Evaluation of the microbiological quality of reclaimed water produced from a lagooning system

Global prevalence of potentially pathogenic free-living amoebae in sewage and sewage-related environments-systematic review with meta-analysis

Free-living amoebae (FLA) include amphizoic microorganisms important in public health, widely isolated from air, water, and soil. However, its occurrence in sewage-related environments still needs to be systematically documented. This study summarizes the occurrence of FLA in sewage-related environments through a systematic review with meta-analysis. A total of 1983 scientific article were retrieved from different databases, of which 35 were selected and analyzed using a random effects forest plot model with a 95% confidence interval (IC). The pooled overall prevalence of FLA in sewage across 12 countries was 68.96% (95% IC = 58.5-79.42). Subgroup analysis indicates high prevalence in all environments analyzed, including sewage water from the sewage treatment plant (81.19%), treated sewage water (75.57%), sewage-contaminated water (67.70%), sediment contaminated by sewage (48.91%), and sewage water (47.84%). Prevalence values of Acanthamoeba spp., Hartmanella/Vermamoeba spp., and Naegleria spp. are 47.48%, 28.24%, and 16.69%, respectively. Analyzing the species level, the distribution is as follows: Acanthamoeba palestinensis (88%), A. castellanii (23.74%), A. astronyxis (19.18%), A. polyphaga (13.59%), A. culbertsoni (12.5%), A. stevensoni (8.33%), A. tubiashi (4.35%) and A. hatchetti (1.1%), Naegleria fowleri (28.4%), N. gruberi (25%), N. clarki (8.33%), N. australiensis (4.89%) and N. italica (4.29%), Hartmannella/Vermamoeba exundans (40%) and H.V. vermiform (32.61%). Overall, our findings indicate a high risk associated with sewage-related environments, as the prevalence of FLA, including pathogenic strains, is high, even in treated sewage water. The findings of this study may be valuable both for risk remediation actions against amoebic infections and for future research endeavors.

Hepatitis E Virus in the Iberian Peninsula: A Systematic Review

One of the most frequent causes of acute viral hepatitis is hepatitis E virus (HEV) causing 20 million infections worldwide each year and 44,000 deaths. Studies on HEV in the Iberian Peninsula have been increasing through time with HEV infection being identified in humans and animals. The aim of the present systematic review was to compile and evaluate all the published data on HEV from studies performed in humans, animals and environmental samples in the Iberian Peninsula. The electronic databases Mendeley, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science were thoroughly searched, and research published up until February 01, 2023 were included. Resulting in a total of 151 eligible papers by full reading and application of PRISMA exclusion/inclusion criteria. Overall, the present review shows that several HEV genotypes, namely HEV-1, 3, 4, and 6 as well as Rocahepevirus, are circulating in humans, animals, and in the environment in the Iberian Peninsula. HEV-3 was the most common genotype circulating in humans in Portugal and Spain, as expected for developed countries, with HEV-1 only being detected in travelers and emigrants from HEV endemic regions. Spain is the biggest pork producer in Europe and given the high circulation of HEV in pigs, with HEV-3 being primarily associated to zoonotic transmission through consumption of swine meat and meat products, in our opinion, the introduction of an HEV surveillance system in swine and inclusion of HEV in diagnostic routines for acute and chronic human hepatitis would be important. Additionally, we propose that establishing a monitoring mechanism for HEV is crucial in order to gain a comprehensive understanding of the prevalence of this illness and the various strains present in the Iberian Peninsula, as well as their potential impact on public health.

Recent advances in aqueous virus removal technologies

The COVID-19 outbreak has triggered a massive research, but still urgent detection and treatment of this virus seems a public concern. The spread of viruses in aqueous environments underlined efficient virus treatment processes as a hot challenge. This review critically and comprehensively enables identifying and classifying advanced biochemical, membrane-based and disinfection processes for effective treatment of virus-contaminated water and wastewater. Understanding the functions of individual and combined/multi-stage processes in terms of manufacturing and economical parameters makes this contribution a different story from available review papers. Moreover, this review discusses challenges of combining biochemical, membrane and disinfection processes for synergistic treatment of viruses in order to reduce the dissemination of waterborne diseases. Certainly, the combination technologies are proactive in minimizing and restraining the outbreaks of the virus. It emphasizes the importance of health authorities to confront the outbreaks of unknown viruses in the future.

