Identifying the presence of specific pathogens can help understand sources of fecal contamination. Because viruses are often species-specific, monitoring for human-specific viruses (enteric viruses) can provide direct evidence of a human source.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain.
- The OWML can analyze for enteric virus genes using qPCR: adenovirus, enterovirus, norovirus, pepper mild mottle virus, and human polyomavirus.
- Note that qPCR is a molecular method that detects both infective and noninfective viruses.