title: [The use of PCR for detecting pathogenic microorganisms in water].
abstract: This replication method, which was introduced in 1985, has been used to find and identify microorganisms in the environment, among others in samples of soil, sediments and waters. A gene or a DNA fragment specific to a microorganism is replicated in vitro by a chain reaction catalyzed by DNA polymerase (PCR: Polymerase Chain Reaction) and analyzed by electrophoretic procedures. At the moment in most legislations bacteriological criteria for drinking water depend on E. coli and other bacteria referring to fecal contamination (fecal coliforms and enterococci). Absence of these bacteria does not necessarily exclude contamination of water with protozoa or virus. Detection of the latter by common methods is difficult and time-consuming. Application of PCR to these purposes is interesting. During the last years several protocols have been developed such as methods for the detection of E. coli, bacteria referring to fecal contamination, pathogens like Legionella pneumophila as well as Salmonella and Shigella, enterovirus and protozoa i.e. Giardia. Compared to the traditional methods an obvious advantage of the new methods lies in their velocity, sensitivity and specificity. This review introduces to several different applications of PCR. Although this method is still restricted to specialized laboratories at the moment, it will gain importance as a complement to traditional methods for the detection of pathogenic microorganisms in water as soon as simple tests will be available.
authors.affiliation: Service de l'hygiène et de l'Environnement, La Chaux-de-Fonds.
authors.forename: P E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Montandon
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004586:Electrophoresis; D004755:Enterobacteriaceae / Q000235:genetics; D056890:Eukaryota / Q000235:genetics; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014780:Viruses / Q000235:genetics; D014871:Water Microbiology; D014881:Water Supply / Q000592:standards
vernacular_title: Utilisation de la méthode PCR pour la recherche de micro-organismes pathogènes dans l'eau.