AWWA ACE90123

The study presented shows that nucleic acid probes offer a means for rapid identification and sensitive detection of enteropathogens in water. Their use in routine water quality monitoring is limited by reliance on detection systems employing radiolabels and by the current complexity of the assay methods. The current utility of direct detection of enteropathogens in water using nucleic acid probes lies in their use for identification of etiologic agents in disease outbreaks. As non-radioactive methods are improved and as new assay methods are developed, routine use of nucleic acid problems for water quality assessment can be expected.