Scribd
Upload
515 views15 pages

Water Microbiology and Pathogen Indicators

This document discusses microbiology in water. It covers waterborne microbial pathogens like Salmonella, E. coli, Cryptosporidium, and Giardia. It also discusses indicator bacteria used for drinking water quality testing, including coliform bacteria. Total coliforms are ubiquitous and can proliferate in biofilms, while fecal coliforms and E. coli are more specific indicators of fecal contamination but less resistant to disinfection. The document concludes by noting microbial indicators used for assessing recreational water quality, including fecal coliform, E. coli, and enterococci levels.

Uploaded by

Dayledaniel Sorveto
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
515 views15 pages

Water Microbiology and Pathogen Indicators

This document discusses microbiology in water. It covers waterborne microbial pathogens like Salmonella, E. coli, Cryptosporidium, and Giardia. It also discusses indicator bacteria used for drinking water quality testing, including coliform bacteria. Total coliforms are ubiquitous and can proliferate in biofilms, while fecal coliforms and E. coli are more specific indicators of fecal contamination but less resistant to disinfection. The document concludes by noting microbial indicators used for assessing recreational water quality, including fecal coliform, E. coli, and enterococci levels.

Uploaded by

Dayledaniel Sorveto
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

V.

Microbiology of water
A. Waterborne microbial pathogens
B. Indicator bacteria for drinking water
C. Other indicators for drinking and
recreational water
A.Waterborne microbial pathogens
Microbiology review:
 Microbes in water
include:
– Bacteria
– Virus
– Protozoa
 A few microbes (pathogens)
are capable of causing
disease, and may be
transmitted by water.
Waterborne pathogens:
 Some common pathogens:

 Salmonella typhi
 Escherichia coli
 Vibrio cholera
 Pseudomonas aeruginosa
 Shigella spp.
 Cryptosporidium
 Giardia lamblia
 Norwalkvirus
Cryptosporidum and
cryptosporidiosis

Cryptosporidium parvum Crypto “Ooc


Giardia lamblia
(giardiasis)

Original image by Arturo Gonzalez, CINVESTAV, Mexico. Used with permission of Javier Ambrosio,
UNAM, Mexico
Giardia lamblia
 Giardia lamblia
trophozoites live in the
small intestine of the
host.
 The trophozoites
average about 15 µm in
length, have a distinct
"tear-drop" shape and
two nuclei at the anterior
end
Giardia lamblia troph. The two nuclei are easy to see in this image. (Original image from a Japanese
language site tentatively titled "Internet Atlas of Human Parasitology."
B. Indicator bacteria for
Drinking Water:
 Indicator microorganisms are used to
indicate an increased risk of pathogen
contamination due to fecal contamination.
 Indicator microbes should be:
– Always present when feces/sewage is present
– Always absent when feces/sewage is absent
– Survives longer in water than any of the
pathogenic species
– Easily isolated and identified.
Indicator bacteria:
 Coliformbacteria (E. coli-like) are the
most often used indicator bacteria for
water quality assessment in the U.S.
Characteristics of coliforms:
 Aerobic or facultative,
 Gram-negative,
 Non-spore forming,
 Bacilli,

which ferment
lactose to form acid
and/or gas within
48 hours at 35 oC.
More specific coliforms:
 Coliforms are often found naturally
in soil, water, plants, etc.

 Fecal coliforms are a more specific


coliforms that usually come from
feces.
E. coli is the most
specific indicator
Guidelines and methods for
enumerating coliforms:
 EPA guidelines for coliforms in
drinking water are < 1 CFU/100
ml.
 Tests used to isolate and
enumerate coliforms in water
include:
– m-Endo media
– m-FC media
– MUG media
C. Other indicators for drinking and
recreational water
 Limitation
of Total coliform as
drinking water microbial
indicator
– Ubiquitous.
– Less resistant to traditional
disinfection.
– Proliferate in the biofilms of
water distribution systems
 Limitation of Fecal coliforms
– Klebsiella pneumoniae
– Less resistant to traditional disinfection.
 Limitation of E. coli
– Less resistant to traditional disinfection.
Microbial Indicators for
Recreational Water
Total coliform?
Fecal coliform?
– Average 200 MPN/100 ml
E. Coli (fresh water)?
– Average 126 MPN/100 ml.
Enterococci (salt
water)
– Average 35 MPN/100 ml.

V. Microbiology of water A. Waterborne microbial pathogens B. Indicator bacteria for drinking water C. Other indicators for d
A.Waterborne microbial pathogens Microbiology review: Microbes in water include: – Bacteria – Virus – Protozoa A few micr
Waterborne pathogens: Some common pathogens: Salmonella typhi Escherichia coli Vibrio cholera Pseudomonas aeruginosa 
Cryptosporidum and cryptosporidiosis Cryptosporidium parvum Crypto “Ooc
Giardia lamblia (giardiasis) Original image by Arturo Gonzalez, CINVESTAV, Mexico. Used with permission of Javier Ambrosio,
Giardia lamblia Giardia lamblia trophozoites live in the small intestine of the host. The trophozoites average about 15
B. Indicator bacteria for Drinking Water: Indicator microorganisms are used to indicate an increased risk of pathogen con
Indicator bacteria: Coliform bacteria (E. coli-like) are the most often used indicator bacteria for water quality assessme
Characteristics of coliforms: Aerobic or facultative, Gram-negative, Non-spore forming, Bacilli, which ferment lactose

You might also like