Impact of the ring-billed gull (Larus delawarensis) on the microbiological quality of recreational water.

Appl Environ Microbiol. 1993 April; 59(4): 1228–1230.

PMCID: PMC202265

Benoît Leévesque, P Brousseau, P Simard, E Dewailly, M Meisels, D Ramsay, and J Joly

Service Santé et Environnement, Centre Hospitalier de l'Universit Laval, Québec, Canada G1V 2K8.

This article has been cited by other articles in PMC.

Abstract

We evaluated the impact of the ring-billed gull (Larus delawarensis) on the microbiological quality of water. We measured fecal coliforms, Salmonella spp., and Aeromonas spp. in the gull droppings and the number of fecal coliforms in the water prior to and after attracting these birds to the beach with food. Gulls can contribute to the bacteriological degradation of recreational water.

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