IN-SITU REPLICATION STUDIES OF SOMATIC AND MALE-SPECIFIC COLIPHAGES IN A TROPICAL PRISTINE RIVER

The present study was carried out in order to evaluate coliphage survi val and their ability to replicate in tropical aquatic environments. R esults showed that coliphages survived for extended periods of time, h owever, neither sewage isolates nor laboratory phage strains replicate d in the environment, Neither one of the bacterial strains tested were permissive to phage replication under environmental; conditions, Thes e observations indicate that replication of ''fecal coliphages'' does not occur in the tropical aquatic environment and suggest that either somatic or male-specific coliphages may be considered as potential ind icators of fecal contamination in tropical aquatic environments.