Date of Award
2016
Type
Thesis
Major
Biology
Department
Biology
Abstract
Escherichia coli testing is frequently used to indicate the possible presence of harmful pathogens, but E. coli itself can be pathogenic. Serotype 0157:H7, enterohemorrhagic E. coli, is likely the most medically important pathogenic strain of E. coli in the United States. In this study, we surveyed for 0157:H7 and three strains of another pathogenic subtype: enterotoxigenic E. coli. We isolated E. coli colonies from samples taken from the Chattahoochee River in Columbus, Georgia at two different locations, above and below wastewater outputs. We used PCR to test for the individual subtypes and then used a nested PCR protocol for the human, bovine, and avian ETEC. Our results show that most isolated E. coli strains are not 0157:H7 or ETEC. However, nested PCR specific for human enterotoxigenic E. coli amplified target sequences in some tested colonies, which may indicate humans as a source of E. coli at our sample sites.
Recommended Citation
Staples, Micah A., "Screening for Pathogenic Escherichia Coli in the Chattahoochee River, Columbus, Georgia" (2016). Theses and Dissertations. 248.
https://csuepress.columbusstate.edu/theses_dissertations/248
