The USGS works to monitor and assess how disease-causing pathogens enter our water and help those who manage drinking and wastewater facilities prevent and treat these viruses, bacteria, algal toxins, and other microorganisms.
BACKGROUND
Microorganisms are found everywhere in our environment. They are common in the air, soil, water and in the habitats of our daily lives. The vast majority of microorganisms do not cause disease. Instead, they maintain the fertility of soil, they degrade wastes in our landfills and compost piles, and cleanse water of the pollutants we add. We purposefully use some microorganisms to make food (like in cheese, beer, and sauerkraut), we put microorganisms to work in sewage treatment plants, and we use them in biotechnology to produce chemicals.
Although some are beneficial, a few microorganisms called pathogens can make animals and humans sick. In order to cause disease, a pathogen must successfully invade some part of the body and either produce more of itself or produce a chemical (usually called a toxin) which interferes with normal body processes. Whether or not a pathogen is successful in causing disease depends on the health of the individual and the state of his or her immune system, as well as to the number of pathogen cells required to make the person ill. Some pathogens can cause disease when only a few cells are present. In other cases, many cells are required to make a person ill. Children and elderly persons are more susceptible to many pathogens than are young or middle-aged adults.
Waterborne pathogens include disease-causing algal toxins, bacteria, viruses, and protozoans that are transmitted to people when they consume untreated or inadequately treated water. Two such protozoans often seen in the news are Giardia and Cryptosporidium. Their consumption can lead to severe problems of the digestive system, which can be life-threatening to the very young, very old, or those with damaged immune systems.
Many communities routinely monitor streams, lakes, and beaches for bacteria that indicate a human health threat.
RELATED USGS RESEARCH
The USGS studies and monitors surface water and groundwater for a variety of pollutants, such as pathogens (viruses, bacteria, and protozoan). Here are a few links to demonstrate why USGS does what it does.
- What Microorganisms Do We Need To Worry About And Why?
- Detection of Microbial Indicators and Human Microbial Pathogens in Artificial Recharge Studies
- Novel Approach Improves Understanding of Virus Occurrence in Drinking Water
- Norovirus Outbreak Caused by a New Septic System
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Waterborne Disease Prevention Branch
- Current Waterborne Disease Burden Data & Gaps
- Waterborne Illnesses
- A Guide to Drinking Water Treatment
- Effect on Pathogens
National Center for Biotechnology Information
The transfer of pathogens through our Nation's waterways is a big problem. Here are a few studies that describe why things are in our water supply and what is being done about it.
Harmful Algae Blooms (HABs)
Bacterial Pathogens
Environmental factors and risk estimation for waterborne pathogens at three Great Lakes beaches
Groundwater viruses in Minnesota drinking water wells
Joint USGS/USEPA Pathogens in Soils Geographic Information Systems Project
Ohio Microbiology Program - Laboratory Capabilities
Fate and Transport of Pathogens and Nutrients from Land-Applied Animal Manures
- Overview
The USGS works to monitor and assess how disease-causing pathogens enter our water and help those who manage drinking and wastewater facilities prevent and treat these viruses, bacteria, algal toxins, and other microorganisms.
BACKGROUND
Sources/Usage: Public Domain.A USGS geneticist tests samples for presence of certain pathogens. (Credit: Karen Courtot) Microorganisms are found everywhere in our environment. They are common in the air, soil, water and in the habitats of our daily lives. The vast majority of microorganisms do not cause disease. Instead, they maintain the fertility of soil, they degrade wastes in our landfills and compost piles, and cleanse water of the pollutants we add. We purposefully use some microorganisms to make food (like in cheese, beer, and sauerkraut), we put microorganisms to work in sewage treatment plants, and we use them in biotechnology to produce chemicals.
