title: Validation of host-specific Bacteriodales 16S rRNA genes as markers to determine the origin of faecal pollution in Atlantic Rim countries of the European Union.
abstract: The recent implementation of the Revised Bathing Water Directive in the European Union has highlighted the need for development of effective methods to differentiate between sources of faecal contamination. It had previously been shown that amplification of 16S rRNA genes of host-specific Bacteriodales species using the HF183F and CF128F primers could be used as markers for human and bovine faecal contamination in the United States. This paper determined the sensitivity and specificity of these markers in four Atlantic Rim countries (France, Ireland, Portugal and the United Kingdom) to evaluate their usefulness in determining the origin of faecal contamination. It was shown that the HF183F marker displayed high sensitivity (80-100%) and specificity (91-100%), and is reliable as an indication of human faecal contamination. The CF128F marker displayed 100% sensitivity in all four countries. However, strong regional variations in specificity (41-96%) were observed, highlighting the need for local validation before this marker is employed in source tracking of faecal contamination.
authors.affiliation: Environment Agency, National Laboratory Service, Starcross Laboratory, Starcross Exeter, Devon EX6 8PE, UK.
authors.forename: Andrew H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Gawler
authors.forename: Jean E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Beecher
authors.forename: João
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brandão
authors.forename: Nora M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Carroll
authors.forename: Leonor
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Falcão
authors.forename: Michèle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gourmelon
authors.forename: Bartholomew
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Masterson
authors.forename: Baltazar
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nunes
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Porter
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rincé
authors.forename: Raquel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Thorp
authors.forename: J Martin
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Walters
authors.forename: Wim G
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Meijer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001439:Bacteroides / Q000235:genetics*; D001493:Bathing Beaches / Q000592:standards*; D015415:Biomarkers; D002417:Cattle; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000592:standards; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D005062:European Union; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D013045:Species Specificity; D014876:Water Pollution / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D017931:DNA Primers; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S