Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
CHAPTER EIGHT
Molecular Methods for the
Detection of Waterborne
Pathogens
Kimberley Gilbride
Department of Chemistry and Biology, Ryerson University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Many molecular methods have been developed over the past 20 years to
provide rapid, sensitive, and quantitative tools for the detection of infec-
tious agents in clinical samples and evaluation of the microbiological
quality of food and water. In many cases, these methods do not require
the isolation or culturing of the microorganism in order to provide qual-
itative and quantitative information about the presence and enumeration
of the target organism in the samples. Furthermore, they can be designed
to detect a specific virulent trait carried by the organism. The variet-
ies of techniques that have been designed can be used to detect a range
of target molecules, each with the goal of providing information for
the prevention of infectious diseases. Much of the research to date has
focused on detection of pathogens in clinical samples where pathogen
concentrations are high and pathogen identification is already suspected.
Many of these techniques are now being modified to be used in envi-
ronmental settings where the detection in samples is complicated by
mixed communities, interfering contaminants, and unknown pathogenic
targets. In addition, the application of molecular methods to drinking
and recreational water testing has the added challenge of low levels of
pathogens, which requires enrichment or concentration of the samples
prior to detection processing.
This chapter reviews the molecular methods that have been studied for
the detection of viruses, bacteria, protozoa, and cyanobacteria in raw and
processed water samples. In some cases, the methods facilitate the identifica-
tion, genotyping, enumeration, viability assessment, and source tracking of
human and animal contamination. Limitations of each method will also be
reviewed in the light of adoption of the method for use in routine water
monitoring.
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