---
cited_by:
  - publication: /report/usgcrp-climate-human-health-assessment-2016/chapter/water-related-illnesses
    publication_type: chapter
    reference: /reference/78f86257-8d08-4cab-854e-7168a61ae54b
  - publication: /report/usgcrp-climate-human-health-assessment-2016
    publication_type: report
    reference: /reference/78f86257-8d08-4cab-854e-7168a61ae54b
contributors: []
description: 'Background: Traditional fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) measurement is too slow (>18 h) for timely swimmer warnings.      Objectives: Assess relationship of rapid indicator methods (qPCR) to illness at a marine beach impacted by urban runoff.      Methods: We measured baseline and two-week health in 9525 individuals visiting Doheny Beach 2007-08. Illness rates were compared (swimmers vs. non-swimmers). FIB measured by traditional (Enterococcus spp. by EPA Method 1600 or Enterolerttm, fecal coliforms, total coliforms) and three rapid qPCR assays for Enterococcus spp. (Taqman, Scorpion-1, Scorpion-2) were compared to health. Primary bacterial source was a creek flowing untreated into ocean; the creek did not reach the ocean when a sand berm formed. This provided a natural experiment for examining FIB-health relationships under varying conditions.      Results: We observed significant increases in diarrhea (OR 1.90, 95% CI 1.29-2.80 for swallowing water) and other outcomes in swimmers compared to non-swimmers. Exposure (body immersion, head immersion, swallowed water) was associated with increasing risk of gastrointestinal illness (GI). Daily GI incidence patterns were different: swimmers (2-day peak) and non-swimmers (no peak). With berm-open, we observed associations between GI and traditional and rapid methods for Enterococcus; fewer associations occurred when berm status was not considered.      Conclusions: We found increased risk of GI at this urban runoff beach. When FIB source flowed freely (berm-open), several traditional and rapid indicators were related to illness. When FIB source was weak (berm-closed) fewer illness associations were seen. These different relationships under different conditions at a single beach demonstrate the difficulties using these indicators to predict health risk. '
display_name: Using rapid indicators for Enterococcus to assess the risk of illness after exposure to urban runoff contaminated marine water
doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2012.01.033
files: []
href: http://52.38.26.42:8080/article/10.1016/j.watres.2012.01.033.yaml
identifier: 10.1016/j.watres.2012.01.033
journal_identifier: water-research
journal_pages: 2176-2186
journal_vol: 46
notes: ~
parents:
  - display_name: "Chapter 6: Climate Impacts on Water-Related Illnesses (in 'The Impacts of Climate Change on Human Health in the United States: A Scientific Assessment')"
    reference: /reference/78f86257-8d08-4cab-854e-7168a61ae54b
    relationship: cito:isCitedBy
    uri: /report/usgcrp-climate-human-health-assessment-2016/chapter/water-related-illnesses
  - display_name: 'The Impacts of Climate Change on Human Health in the United States: A Scientific Assessment'
    reference: /reference/78f86257-8d08-4cab-854e-7168a61ae54b
    relationship: cito:isCitedBy
    uri: /report/usgcrp-climate-human-health-assessment-2016
references: []
title: Using rapid indicators for Enterococcus to assess the risk of illness after exposure to urban runoff contaminated marine water
type: article
uri: /article/10.1016/j.watres.2012.01.033
url: ~
year: 2012