---
cited_by:
  - publication: /report/usgcrp-climate-human-health-assessment-2016/chapter/water-related-illnesses
    publication_type: chapter
    reference: /reference/46a904dc-abed-4045-877c-8a3c9963f259
  - publication: /report/usgcrp-climate-human-health-assessment-2016
    publication_type: report
    reference: /reference/46a904dc-abed-4045-877c-8a3c9963f259
contributors: []
description: 'Rapid detection of pathogenic Naegleria fowleri in water distribution networks is critical for water utilities. Current detection methods rely on sampling drinking water followed by culturing and molecular identification of purified strains. This culture-based method takes an extended amount of time (days), detects both nonpathogenic and pathogenic species, and does not account for N. fowleri cells associated with pipe wall biofilms. In this study, a total DNA extraction technique coupled with a real-time PCR method using primers specific for N. fowleri was developed and validated. The method readily detected N. fowleri without preculturing with the lowest detection limit for N. fowleri cells spiked in biofilm being one cell (66% detection rate) and five cells (100% detection rate). For drinking water, the detection limit was five cells (66% detection rate) and 10 cells (100% detection rate). By comparison, culture-based methods were less sensitive for detection of cells spiked into both biofilm (66% detection for <10 cells) and drinking water (0% detection for <10 cells). In mixed cultures of N. fowleri and nonpathogenic Naegleria, the method identified N. fowleri in 100% of all replicates, whereas tests with the current consensus primers detected N. fowleri in only 5% of all replicates. Application of the new method to drinking water and pipe wall biofilm samples obtained from a distribution network enabled the detection of N. fowleri in under 6 h, versus 3+ days for the culture based method. Further, comparison of the real-time PCR data from the field samples and the standard curves enabled an approximation ofN. fowleri cells in the biofilm and drinking water. The use of such a method will further aid water utilities in detecting and managing the persistence of N. fowleri in water distribution networks. '
display_name: Rapid Detection of Naegleria Fowleri in Water Distribution Pipeline Biofilms and Drinking Water Samples
doi: 10.1021/es900432m
files: []
href: http://52.38.26.42:8080/article/10.1021/es900432m.yaml
identifier: 10.1021/es900432m
journal_identifier: environmental-science-technology
journal_pages: 6691-6696
journal_vol: 43
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/46a904dc-abed-4045-877c-8a3c9963f259
    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/46a904dc-abed-4045-877c-8a3c9963f259
    relationship: cito:isCitedBy
    uri: /report/usgcrp-climate-human-health-assessment-2016
references: []
title: Rapid Detection of Naegleria Fowleri in Water Distribution Pipeline Biofilms and Drinking Water Samples
type: article
uri: /article/10.1021/es900432m
url: ~
year: 2009