Cyanotoxins and water quality parameters as risk assessment indicators for aquatic life in reservoirs

We assessed the extent of pollution in an essential public water supply reservoir (southeastern Brazil). An environmental monitoring study was performed at the Billings Reservoir (at the water catchment site) to assess the water quality in 2017, 2018, and 2019. Physicochemical parameters were analyzed, quantifying the total cyanobacteria and the cyanotoxins microcystins (MCs) and saxitoxins (SXTs), as well as their possible ecological risk to the aquatic environment. We also determined metals and metalloids (As, Ba, Cd, Pb, Cu, Cr, Fe, Mn, Ni, Zn, and Sb) and fecal bacteria (Escherichia coli). Monthly samplings were performed for 2017, 2018, and 2019 (totaling 36 sampling campaigns). Metals, metalloids, and E. coli values were below the maximum limit allowed by the Brazilian legislation. High concentrations of total cyanobacteria (3.07 × 10⁴ - 3.23 × 10⁵ cells/mL), microcystin variants MC-LR (0.67-23.63 μg/L), MC-LA (0.03-8.66 μg/L), MC-RR (0.56-7.92 μg/L), and MC-YR (0.04-1.24 μg/L), as well as the saxitoxins GTX2 (0.18-5.37 μg/L), GTX3 (0.13-4.40 μg/L), and STX (0.12-2.92 μg/L) were detected. From an ecotoxicological point of view, the estimated values for the risk quotient (RQ) for microcystins and saxitoxins were largely greater than 1, indicating a high risk to aquatic life. Therefore, further efforts need to be made to delay the eutrophication of the reservoir.

Molecular Diagnostic Tools Applied for Assessing Microbial Water Quality

Microbial water quality is of vital importance for human, animal, and environmental health. Notably, pathogenically contaminated water can result in serious health problems, such as waterborne outbreaks, which have caused huge economic and social losses. In this context, the prompt detection of microbial contamination becomes essential to enable early warning and timely reaction with proper interventions. Recently, molecular diagnostics have been increasingly employed for the rapid and robust assessment of microbial water quality implicated by various microbial pollutants, e.g., waterborne pathogens and antibiotic-resistance genes (ARGs), imposing the most critical health threats to humans and the environment. Continuous technological advances have led to constant improvements and expansions of molecular methods, such as conventional end-point PCR, DNA microarray, real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR), multiplex qPCR (mqPCR), loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), digital droplet PCR (ddPCR), and high-throughput next-generation DNA sequencing (HT-NGS). These state-of-the-art molecular approaches largely facilitate the surveillance of microbial water quality in diverse aquatic systems and wastewater. This review provides an up-to-date overview of the advancement of the key molecular tools frequently employed for microbial water quality assessment, with future perspectives on their applications.

The Prevalence of Arcobacteraceae in Aquatic Environments: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Members of the family Arcobacteraceae are distributed widely in aquatic environments, and some of its species have been associated with human and animal illness. However, information about the diversity and distribution of Arcobacteraceae in different water bodies is still limited. In order to better characterize the health risk posed by members in the family Arcobacteraceae, a systematic review and meta-analysis-based method was used to investigate the prevalence of Arcobacteraceae species in aquatic environments based on available data published worldwide. The database search was performed using related keywords and considering studies up to February 2021. The pooled prevalence in aquatic environments was 69.2%, ranging from 0.6 to 99.9%. These bacteria have a wide geographical distribution, being found in diverse aquatic environments with the highest prevalence found in raw sewage and wastewater treatment plants (WWTP), followed by seawater, surface water, ground water, processing water from food processing plants and water for human consumption. Assessing the effectiveness of treatments in WWTP in eliminating this contamination, it was found that the wastewater treatment may not be efficient in the removal of Arcobacteraceae. Among the analyzed Arcobacteraceae species, Al. butzleri was the most frequently found species. These results highlight the high prevalence and distribution of Arcobacteraceae in different aquatic environments, suggesting a risk to human health. Further, it exposes the importance of identifying and managing the sources of contamination and taking preventive actions to reduce the burden of members of the Arcobacteraceae family.

