Coliform as an indicator of waterborne microbial pathogens : identification using DNA sequencing

Abstract: Coliforms are a group of bacteria that since the end of the 1900s’ have been used as an indicator for fecal contamination of water. With advances in microbiology in the 1900’s it became clear that the coliform group is large and varied group of bacteria and not ideal to use as indicator of waterborne pathogens. However, in lack of better indicator organisms for fecal pollution of water, it is still used. The aims of this study are to give an overview of water quality in the view of global goals, to identify coliform bacteria from water samples and to discuss the results in the light of new achievements in ongoing development of new identification methods. In this study coliforms from collected water samples have been identified and their presumed identity based on growth on chromogenic differential agar have been compared with 16S rDNA-sequencing. Out of 14 samples, 12 where confirmed to be coliforms by the 16S rDNA-sequencing. In addition to identify bacteria from water samples the different detection methods of coliforms are discussed. In relationship to the global goals, which aims to achieve universal access to safe and affordable drinking water by 2030, it is concluded that new, faster and cheaper methods are required to achieve universal basic WASH services by 2030. A suggestion on such a method is Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP).