A range of options for the storage and partial processing of water samples before polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis were evaluated. In addition, temporal storage of extracted DNA at 4 °C was investigated. Filtering the water sample and then storing that filter at −20 °C for up to six months before DNA extraction was equivalent to extracting DNA immediately. Freezing a water sample resulted in an immediate 1 log loss of...

Freshly excreted droppings from Canada geese ( n =80), black swans ( n =80), ducks ( n =80) and gulls ( n =80) were collected from sites around New Zealand. The droppings were enumerated for Escherichia coli , enterococci and Salmonella spp., and for the presence/absence of Cryptosporidium spp. Overall prevalence of E . coli and enterococci in samples was 95% and 94%, respectively. Cryptosporidium spp. was detected in 2% of th...