Virome in roof-harvested rainwater of a densely urbanized low-income region

Rainwater harvesting has been considered an affordable practice to supplement the conventional sources of water supply for potable and non-potable uses worldwide. This study characterizes the viral community found in roof-harvested rainwater (RHRW) samples obtained under different rain volumes in a densely urbanized low-income region in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Three pilot-scale standardized metal-sheet roofs (same catchment area, material age, and slope - 3%) were installed in the study area aiming at obtaining more reliable and representative samples. Fifty-four samples were collected from six rainfall events from January to April 2019 and concentrated by the skimmed-milk flocculation method. Pools of different rainfall volumes were submitted to high throughput sequencing using the shotgun metagenomic approach. Sequencing was performed on NextSeq platform. Genomic analysis of the virus community revealed that most are RNA non-human viruses, including two main families: Dicistroviridae and Iflaviridae, recognized for infecting arthropods. Bacteriophages were also relatively abundant, with a predominance of DNA phages belonging to Microviridae and Siphoviridae families, showing percentages from 5.3 and 3.7% of the total viral hits present in these samples, respectively. Viral genomic RNA viruses (77%) predominated over DNA viruses (23%). Concerning number of viral species identified, a higher percentage was observed for plant viruses (12 families, 58%). Hepatitis A virus and human klassevirus 1 were detected among the established human pathogens, suggesting the need for RHRW treatment before it is considered for human consumption. Australian bat lyssavirus was also detected, emphasizing the importance of environmental monitoring facing emerging viruses. The results corroborate the influence of the surrounding area on the rainwater quality.

Extracellular amoebal-vesicles: potential transmission vehicles for respiratory viruses

Human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a major cause of acute respiratory tract infections in children and immunocompromised adults worldwide. Here we report that amoebae-release respirable-sized vesicles containing high concentrations of infectious RSV that persisted for the duration of the experiment. Given the ubiquity of amoebae in moist environments, our results suggest that extracellular amoebal-vesicles could contribute to the environmental persistence of respiratory viruses, including potential resistance to disinfection processes and thereby offering novel pathways for viral dissemination and transmission.

Agricultural Detection of Norovirus and Hepatitis A Using Fecal Indicators: A Systematic Review

Fresh-produce consumers may be at risk of pathogen infection due to fecal contamination of the agricultural environment. Indicators of fecal contamination may be used as a proxy to evaluate the potential presence of human pathogens, such as norovirus and hepatitis A, on agricultural samples. The objective of this systematic review was to determine whether the presence of human norovirus or hepatitis A was associated with microbial indicators in agricultural samples including fresh produce, equipment surfaces, and hands. Four databases (Embase, PubMed, Web of Science, and Agricola) were systematically searched and fifteen articles met inclusion and exclusion criteria. After data extraction, individual indicator-pathogen relationships were assessed using Cohen's Kappa coefficient. The level of agreement between norovirus with adenovirus was 0.09 (n = 16, 95% CI -0.05, 0.23), indicating poor agreement using Landis and Koch's criterion. Similarly, the Kappa coefficient between norovirus with E. coli (κ = 0.04, n = 14, 95% CI -0.05, 0.49) or total coliforms (κ = 0.03, n = 4, 95% CI -0.01, 0.02) was also poor. The level of agreement between hepatitis A with adenovirus (κ = -0.03, n = 3, 95% CI -0.06, 0.01) or fecal coliforms (κ = 0, n = 1, 95% CI 0, 0) was also poor. There were moderate relationships between hepatitis A with E. coli (κ = 0.49, n = 3, 95% CI 0.28, 0.70) and total coliforms (κ = 0.47, n = 2, 95% CI 0.47, 0.47). Based on these limited results, common indicator organisms are not strong predictors of the presence of norovirus and hepatitis A virus in the agricultural environment.

Microbiological assessment of an urban lagoon system in the coastal zone of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

This study aims to assess microbiological contamination using a molecular tool for detection of multiple enteropathogens in a coastal ecosystem area in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Ten litres of superficial water samples were obtained during the spring ebb tide from sampling sites along the Jacarepaguá watershed. Samples were concentrated using skimmed milk flocculation method for TaqMan array card (TAC), designed to identify 35 enteric pathogens simultaneously, and single TaqMan qPCR analysis for detecting human adenovirus (HAdV) and JC human polyomavirus (JCPyV) as faecal indicator viruses (FIV). TAC results identified 17 enteric pathogens including 4/5 viral species investigated, 8/15 bacteria, 4/6 protozoa and 1/7 helminths. Escherichia coli concentration was also measured as faecal indicator bacteria (FIB) using Colilert Quanti-Tray System with positivity in all samples studied. HAdV and JCPyV qPCR were detected in 8 and 4 samples, respectively, with concentration ranging from 8 × 10² to 2 × 10⁶ genome copies/L. Partial nucleotide sequencing demonstrated the occurrence of species HAdV A, C, D, and F, present in faeces of individuals with enteric and non-enteric infections, and JCPyV type 3 (Af2), prevalent in a high genetically mixed population like the Brazilian. The diversity of enteropathogens detected by TAC emphasizes the utility of this methodology for quick assessment of microbiological contamination of the aquatic ecosystems, speeding up mitigation actions where the risk of the exposed population is detected, as well as pointing out the infrastructure gaps in areas where accelerated urban growth is observed.

