title: Assessment of a new Bacteroidales marker targeting North American beaver (Castor canadensis) fecal pollution by real-time PCR.
abstract: In many settings wildlife can be a significant source of fecal pathogen input into surface water. The North American beaver (Castor canadensis) is a zoonotic reservoir for several human pathogens including Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia spp. In order to specifically detect fecal pollution by beavers, we have developed and validated a beaver-specific Bacteroidales marker, designated Beapol01, based on the 16S rRNA gene. The marker is suitable for quantifying pollution using real-time PCR. The specificity and sensitivity of the marker was excellent, Beaver signal was detected in water of a mixed-activity watershed harbouring this rodent. Overall, Beapol01 will be useful for a better understanding of fecal source inputs in drainage basins inhabited by the beaver.
authors.affiliation: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 1391 Sandford Str., London, Ontario N5V 4T3, Canada.
authors.forename: Romain
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Marti
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yuan-Ching
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Tien
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Lapen
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Topp
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D041963:Bacteroidetes / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology*; D009864:Ontario; D010802:Phylogeny; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012377:Rodentia / Q000382:microbiology*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D014871:Water Microbiology; D014873:Water Pollutants / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D014873:Water Pollutants
keywords: Beaver-specific marker; Microbial source tracking; Real-time PCR; Waterborne pathogens