Comparison of the transport of Bacteroides fragilis and Escherichia coli within saturated sand packs.

Pathogens in groundwater accounted for ∼50% of waterborne disease outbreaks in the United States between 1971 and 2006. The fast and reliable detection of groundwater microbial contamination and the identification of the contamination sources are of critical importance to the protection of public health. Recent studies suggested that fecal anaerobe Bacteriodes spp.

Influence of enterococcal surface protein (esp) on the transport of Enterococcus faecium within saturated quartz sands.

Enterococcus was selected by US EPA as a Gram-positive indicator microorganism for groundwater fecal contamination. It was recently reported that enterococcal surface protein (esp) was more prevalent in Enterococcus from human sources than in Enterococcus from nonhuman sources and esp could potentially be used as a source tracking tool for fecal contamination (Scott et al., 2005).