title: A comparison of the survival of F+RNA and F+DNA coliphages in lake water microcosms.
abstract: The survival of seven F+RNA phages (MS2 Group I ATCC type strain, two Group I environmental isolates, a Group II environmental isolate, a Group III environmental isolate, and two Group IV environmental isolates) and six F+DNA phages (M13, fd, f1, and ZJ/2 ATCC type strains, and two environmental isolates) were examined in microcosms using a surface drinking water source. Phages were spiked into replicate aliquots of a source water at about 20,000 pfu/ml. Replicate spikes were incubated at 4 and 20 degrees C and monitored for 110 days. At 4 degrees C, Groups I and II F+ RNA phages were detectable through 110 days, with reductions of about 1 and 3 log10, respectively. The Group III F+RNA phage demonstrated 5 log10 reduction after 3 weeks, and the Group IV F+RNA phages were reduced to detection limits (5 log10 reduction) within 10 days. Of the F+DNA phages, all four type strains were detectable with about 2.5 log10 reduction after 110 days at 4 degrees C. The F+DNA environmental isolates were detectable with about a 4 log10 reduction after 110 days at 4 degrees C. All phages demonstrated faster decay at 20 degrees C. These results suggest that differences in F+ phage survival may influence their prevalence in environmental waters and the ability to attribute their prevalence to specific human and animal sources of faecal contamination.
authors.affiliation: Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA. long@ecs.umass.edu
authors.forename: Sharon C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Long
authors.forename: Mark D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Sobsey
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003090:Coliphages / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D004267:DNA Viruses / Q000502:physiology; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005144:F Factor / Q000235:genetics*; D005618:Fresh Water / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D012328:RNA Viruses / Q000502:physiology; D014871:Water Microbiology; D014873:Water Pollutants
chemical_list: D014873:Water Pollutants