Soil characteristics affecting pathogen persistence
Agricultural soils as potential habitat for human pathogens

The detection of pathogens in soils is one thing, but their persistence over time is quite another. It is often difficult to determine whether the presence of a pathogen is a one-off event, or whether its persistence is long-term. Most of the data available is based on experiments carried out in soil microcosms and laboratory conditions (table 2 ). These results are difficult to compare from one study to another, due to the differences in experimental conditions used (strain, soil type, incubation temperature, etc.). What is noteworthy is that, although variable, pathogen persistence can, under certain conditions, extend over long periods.