Evaluation of tap water quality and molecular identification of Escherichia coli O157 in Al-Kut City, Iraq

Escherichia coli is a pathogen which can result in gastrointestinal infection. It can be transferred in a many methods, like water and food. This study is aimed to evaluate the potable water quality in Al- Kut City, Iraq, in addition to diagnosis of E. coli O157:H7 by PCR protocol. The method includes examination for total dissolved solids (TDSs), pH and electrical conductivity (EC), as well as the bacterial DNA extraction by DNA extraction kit, then detection via PCR. Primer "Rfb" was used for detection of O157 gene. The bands of PCR product was 292 bp, which has been visualized using gel electrophoresis. The results gained revealed that the advanced procedure by molecular detection may be used as a routine examination for drinking water pollution. Moreover, it is a precise procedure providing results at a less time compared to the classical culture methods.