9.1.4 Fungus
A fungus is a eukaryotic organism that admits microorganisms such unicellular yeast
and multicellular molds. These are classified under a separate kingdom “fungus,”
which includes approximately 100,000 described species. Fungi have both useful
and harmful properties. In environmental fungi along with its mycelium, various
propagules and the metabolites, it produces mycotoxin.
9.1.5 Significance of the Problem
The monitoring of pathogens and their toxins is one of the core issues in understanding and controlling risk to human health. Problem of pathogen and its toxin
contaminants has mild-to-severe and short-term or long-term effects and at some
circumstances it causes fetal effect and can become a pandemic. Very strict legislation is implemented in areas such as the environment hazards, in order to prevent the
terrible consequences of pathogen and its toxins. Thus, there has been a keen interest
in designing and developing tool and techniques for the monitoring of pathogens,
that is portable and highly robust assays. From this perspective, different type of
monitoring tools has achieved intense significance because of their capability to
resolve a potentially large number of problems and challenges in pathogen contamination. This chapter aims to provide new trends in the area of pathogen and its toxins
detection.
9.2
Detection of Pathogen and Its Toxins
Environmental pollution adversely affects human health and socioeconomic development. Therefore, it is necessary to develop specific and sensitive monitoring
protocols in order to avoid false-positive and false-negative results.
9.2.1 Molecular-Based Detection Methods
During the past decade, the use of molecular methods has supplied the means for
examining microbial diversity and detecting specific organisms without the need for
cultivation. Several molecular techniques have been developed and extensively used
for detecting and typing pathogens. These are evaluated in terms of their performance like discriminatory power, reproducibility, and agreement between typing
techniques. The application of molecular techniques to the study of natural and
engineered environmental systems has enhanced our insight into the interactions of
microorganisms in large and complex environments (Table 9.2). Molecular
techniques have also been widely used in surveillance, mutation, and other genetic
studies of pathogens to increase our understanding about the primary source of
pathogens, source of infection, and genetic diversity. Molecular techniques have
9 Development of Modern Tools for Environmental Monitoring of Pathogens and. . .
187
A fungus is a eukaryotic organism that admits microorganisms such unicellular yeast
and multicellular molds. These are classified under a separate kingdom “fungus,”
which includes approximately 100,000 described species. Fungi have both useful
and harmful properties. In environmental fungi along with its mycelium, various
propagules and the metabolites, it produces mycotoxin.
9.1.5 Significance of the Problem
The monitoring of pathogens and their toxins is one of the core issues in understanding and controlling risk to human health. Problem of pathogen and its toxin
contaminants has mild-to-severe and short-term or long-term effects and at some
circumstances it causes fetal effect and can become a pandemic. Very strict legislation is implemented in areas such as the environment hazards, in order to prevent the
terrible consequences of pathogen and its toxins. Thus, there has been a keen interest
in designing and developing tool and techniques for the monitoring of pathogens,
that is portable and highly robust assays. From this perspective, different type of
monitoring tools has achieved intense significance because of their capability to
resolve a potentially large number of problems and challenges in pathogen contamination. This chapter aims to provide new trends in the area of pathogen and its toxins
detection.
9.2
Detection of Pathogen and Its Toxins
Environmental pollution adversely affects human health and socioeconomic development. Therefore, it is necessary to develop specific and sensitive monitoring
protocols in order to avoid false-positive and false-negative results.
9.2.1 Molecular-Based Detection Methods
During the past decade, the use of molecular methods has supplied the means for
examining microbial diversity and detecting specific organisms without the need for
cultivation. Several molecular techniques have been developed and extensively used
for detecting and typing pathogens. These are evaluated in terms of their performance like discriminatory power, reproducibility, and agreement between typing
techniques. The application of molecular techniques to the study of natural and
engineered environmental systems has enhanced our insight into the interactions of
microorganisms in large and complex environments (Table 9.2). Molecular
techniques have also been widely used in surveillance, mutation, and other genetic
studies of pathogens to increase our understanding about the primary source of
pathogens, source of infection, and genetic diversity. Molecular techniques have
9 Development of Modern Tools for Environmental Monitoring of Pathogens and. . .
187