Indicator microbes correlate with pathogenic bacteria, yeasts and helminthes in sand at a subtropical recreational beach site
2011
Aims: Research into the relationship between
pathogens, faecal indicator
microbesand environmental factors in beach sand has been limited, yet vital to the understanding of the microbial relationship between sand and the water column and to the improvement of criteria for better human health protection at beaches. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the presence and distribution of
pathogensin various zones of beach sand (subtidal, intertidal and supratidal) and to assess their relationship with environmental parameters and indicator
microbesat a non-
point source
subtropicalmarine beach. Methods and Results: In this exploratory study in
subtropical
Miami(Florida, USA), beach sand samples were collected and analysed over the course of 6 days for several
pathogens, microbial
source trackingmarkers and indicator
microbes. An inverse correlation between moisture content and most indicator
microbeswas found. Significant associations were identified between some indicator
microbesand
pathogens(such as nematode larvae and yeasts in the genus Candida), which are from classes of
microbesthat are rarely evaluated in the context of recreational beach use. Conclusions: Results indicate that indicator
microbesmay predict the presence of some of the
pathogens, in particular helminthes, yeasts and the bacterial
pathogenStaphylococcus aureus including methicillin-resistant forms. Indicator
microbesmay thus be useful for monitoring beach sand and water quality at non-
point sourcebeaches. Significance and Impact of the Study: The presence of both indicator
microbesand
pathogensin beach sand provides one possible explanation for human health effects reported at non-
point sourcesbeaches.
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