Pathogenic viruses in the marine environment

Standards of microbiological water quality are based on bacterial standards, particularly coliforms. There is increasing evidence, however, that these are not adequate markers for the presence of non-bacterial agents such as viruses and protozoa (Payment et al., 1982). The pursuit of viruses in the water environment is a relatively recent pastime: the first major paper not being published till 1947 by the eminent virologist, Dr. Joseph Melnick (Melnick, 1947). This early work did establish the importance of viruses and led, in 1974, to a meeting in Mexico City that established standards for enterovirus testing and the need for further research in the field. The next 20 years was beset with one major obstacle: the lack of good methods to detect viruses in waters.