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Microbial load from animal feces at a recreational beach |
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| Authors: | Mary E. Wright Helena M. Solo-Gabriele Samir Elmir Lora E. Fleming |
| Affiliation: | a National Science Foundation (NSF)-National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) Oceans and Human Health Center, University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, 1801 NW 9[th] Avenue, Suite 200 (R-669), Miami, Florida 33136, USA b Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering University of Miami, P.O. Box 248294, Coral Gables, Florida 33124-0630, USA c Miami-Dade County Health Department, 1725 NW 167 Street Miami, Florida 33056, USA d Department of Epidemiology and Public Health University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, 1120 14[th] Street 10[th] Floor, Miami, Florida 33136, USA e Marine Biology and Fisheries University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, Florida 33149, USA |
| Abstract: | The goal of this study was to quantify the microbial load (enterococci) contributed by the different animals that frequent a beach site. The highest enterococci concentrations were observed in dog feces with average levels of 3.9 × 107 CFU/g; the next highest enterococci levels were observed in birds averaging 3.3 × 105 CFU/g. The lowest measured levels of enterococci were observed in material collected from shrimp fecal mounds (2.0 CFU/g). A comparison of the microbial loads showed that 1 dog fecal event was equivalent to 6940 bird fecal events or 3.2 × 108 shrimp fecal mounds. Comparing animal contributions to previously published numbers for human bather shedding indicates that one adult human swimmer contributes approximately the same microbial load as one bird fecal event. Given the abundance of animals observed on the beach, this study suggests that dogs are the largest contributing animal source of enterococci to the beach site. |
| Keywords: | Enterococci Animal feces Enumeration Recreational water Bacteria indicators Non-point pollution sources |
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