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Indicator organism

Indicator organisms are used as a proxy to

monitor conditions in a particular
environment, ecosystem, area, habitat, or
consumer product. Certain bacteria, fungi
and helminth eggs are being used for
various purposes.
Types

Indicator bacteria …

Certain bacteria can be used as indicator

organisms in particular situations. The
presence of bacteria commonly found in
human feces, termed coliform bacteria
(e.g. E. coli), in surface water is a common
indicator of faecal contamination. For this
reason, sanitation programs often test
water for the presence of these organisms
to ensure that drinking water systems are
not contaminated with feces. This testing
can be done using several methods which
generally involve taking samples of water,
or passing large amounts of water through
a filter to sample bacteria, then testing to
see if bacteria from that water grow on
selective media such as MacConkey agar.
Alternatively, the sample can be tested to
see if it utilizes various nutrients in ways
characteristic of coliform bacteria.[1]

Coliform bacteria selected as indicators of

faecal contamination must not persist in
the environment for long periods of time
following efflux from the intestine, and
their presence must be closely correlated
with contamination by other faecal
organisms. Indicator organisms need not
be pathogenic.[2]

Non-coliform bacteria, such as

Streptococcus bovis and certain clostridia
may also be used as an index of faecal
contamination.[3]

Indicator fungi …

Penicillium species, Aspergillus niger and

Candida albicans are used in the
pharmaceutical industry for microbial limit
testing, bioburden assessment, method
validation, antimicrobial challenge tests,
and quality control testing.[4] When used in
this capacity, Penicillium and A. niger are
compendial mold indicator organisms.[4]

Molds such as Trichoderma, Exophiala,

Stachybotrys, Aspergillus fumigatus,
Aspergillus versicolor, Phialophora,
Fusarium, Ulocladium and certain yeasts
are used as indicators of indoor air
quality.[5][6][7]

Indicator helminth eggs …

Identification and quantification of helminth eggs at
UNAM university in Mexico City, Mexico

Helminth eggs (or ova) are a good

indicator organism to assess the safety of
sanitation and wastewater reuse systems
for resource recovery because they are the
most environmentally resistant pathogens
of all pathogens (viruses, bacteria,
protozoa and helminths) and can in
extreme cases survive for several years in
soil.[8]

See also
Coliform bacteria
Coliform index
E. coli
Indicator species

References
1. Ashbolt NJ, Grabow WO, Snozzi M.
"13: Indicators of microbial water
quality". Assessing Microbial Safety of
 Drinking Water (PDF). World Health
Organization. pp. 293–295. Retrieved
16 July 2016.
2. "Fecal Coliform as an Indicator
Organism" (PDF). Wastewater
treatment environmental fact sheet.
New Hampshire Department of
Environmental Services. 2003.
Retrieved 30 November 2007.
3. Gerardi, Michael H.; Mel C.
Zimmerman (January 2005). Michael
H. Gerardi (ed.). Wastewater
Pathogens. Wastewater Microbiology
Series. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley &
 Sons, Inc. p. 147. ISBN 978-0-471-
20692-7.
4. Clontz, Lucia (2009). "Microorganisms
of interest". Microbial Limit and
Bioburden Tests: Validation
Approaches and Global Requirements,
Second Edition (2nd ed.). Boca Raton,
Florida: CRC Press. pp. 31–33.
ISBN 9781420053494.
5. Jantunen, Matti; Jaakkola, Jouni J. K.;
Krzyzanowski, M., eds. (1997). "20:
Bacteria and fungi". Assessment of
Exposure to Indoor Air Pollutants,
WHO Regional Publications European
 Series, No. 78. Copenhagen: WHO
Regional Office Europe. pp. 101–102.
ISBN 9289013427.
. Cole, Eugene C.; Dulaney, Pamela D.;
Leese, Keith E.; Hall, Richard M.;
Foarde, Karin K.; Franke, Deborah L.;
Myers, Frank M.; Berry, Michael A.
(1996). "Biopollutant Sampling and
Analysis of Indoor Surface Dusts:
Characterization of Potential Sources
and Sinks". In Tichenor, Bruce A. (ed.).
Characterizing Sources of Indoor Air
Pollution and Related Sink Effects,
Volume 1287. West Conshohocken,
 PA: ASTM International. pp. 164–164.
ISBN 9780803120303.
7. Heikkinen, M.S.A.; Hjelmroos-Koski,
M.K.; Haggblom, M.M.; Macher, J.M.
(2004). "Chapter 13: Bioaerosols". In
Ruzer, L.S.; Harley, N.H. (eds.).
Aerosols Handbook: Measurement,
Dosimetry, and Health Effects. Boca
Raton, Florida: CRC Press. pp. 377–
378. ISBN 9780203493182.
. WHO (2006). Guidelines for the Safe
Use of Wastewater, Excreta and
Greywater, Volume 4 Excreta and
Greywater Use in Agriculture (third
 ed.). Geneva: World Health
Organization. ISBN 9241546859.

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