Bird and Human E. coli are Found in Fish
Ann Arbor, MI — The sources of E. coli contamination in public waters has been a major concern for public health, but the role fish play in the E. coli contamination of recreational waters is not well known.
E. coli from fish in a Lake Superior harbor, near Duluth, MN, were compared to E. coli bacteria from bird and human sources to identify the origin of E. coli found in fish.
Using DNA fingerprinting techniques, Canada geese, mallard ducks, and treated wastewater were the most likely sources of E. coli found in fish.
"Fish probably acquire E. coli when they eat food contaminated with feces," said researcher Dennis Hansen. "We would not expect E. coli bacteria to flourish in cold-blooded fish, since they are more commonly present in warm-blooded animals such as birds and humans," he added.
"However, it is possible that fish may reintroduce E. coli bacteria into the water when they excrete their own waste, but we don't think they should be considered a new source of E. coli contamination in our beaches," explained Hansen.
Original Publication Information
Results of this study, "Sources and Sinks of Escherichia coli in Benthic and Pelagic Fish," are reported by Dennis L. Hansen, John J. Clark, Satoshi Ishii, Michael J. Sadowsky and Randall E. Hicks in the latest issue (Volume 34, No. 2, pp. 228-234) of the Journal of Great Lakes Research, published by the International Association for Great Lakes Research, 2008.
Contacts
For more information about the study, contact contact Randall E. Hicks, Department of Biology, University of Minnesota, Duluth, Duluth MN 55812; , (218) 726-8438.
For information about the Journal of Great Lakes Research, contact Marlene Evans, Editor, National Water Research Institute, 11 Innovation Boulevard, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 3H5, Canada; editor@iaglr.org; (608) 692-1076.
Links
Since 1967, IAGLR has served as the focal point for compiling and disseminating multidisciplinary knowledge on North America's Laurentian Great Lakes and other large lakes of the world and their watersheds. In part, IAGLR communicates this knowledge through publication of the Journal of Great Lakes Research, available to members in print and electronic form. A searchable archive of the journal is available online and includes the abstracts of articles from the journal's inception in 1975 through the most recent issue. In addition, complete articles are available to members who have signed up for an electronic subscription.