title: [Quality of water in the marine environment. The history and application of microbiology standards].
abstract: The history and application of microbiological standards to measure the quality of seawater for primary-contact recreational use and for the harvesting of shellfish are reviewed. Recent research concludes that enterococci, as indicator organisms, provide the most accurate correlation with gastrointestinal disorders attributed to swimming in contaminated waters. Accordingly, a linear relation has been established between mean enterococcus density per 100 ml and swimming associated gastrointestinal disorders per 1,000 population, and in 1984 the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) adopted these bacteria as the primary indicator organisms for recreational waters in lieu of the indicators applied up til then, mainly total and fecal coliforms. International, national, and local microbiological standards and guidelines are presented to provide the sanitary engineer with a water quality range for the marine environment. Before adaptation of particular set of standards, local and national circumstances as well as socioeconomic factors should be carefully reviewed. Moreover, the application of quantitative relationships between health risks and the level of indicator organisms should take into account the general health and immunity conditions of the local population.
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Salas
mesh_terms: D005398:Fisheries / Q000592:standards; D014943:Global Health; D049673:History, 20th Century; D011634:Public Health / Q000266:history; D012623:Seawater; D013550:Swimming; D014481:United States; D014871:Water Microbiology / Q000592:standards*
vernacular_title: Calidad del agua en el medio marino. Historia y aplicación de normas microbiológicas.