Sludge Watch ==> Is it sludge or animal manure? Using Enterococcus faecium as a marker

[Maureen Reilly]

Sludgewatch Admin:

I see it over and over again in Canada and the USA.  There is a huge volume 
of sludge on the field next door and now the drinking wells are contaminated 
with Ecoli and other fecal coliform.  The gov't says it is probably a bad 
well and the manure pile.

How can you tell if sludge caused the problem?  There are a few ways...and 
Sludge Watchers may want to educate about some more ways.

One way:  Does it contain caffeine?  Not too many cows or chickens drink 
Pepsi or coffee.

Another:  Does it contain laundry fibres? Sewage sludge has fibers from 
clothing - fibres that persist in sludge spread soils.

Another: see below : the presence of Enterococcus faecium

Write in with other methods. (you confidentiality will be maintained)
..........................


Application of a Human Fecal Marker Assay to Diverse Coastal Environments in 
California and Hawaii
Authors: * Layton, B, Boehm, A
Affiliation: Stanford University, Department of Civil & Environmental 
Engineering, Stanford, CA 94305, United States
Source: American Geophysical Union, 2007, 88(23)

Abstract: Bacterial pollution at beaches is a growing problem of increasing 
national concern. Currently, the EPA uses Enterococcus as one measure of 
water quality for recreational contact. Recent work has suggested that 
rather than indicating anthropogenic pollution, enterococci may be 
indigenous to the environment. A human-specific gene marker for Enterococcus 
faecium (known as esp) was recently proposed as a molecular test for 
bacterial contamination of human origin. The present study applied the esp 
gene assay to a variety of coastal environments in California and Hawaii, 
including groundwater, sand, freshwater creeks, estuaries, and the surf 
zone. Results indicate that enterococci of human origin are present in many 
of these environments, suggesting that at least a portion of the bacterial 
pollution at these sites is a result of anthropogenic inputs rather than 
autochthonous microbial populations.

Are Existing Bacterial Indicators Adequate for Determining Recreational 
Water Illness in Waters Impacted by Nonpoint Pollution?
Authors: Schwab, D. J., Kellogg J.
Affiliation: Johns Hopkins University, Bloomberg School of Public Health, 
Baltimore, MD.
Source: Epidemiology January 2007, 18(1): 21-22

Abstract: Tens of millions of persons swim in coastal waters in the United 
States each year. In many instances, these waterways are contaminated with 
fecal pollution that can contribute to recreational water illness. 
Unfortunately, monitoring recreational waters for disease-causing 
microorganisms is not as straightforward as it would seem. In addition to 
the well-known pathogenic bacteria such as Escherichia coli, Salmonella, and 
Shigella, protozoa including Cryptosporidium and Giardia and viruses, in 
particular noroviruses and adenoviruses, are also major contributors to 
recreational water illness. Protozoa and viruses persist in the environment 
for much longer periods of time than do bacteria, and virus transport 
through surface and subsurface water is both faster and farther than that of 
bacteria. The great diversity in pathogenic microorganisms that can be 
transmitted by water and the difficulty in developing and implementing 
detection strategies for all possible microbes has resulted in the selection 
of a few indicator organisms to determine the presence and magnitude in a 
waterway of microorganisms causing recreational water illness. These classic 
indicators include total coliforms, fecal coliforms, E. coli, and 
enterococci, many of which have been used as indicators for over 100 years.