Detection and occurrence of indicator organisms and pathogens

Since 1971, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have maintained a surveillance system relating to occurrences and causes of waterborne-disease outbreaks. Within the past several decades, alternative, noncultural methods for the detection of microorganisms have been widely used. These methods are particularly useful for the detection of microorganism for which no selective media has been developed. These methods include the use of specific staining procedures, usually based on the serological properties of the organism, and molecular methods for the detection and characterization of specific sequences within the DNA or RNA of the organism.