Occurrence, fates and potential treatment approaches for removal of viruses from wastewater: A review with emphasis on SARS-CoV-2

The world is combating the emergence of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by novel coronavirus; severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Further, due to the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in sewage and stool samples, its transmission through water routes cannot be neglected. Thus, the efficient treatment of wastewater is a matter of utmost importance. The conventional wastewater treatment processes demonstrate a wide variability in absolute removal of viruses from wastewater, thereby posing a severe threat to human health and environment. The fate of SARS-CoV-2 in the wastewater treatment plants and its removal during various treatment stages remains unexplored and demands immediate attention; particularly, where treated effluent is utilised as reclaimed water. Consequently, understanding the prevalence of pathogenic viruses in untreated/treated waters and their removal techniques has become the topical issue of the scientific community. The key objective of the present study is to provide an insight into the distribution of viruses in wastewater, as well as the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2, and its possible transmission by the faecal-oral route. The review also gives a detailed account of the major waterborne and non-waterborne viruses, and environmental factors governing the survival of viruses. Furthermore, a comprehensive description of the potential methods (physical, chemical, and biological) for removal of viruses from wastewater has been presented. The present study also intends to analyse the research trends in microalgae-mediated virus removal and, inactivation. The review also addresses the UN SDG 'Clean Water and Sanitation' as it is aimed at providing pathogenically safe water for recycling purposes.

Microbiological contamination of conventional and reclaimed irrigation water: Evaluation and management measures

The wide diversity of irrigation water sources (i.e., drinking water, groundwater, reservoir water, river water) includes reclaimed water as a requested measure for increasing water availability, but it is also a challenge as pathogen exposure may increase. This study evaluates the level of microbial contamination in different irrigation waters to improve the knowledge and analyses management measures for safety irrigation. Over a one-year period, the occurrence of a set of viruses, bacteria and protozoa, was quantified and the performance of a wetland system, producing reclaimed water intended for irrigation, was characterized. Human fecal pollution (HAdV) was found in most of the irrigation water types analysed. Hepatitis E virus (HEV), an emerging zoonotic pathogen, was present in groundwater where porcine contamination was identified (PAdV). The skin-carcinoma associated Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV), was found occasionally in river water. Noroviruses were detected, as expected, in winter, in river water and reclaimed water. Groundwater, river water and reservoir water also harboured potential bacterial pathogens, like Helicobacter pylori, Legionella spp. and Aeromonas spp. that could be internalized and viable inside amoebas like Acanthamoeba castellanii, which was also detected. Neither Giardia cysts, nor any Cryptosporidium oocysts were detected. The wetland system removed 3 Log10 of viruses and 5 Log10 of bacteria, which resembled the river water quality. Irrigation waters were prone to variable contamination levels and according to the European guidance documents, the E. coli (EC) levels were not always acceptable. Sporadic detection of viral pathogens as NoV GII and HAdV was identified in water samples presenting lower EC than the established limit (100MNP/100 mL). When dealing with reclaimed water as a source of irrigation the analysis of some viral parameters, like HAdV during the peak irrigation period (summer and spring) or NoV during the coldest months, could complement existing water management tools based on bacterial indicators.

