Escherichia coli Viability in Coastal Marine Environments: A Case Study

Background: The assessment of the bacteriological quality of coastal marine waters through the search of Escherichia coli as an indicator of fecal pollution is a topic of public concern. The context and purpose of the study: During a coastal monitoring program, the abundance and distribution of the actively respiring and dead fraction within the total E. coli population along the Messina coastline (Sicily, Italy) were investigated using a fluorescent-antibody method coupled with the stains 5-cyano-2,3-ditolyl tetrazolium chloride (CTC) or propidium iodide (PI) in order to assess the potential risk related to the viability of this microorganism.