Coliphages and indicator bacteria in birds around Boston Harbor |
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Authors: | D M Ricca J J Cooney |
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Institution: | (1) Environmental, Coastal and Ocean Sciences Program, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA 02125-3393, USA, US |
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Abstract: | Droppings from feral populations of pigeons, geese and herring gulls from the urban/suburban environment around Boston Harbor,
MA, USA contained up to 106 somatic coliphages, 108 enterococci, 109 thermotolerant coliforms and 102 F-specific coliphages per gram of feces. Somatic coliphages, enterococci and thermotolerant coliforms were common in the
feces of all three kinds of birds but F-specific coliphages were found in droppings from only three of 32 gulls. Thus these
sources of bacterial and viral indicators should be considered when dealing with the ecology of fecal pollution indicators.
Moreover, microbial indicators of fecal or sewage pollution originating from bird droppings may be mistaken for indicators
that come from humans. This may cause an overestimate of the hazard from human pathogens in water and confound attempts to
locate sources of fecal or sewage pollution.
Received 12 May 1998/ Accepted in revised form 15 July 1998 |
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Keywords: | : indicator bacteria coliphages Boston Harbor birds pigeon herring gull Canada geese |
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