582 



of the presence of pathogenic micro-organisms. It has been the practice 

 to utilize techniques that are workable for fresh water systems. As a 

 result, the widely accepted rapid MF (membrane filter) fecal coliform 

 procedure is being used for salt water bacterial analyses. Only recently 

 have attempts been made to assess and verify the reliability of such 

 MF techniques for bacterial assay in salt water. Apparently, interfer- 

 ences and factors associated with the saline environment cause coli- 

 forms and pathogenic microorganisms to behave differently than when 

 in fresh water. These studies have revealed specific problems and indi- 

 cate the need to develop information concerning behavior of these 

 indicator bacteria in salt water. Examples of needed work include 

 improved procedures for specificity and recovery of MF fecal coli- 

 forms, determination of growth characteristics of fecal coliforms, 

 and establishment of whether the "after growth" phenomenon exists 

 in estuaries; establishment of in situ survival patterns of fecal coli- 

 forms in various conditions of temperatures, salinity, and nutrient 

 levels ; establishment of the relationship between fecal coliforms and 

 pathogens ; and development of rapid detection systems and continu- 

 ous bacteria assay devices to monitor shellfish waters and bathing 

 beaches. 



Pathogenic hcbcteria 



Recent situdies have shown that SalmoneUa are more prevalent than 

 once believed to be. SalmoneUa have been isolated from polluted estu- 

 arine waters on numerous occasions and have been isolated when low 

 numbers of fecal coliforms were present. The Salmonella data, how- 

 ever, are qualitative and give no true indication of densities initially 

 present in the water. 



Because of the repeated demonstration of Salmonella in polluted 

 estuaries and shellfish harvested from such waters, such organisms 

 pose a serious potential human health hazard. Methodology for de- 

 tection, identification, and quantitation of Salmonella are essential 

 for establishing the presence or absence of these pathogens. Associated 

 needs are to develop a rapid detection system for quantifying and 

 identifying Salmonella serotypes; determine the growth character- 

 istics of Salmonella and establish whether multiplication occurs in the 

 saline environment at various temperatures, salinities, and nutrient 

 levels ; develop in situ survival patterns to determine relative persist- 

 ence in salt water and establish the relationship between Salmonella 

 and the fecal coliform group of bacteria. 



The fecal streptococci have provided supplementary data when the 

 fecal origin of coliforms has been in question and when the recency 

 of contamination had to be ascertained. Because of specific animal 

 strains, such 2i^ Streptococcus bovis, and Streptococcus equinus, animal 

 contamination can be detected and separated from human waste 

 sources. However, as with fecal coliforms, data on the efficiency of 

 detection and on the behavior of fecal streptococci in salt water are 

 limited and need to be developed. Desirable investigations should 

 involve increase in the specificity of recovery media; establishment 

 of the various conditions of temperatures, salinity, and nutrient levels ; 

 in situ survival patterns of fecal streptococci, establishment of the 

 relationship between fecal streptococci and Salmonella, and develop- 

 ment of rapid detection and identification systems amenable to con- 

 tinuous water quality monitoring. 



