Assessment of a new Bacteroidales marker targeting North American beaver (Castor canadensis) fecal pollution by real-time PCR

•Beaver can contain human pathogens.•Primers and probe have been design to detect beaver fecal pollution by real-time PCR.•System shown high specificity and high sensitivity.•Beaver fecal pollution was successfully highlighted in Canadian environmental water.

In many settings wildlife can be a significant source of fecal pathogen input into surface water. The North American beaver (Castor canadensis) is a zoonotic reservoir for several human pathogens including Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia spp. In order to specifically detect fecal pollution by beavers, we have developed and validated a beaver-specific Bacteroidales marker, designated Beapol01, based on the 16S rRNA gene. The marker is suitable for quantifying pollution using real-time PCR. The specificity and sensitivity of the marker was excellent, Beaver signal was detected in water of a mixed-activity watershed harbouring this rodent. Overall, Beapol01 will be useful for a better understanding of fecal source inputs in drainage basins inhabited by the beaver.