Pimchanok NopprapunSuwanna Kitpati BoontanonHidenori HaradaNawatch SurinkulShigeo FujiiMahidol UniversityKyoto University2021-02-032021-02-032020-12-15Water Science and Technology. Vol.82, No.12 (2020), 2929-293619969732027312232-s2.0-85098731385https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/60932© IWA Publishing 2020. High levels of microbial fecal pollution are a major concern in many countries. A human-associated genetic marker for Escherichia coli (H8) has recently been developed for fecal source tracking. The assessment of the H8 marker performance is crucial before it can be applied as a suitable method for fecal source tracking in each country. The performance (specificity and sensitivity) of the H8 marker was evaluated by using non-target host groups (cattle, buffalo, chicken, duck, and pig feces) and target host groups (influent and effluent from a wastewater treatment plant and septages). SYBR based real-time PCR (polymerase chain reaction) was done on 400 E. coli isolates from non-target and target host groups after E. coli isolation. It was found that the specificity from animal feces samples collected in Thailand was 96%. Moreover, influent, effluent, and septage samples showed the values of the sensitivity at 18, 12, and 36%, respectively. All of the non-target host groups were found to be significantly different with positive proportions from the target host group (septage samples) (p ≤ 0.01). Based on the results, this marker is recommended for use as a humanassociated E. coli marker for identifying sources of fecal pollution in Thailand.Mahidol UniversityEnvironmental ScienceArticleSCOPUS10.2166/wst.2020.525