Assessment of fecal indicator bacteria

Patent Granted Indicator bacteria are types of bacteria used to detect and estimate the level of fecal contamination of water. They are not dangerous to human health but are used to indicate the presence of a health risk. Each gram of human feces contains approximately ~100 billion (1×1011) bacteria.[1] These bacteria may include species of pathogenic bacteria, such as Salmonella or Campylobacter, associated with gastroenteritis. In addition, feces may contain pathogenic viruses, protozoa and parasites.