses, 31%. Cryptosporidium oocysts and Giardia cysts were detected in 70% and 80%, respectively, of reclaimed water samples. Viable Cryptosporidium, based on cell culture infectivity assays, was detected in 20% of the reclaimed water samples. No strong correlation was found for any indicator-pathogen combination. When data for all indicators were tested using discriminant analysis, the presence/absence patterns for Giardia cysts, Cryptosporidium oocysts, infectious Cryptosporidium, and infectious enteric viruses were predicted for over 71% of disinfected effluents. The failure of measurements of single indicator organism to correlate with pathogens suggests that public health is not adequately protected by simple monitoring schemes based on detection of a single indicator, particularly at the detection limits routinely employed. Monitoring a suite of indicator organisms in reclaimed effluent is more likely to be predictive of the presence of certain pathogens, and a need for additional pathogen monitoring in reclaimed water in order to protect public health is suggested by this study.
在六个废水回收处理设施中，对使用指示生物（总大肠菌群、粪大肠菌群、肠球菌、产气荚膜梭菌和F特异性噬菌体）来预测病原体（传染性肠道病毒、隐孢子虫和贾第虫）的存在与否的有效性进行了测试。在每个设施进行了为期一年的多次采样。与常规监测相比，更大的指示生物样本量（0.2至0.4升）和病原体样本量（30至100升）可实现更灵敏的检测限。在消毒后的出水样本中检测到微生物的频率如下：总大肠菌群为63%；粪大肠菌群为27%；肠球菌为27%；产气荚膜梭菌为61%；F特异性噬菌体约为40%；肠道病毒为31%。在分别70%和80%的再生水样本中检测到了隐孢子虫卵囊和贾第虫包囊。基于细胞培养感染性测定，在20%的再生水样本中检测到了有活力的隐孢子虫。未发现任何指示生物与病原体的组合之间存在强相关性。当使用判别分析对所有指示生物的数据进行测试时，对于超过71%的消毒后出水，预测了贾第虫包囊、隐孢子虫卵囊、感染性隐孢子虫和感染性肠道病毒的存在/不存在模式。单一指示生物的测量结果与病原体不相关，这表明基于单一指示生物检测的简单监测方案无法充分保障公众健康，尤其是在常规采用的检测限下。监测再生出水中的一系列指示生物更有可能预测某些病原体的存在，并且本研究表明有必要对再生水中的病原体进行额外监测以保护公众健康。
