E. coli is one of the main species of bacteria living in the lower intestines of mammals. The bacteria are generally an indicator of fecal matter contamination and can cause extreme sickness in humans and other animals when ingested.
In the past, health officials were not concerned about such bacteria on salt water beaches because that environment is not usually conducive to its growth. Concerns were only raised if there was a problem with the nearby septic system or if there were an unusually large amount of birds flying overhead.
But now officials are finding that certain strains of E.coli are adapting to the salt water conditions and actually thriving on some beaches in certain seasons. Generally, the bacteria are found during the summer months because E. coli grow best at higher temperatures.
Luckily for beach-goers everywhere, the danger is not in what goes on the skin but rather what goes in the mouth. Contamination is not likely unless it enters the body orally. Officials recommend to be careful and wash the hands frequently when visiting the beach.
University of Minnesota researchers found that two types of E.coli exist on the beach: the recently deposited and the kind that adapted and learned to live and grow in the sand.
The findings were published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology.
