title: Utility of Helicobacter spp. associated GFD markers for detecting avian fecal pollution in natural waters of two continents.
abstract: Avian fecal droppings may negatively impact environmental water quality due to the presence of high concentrations of fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) and zoonotic pathogens. This study was aimed at evaluating the performance characteristics and utility of a Helicobacter spp. associated GFD marker by screening 265 fecal and wastewater samples from a range of avian and non-avian host groups from two continents (Brisbane, Australia and Florida, USA). The host-prevalence and -specificity of this marker among fecal and wastewater samples tested from Brisbane were 0.58 and 0.94 (maximum value of 1.00). These values for the Florida fecal samples were 0.30 (host-prevalence) and 1.00 (host-specificity). The concentrations of the GFD markers in avian and non-avian fecal nucleic acid samples were measured at a test concentration of 10 ng of nucleic acid at Brisbane and Florida laboratories using the quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay. The mean concentrations of the GFD marker in avian fecal nucleic acid samples (5.2 × 10(3) gene copies) were two orders of magnitude higher than non-avian fecal nucleic acid samples (8.6 × 10(1) gene copies). The utility of this marker was evaluated by testing water samples from the Brisbane River, Brisbane and a freshwater creek in Florida. Among the 18 water samples tested from the Brisbane River, 83% (n = 18) were positive for the GFD marker, and the concentrations ranged from 6.0 × 10(1)-3.2 × 10(2) gene copies per 100 mL water. In all, 92% (n = 25) water samples from the freshwater creek in Florida were also positive for the GFD marker with concentrations ranging from 2.8 × 10(1)-1.3 × 10(4) gene copies per 100 mL water. Based on the results, it can be concluded that the GFD marker is highly specific to avian host groups, and could be used as a reliable marker to detect the presence and amount of avian fecal pollution in environmental waters.
authors.affiliation: CSIRO Land and Water, Ecosciences Precinct, 41 Boggo Road, Qld 4102, Australia; Faculty of Science, Health and Education, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore, DC, Qld 4558, Australia. Electronic address: Warish.Ahmed@csiro.au.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, 4202 East Fowler Avenue, SCA 110, Tampa, FL 33620, USA.
authors.forename: V J
authors.initials: VJ
authors.lastname: Harwood
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, 4202 East Fowler Avenue, SCA 110, Tampa, FL 33620, USA.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, 4202 East Fowler Avenue, SCA 110, Tampa, FL 33620, USA.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Young
authors.affiliation: CSIRO Land and Water, Ecosciences Precinct, 41 Boggo Road, Qld 4102, Australia; Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering, Drexel University, 3141 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hamilton
authors.affiliation: CSIRO Land and Water, Ecosciences Precinct, 41 Boggo Road, Qld 4102, Australia; School of Population Health, University of Queensland, Herston Road, Qld 4006, Australia.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Toze
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D001717:Birds / Q000382:microbiology; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology*; D005431:Florida; D016998:Helicobacter / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D011793:Queensland; D045483:Rivers / Q000382:microbiology*; D060753:Water Quality
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers
keywords: Avian fecal pollution; Fecal indicator bacteria; Microbial source tracking; Molecular markers; Quantitative PCR; Wastewater