Distribution of human fecal marker genes and their association with pathogenic viruses in untreated wastewater determined using quantitative PCR

•Human fecal marker genes and GC of pathogenic viruses were measured in wastewater.•GC of pathogenic viruses were 3-5 orders of magnitude lower than human fecal marker genes.•The concentrations of pathogenic viral GC were highly variable over the course of the study.•HF183, CrAssphage and PMMoV correlated well with GC of pathogenic viruses.