Abstract
For a period of 7 months water samples were analyzed for the presence ofKlebsiella pneumoniae and fecal coliforms at 11 sites in a cloud rain forest watershed in Puerto Rico. Diffusion chamber studies were conducted at two sites which were found to contain low numbers of naturally occurringK. pneumoniae and fecal coliforms. These studies indicated that bothK. pneumoniae andEscherichia coli may be capable of surviving environmental conditions for extended periods of time. The presence of both bacteria in pristine natural waters is indicative of their being autochtonous to tropical environments. Thus, as a result, the use of coliform and even fecal coliform bacteria as indicators of fecal pollution may be misleading when applied to countries with a tropical climate.
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Lopez-Torres, A.J., Hazen, T.C. & Toranzos, G.A. Distribution and in situ survival and activity ofKlebsiella pneumoniae andEscherichia coli in a tropical rain forest watershed. Current Microbiology 15, 213–218 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01577533
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01577533