Skip Navigation
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

Use this QR code to view the newest version of this document
Use this QR code to view the newest version of this document

Your Environment. Your Health.

Publication Detail

Title: Evaluation of F+ RNA and DNA coliphages as source-specific indicators of fecal contamination in surface waters.

Authors: Cole, Dana; Long, Sharon C; Sobsey, Mark D

Published In Appl Environ Microbiol, (2003 Nov)

Abstract: Male-specific (F+) coliphages have been investigated as viral indicators of fecal contamination that may provide source-specific information for impacted environmental waters. This study examined the presence and proportions of the different subgroups of F+ coliphages in a variety of fecal wastes and surface waters with well-defined potential waste impacts. Municipal wastewater samples had high proportions of F+ DNA and group II and III F+ RNA coliphages. Bovine wastewaters also contained a high proportion of F+ DNA coliphages, but group I and IV F+ RNA coliphages predominated. Swine wastewaters contained approximately equal proportions of F+ DNA and RNA coliphages, and group I and III F+ RNA coliphages were most common. Waterfowl (gull and goose) feces contained almost exclusively F+ RNA coliphages of groups I and IV. No F+ coliphages were isolated from the feces of the other species examined. F+ coliphage recovery from surface waters was influenced by precipitation events and animal or human land use. There were no significant differences in coliphage density among land use categories. Significant seasonal variation was observed in the proportions of F+ DNA and RNA coliphages. Group I F+ RNA coliphages were the vast majority (90%) of those recovered from surface waters. The percentage of group I F+ RNA coliphages detected was greatest at background sites, and the percentage of group II F+ RNA coliphages was highest at human-impacted sites. Monitoring of F+ coliphage groups can indicate the presence and major sources of microbial inputs to surface waters, but environmental effects on the relative occurrence of different groups need to be considered.

PubMed ID: 14602607 Exiting the NIEHS site

MeSH Terms: Animals; Birds; Cattle; Coliphages/genetics; Coliphages/isolation & purification*; F Factor/genetics*; Feces/virology*; Geese; Humans; Inoviridae/genetics; Inoviridae/isolation & purification; Leviviridae/genetics; Leviviridae/isolation & purification; RNA Phages/genetics; RNA Phages/isolation & purification; Seasons; Waste Disposal, Fluid; Water Microbiology*; Water Pollution/analysis*

Back
to Top