Pathogens, faecal indicators and human-specific microbial source-tracking markers in sewage

Area of Science:

• Environmental microbiology
• Public health
• Microbial ecology

Background:

• Sewage contains a complex microbial community, primarily reflecting the human gut microbiota.
• Human and animal feces share microbes, including pathogens, posing public health risks.
• Effective sanitation and water quality management require understanding sewage microbial content.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the current knowledge on pathogens, general fecal indicators, and human-specific microbial source tracking (MST) markers in sewage.
• To assess the utility of these markers for sanitation assessment and water contamination studies.
• To summarize global data on the prevalence and concentration of these microbial markers.

Main Methods:

• Literature review synthesizing existing research on sewage microbiology.
• Analysis of reported data on pathogens, general fecal indicators, and human-specific MST markers.
• Evaluation of traditional and molecular methods for microbial analysis in sewage.

Main Results:

• Sewage microbial profiles largely mirror the human gut microbiota.
• Pathogens, general fecal indicators, and human-specific MST markers are frequently detected in sewage worldwide.
• Direct pathogen detection is ideal but often impractical for routine monitoring.

Conclusions:

• Knowledge of sewage microbial composition is vital for public health and environmental protection.
• Microbial source tracking (MST) markers are essential for identifying fecal contamination origins.
• A combination of indicator organisms and MST markers is needed for comprehensive water quality assessment.