Bacteriophages: Update on application as models for viruses in water

Abstract

Phages are valuable models or surrogates for enteric viruses because they share many fundamental properties and features. Among these are structure, composition, morphology, size and site of replication. Even though they use different host cells, coliphages and Bacteroides fragilis phages predominantly replicate in the gastro-intestinal tract of humans and warm-blooded animals where enteric viruses also replicate. A major advantage of phages is that, compared to viruses, they are detectable by simple, inexpensive and rapid techniques. In view of these features, phages are particularly useful as models to assess the behaviour and survival of enteric viruses in the environment, and as surrogates to assess the resistance of human viruses to water treatment and disinfection processes. Since there is no direct correlation between numbers of phages and viruses, phages cannot to a meaningful extent be used to indicate numbers of viruses in polluted water. The presence of phages typically associated with human and animal excreta indicates the potential presence of enteric viruses.

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