Although some are beneficial, a few microorganisms called pathogens can make animals and humans sick. In order to cause disease, a pathogen must successfully invade some part of the body and either produce more of itself or produce a chemical (usually called a toxin) which interferes with normal body processes. Whether or not a pathogen is successful in causing disease depends on the health of the individual and the state of his or her immune system, as well as to the number of pathogen cells required to make the person ill. Some pathogens can cause disease when only a few cells are present. In other cases, many cells are required to make a person ill. Children and elderly persons are more susceptible to many pathogens than are young or middle-aged adults.
Waterborne pathogens include disease-causing algal toxins, bacteria, viruses, and protozoans that are transmitted to people when they consume untreated or inadequately treated water. Two such protozoans often seen in the news are Giardia and Cryptosporidium. Their consumption can lead to severe problems of the digestive system, which can be life-threatening to the very young, very old, or those with damaged immune systems.
Many communities routinely monitor streams, lakes, and beaches for bacteria that indicate a human health threat.
RELATED USGS RESEARCH
The USGS studies and monitors surface water and groundwater for a variety of pollutants, such as pathogens (viruses, bacteria, and protozoan). Here are a few links to demonstrate why USGS does what it does.
- What Microorganisms Do We Need To Worry About And Why?
- Detection of Microbial Indicators and Human Microbial Pathogens in Artificial Recharge Studies
- Novel Approach Improves Understanding of Virus Occurrence in Drinking Water
- Norovirus Outbreak Caused by a New Septic System
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Waterborne Disease Prevention Branch
- Current Waterborne Disease Burden Data & Gaps
- Waterborne Illnesses
- A Guide to Drinking Water Treatment
- Effect on Pathogens
National Center for Biotechnology Information
- Science
The transfer of pathogens through our Nation's waterways is a big problem. Here are a few studies that describe why things are in our water supply and what is being done about it.
Harmful Algae Blooms (HABs)
Cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (HABs) are increasingly a global concern because HABs pose a threat to human and aquatic ecosystem health and cause economic damages. Toxins produced by some species of cyanobacteria (called cyanotoxins) can cause acute and chronic illnesses in humans and pets. Aquatic ecosystem health also is affected by cyanotoxins, as well as low dissolved oxygen...Bacterial Pathogens
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Michigan Bacteriological Research Laboratory (MI-BaRL) studies the source, occurrence, and distribution of the bacterial pathogens Shiga-toxin producing E. coli (STEC), Salmonella, Shigella, Campylobacter, Enterococcus, and Staphylococcus and the relation of occurrence of pathogens with fecal indicator bacteria, land-use, season, hydrology, geology, weather...Environmental factors and risk estimation for waterborne pathogens at three Great Lakes beaches
The goals of this study were to quantify pathogen concentrations in water at three Lake Michigan beaches, identify environmental factors that influence pathogen occurrence and variability, and to estimate health risks for recreational swimmers.Groundwater viruses in Minnesota drinking water wells
In Minnesota, 74% of the State’s population relies on groundwater to supply their drinking water. Outbreaks of waterborne viral illness have been associated with groundwater, and surveys show that 30 percent of drinking water wells may be contaminated. LIDE is helping the State determine the occurrence of groundwater-borne viruses and the risk of illness in Minnesota groundwater.Joint USGS/USEPA Pathogens in Soils Geographic Information Systems Project
Studies determine background concentrations of select pathogens in soils of the contiguous U.S. and the influences of geochemistry, weather and climate on these populations.Ohio Microbiology Program - Laboratory Capabilities
Indicator bacteria are routinely measured by means of membrane-filtration or liquid broth most-probable number techniques. Find out more about the analytical methods used for standard bacterial indicators. LINKS: Back to MIOH Microbiology HomepageFate and Transport of Pathogens and Nutrients from Land-Applied Animal Manures
This collaborative project between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and the USGS was conducted as part of a larger research program being undertaken by USEPA and the U.S Department of Agriculture at several research sites throughout the United States. Goals included:1. Obtain detailed data concerning the survival of pathogenic microorganisms from manure applied to soil under... - Publications
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