title: Evaluation of real-time PCR for quantitative detection of Escherichia coli in beach water.
abstract: The current investigation evaluated the use of real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for quantitative detection of Escherichia coli in marine beach water. Densities of E. coli in 263 beach water samples collected from 13 bathing beaches in Hong Kong between November 2008 and December 2009 were determined using both real-time PCR and culture-based methods. Regression analysis showed that these two methods had a significant positive linear relationship with a correlation coefficient (r) of 0.64. Serial dilution of spiked samples indicated that the real-time PCR had a limit of quantification of 25 E. coli colonies in 100 mL water sample. This study showed that the rapid real-time PCR has potential to complement the traditional culture method of assessing fecal pollution in marine beach water.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, University Pathology Building, Queen Mary Hospital Compound, Pukfulam Road, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China E-mail: wcyam@hkucc.hku.hk.
authors.forename: Jason Tszhin
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.affiliation: Environmental Compliance Division, Hong Kong Government Environmental Protection Department, Wan Chai, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China.
authors.forename: Edwin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lui
authors.affiliation: Environmental Compliance Division, Hong Kong Government Environmental Protection Department, Wan Chai, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China.
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chau
authors.affiliation: Water Policy and Planning Division, Hong Kong Government Environmental Protection Department, Wan Chai, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China.
authors.forename: Cathie Show Wu
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Kueh
authors.affiliation: Water Policy and Planning Division, Hong Kong Government Environmental Protection Department, Wan Chai, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China.
authors.forename: Ying-Kit
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Yung
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, University Pathology Building, Queen Mary Hospital Compound, Pukfulam Road, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China E-mail: wcyam@hkucc.hku.hk.
authors.forename: Wing Cheong
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Yam
mesh_terms: D001493:Bathing Beaches; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014871:Water Microbiology