...now we have to be paranoid about bacteria in the sand!

Scientists Puzzled By Sand Bacteria

by Staff Writers

Mount Pleasant (UPI) Jun 30, 2006

U.S. scientists say bacteria forcing the closure of many beaches may not be coming from people, animals, or sewage -- but might be produced in the sand. Researchers at Central Michigan University say they have found E. coli can live and thrive in beach sand without a warm-blooded host.

While not necessarily a threat to human health, E. coli has been used as an indicator of other pathogens in excrement, such as viruses, the Duluth (Minn.) News Tribune reported.

Full story here:

http://www.terradaily.com/reports/Scientists_Puzzled_By_Sand_Bacteria_999.html