Coliphages as indicators of human enteric viruses in groundwater

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Abstract
Due to a lack of dependable routine methods for direct analysis of pathogenic microorganisms, tests for bacteria that are supposed to be of intestinal origin are used to indicate the presence and extent of fecal pollution in water. Current indicators are not accurate monitors of fecal pollution and do not adequately reflect the presence of human enteric viruses. Coliphages (viruses that infect the bacterium Escherichia coli which occurs in the feces of all warm‐blooded animals) have been proposed as indices of water quality. Coliphages are readily recovered from sewage from all parts of the world. In most cases, the persistence of coliphages in surface waters, groundwaters, and sewage is greater than that of human enteric viruses and enteric bacteria. Coliphages have a number of unique characteristics which permit selective analytical techniques. On the basis of these techniques, a system for predicting the presence of human enteric viruses in groundwater can be developed.