Rapid detection and enumeration of bacteria and viruses in water supplies

• Main Author: Gin, Karina Yew-Hoong.
• Other Authors: School of Civil and Environmental Engineering
• Format: Research Report
• Published: 2008
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering::Environmental engineering::Water supply
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/5191
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Analysis of microbial contamination of water sources demand speed of analysis, specificity and sensitivity as fundamental prerequisites for the detection of microbial indicators and waterborne pathogens. To date, the standard detection method for microbes is the cell culture assay. However, there are significant limitations associated with this method, i.e., they are time-consuming, have low sensitivity and are labor-intensive. In addition, many microbes are still non-culturable and cannot be detected by conventional culture-based methods. These difficulties point towards an urgent need to develop faster and more accurate methodologies for detecting target pathogens or their indicators, which do not depend on culturability. This report summarizes the usefulness of a number of molecular and immunological protocols which exploit state-of-the-art molecular techniques such as Real-Time Quantitative PCR, In Situ PCR, and Fluorescent in Situ Hybridization in combination with flow cytometry for the detection of indicator microbes and pathogens.