AWWA ACE90122 ✓ Most Recent

This study describes the use of a newly developed respiratory animal model to identify opportunistic pathogens isolated from drinking water. This model eliminates many of the shortcomings of in vitro models. The results of this study indicate that finished drinking water may contain heterotrophic bacteria that are opportunistic pathogens. Since the isolates were not from random samplings of bacteria in drinking water distribution systems, it is impossible to determine the frequency of occurrence of the potentially hazardous bacteria. The operational hypothesis that potential opportunistic pathogens in drinking water can be detected by exposing a compromised animal to heterotrophic bacteria isolates from drinking, was proven. See more