Here at the Harwood Environmental Microbiology Laboratory at USF, we focus on recreational and reclaimed water quality. We study the survival of sewage microorganisms in "secondary" habitats such as water, sediment, sand, and vegetation.  Another branch of the lab explores the ecology and virulence of pathogens that are native to aquatic habitats, such as Vibrio vulnificus. Recently, we have started examining the persistence of antibiotic resistant ESKAPE pathogens and resistance genes in reclaimed water treatment trains. 

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