An Update on the Genus Aeromonas: Taxonomy, Epidemiology, and Pathogenicity

The genus Aeromonas belongs to the Aeromonadaceae family and comprises a group of Gram-negative bacteria widely distributed in aquatic environments, with some species able to cause disease in humans, fish, and other aquatic animals. However, bacteria of this genus are isolated from many other habitats, environments, and food products. The taxonomy of this genus is complex when phenotypic identification methods are used because such methods might not correctly identify all the species. On the other hand, molecular methods have proven very reliable, such as using the sequences of concatenated housekeeping genes like gyrB and rpoD or comparing the genomes with the type strains using a genomic index, such as the average nucleotide identity (ANI) or in silico DNA–DNA hybridization (isDDH). So far, 36 species have been described in the genus Aeromonas of which at least 19 are considered emerging pathogens to humans, causing a broad spectrum of infections. Having said that, when classifying 1852 strains that have been reported in various recent clinical cases, 95.4% were identified as only four species: Aeromonas caviae (37.26%), Aeromonas dhakensis (23.49%), Aeromonas veronii (21.54%), and Aeromonas hydrophila (13.07%). Since aeromonads were first associated with human disease, gastroenteritis, bacteremia, and wound infections have dominated. The literature shows that the pathogenic potential of Aeromonas is considered multifactorial and the presence of several virulence factors allows these bacteria to adhere, invade, and destroy the host cells, overcoming the immune host response. Based on current information about the ecology, epidemiology, and pathogenicity of the genus Aeromonas, we should assume that the infections these bacteria produce will remain a great health problem in the future. The ubiquitous distribution of these bacteria and the increasing elderly population, to whom these bacteria are an opportunistic pathogen, will facilitate this problem. In addition, using data from outbreak studies, it has been recognized that in cases of diarrhea, the infective dose of Aeromonas is relatively low. These poorly known bacteria should therefore be considered similarly as enteropathogens like Salmonella and Campylobacter.

Simultaneous sulfadiazines degradation and disinfection from municipal secondary effluent by a flow-through electro-Fenton process with graphene-modified cathode

Conventionally the deep treatment and disinfection are fulfilled by different processes for municipal wastewater treatment, this work verified a breakthrough by one process of novel flow-through electro-Fenton (EF) with graphene-modified cathode, which is usually seemed to be ineffective. This process was firstly confirmed to be cost-effective for simultaneous sulfadiazines (SDZs) degradation and disinfection from municipal secondary effluent with a very low electrical energy consumption (EEC) of 0.21 kW h/m³, attributed to the high H₂O₂ production of 4.41 mg/h/cm² on the novel graphite felt cathode modified by electrochemically exfoliated graphene (EEGr) with a low EEC of 3.08 kW h/(kg H₂O₂). Compared with the ineffective SDZs degradation by the conventional flow EF, this process was more cost-effective and overcame the harsh requirements on electrolyte concentration. It also showed good effectiveness in the degradation of different antibiotics, and the graphene-modified cathode still kept stable performance after eight consecutive runs. Account for the combined action of OH and active chlorine, the formation of hydroxylated and chlorine containing by-products was confirmed, and a possible degradation mechanism for SDZs was proposed. This flow-through EF process provided an alternative method for the disinfection and antibiotics degradation by one process for the treatment and reuse of municipal secondary effluent.

Billings reservoir water used for human consumption presents microbiological contaminants and induces both behavior impairments and astrogliosis in zebrafish

The Billings reservoir is the largest water-storage facility in the São Paulo Metropolitan Region, with only a small part of the reservoir used for water supply. Recently, the São Paulo Metropolitan Region has experienced the greatest water collapse ever recorded. Thus, the intensification of use of the Billings reservoir should be considered. The objective of this study was to evaluate the quality of the water from different areas of the Billings reservoir related to human consumption (water supply and fishing): Rio Pequeno, Rio Grande, and Bororé rivers. We performed microbiological and physical studies on one water sample collected at each of these sites. Adult zebrafish were exposed to such water samples and their behaviors were evaluated. Finally, we studied central glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) expression, which is related to neuroinflammatory processes. Water samples from Rio Pequeno, Rio Grande, and Bororé presented microbiological contamination for Escherichia coli and heterotrophic bacteria. Water from the Rio Pequeno river induced both motor/exploratory impairments and anxiogenic-like behavior in zebrafish. Water from the Bororé river induced behaviors in zebrafish related to respiratory impairments (hypoxia) as well as higher alarm reaction. Zebrafish exposed to water from the Bororé also presented astrogliosis, which seems to have happened in detrimental of the high heterotrophic bacterial contamination. Rio Grande and Bororé water increased the lethality rates. Considering the present results of microbiological contaminants and behavior impairments, lethality, as well as astrogliosis in zebrafish, the water from Rio Pequeno, Rio Grande, and Bororé rivers should be considered unacceptable for human use in their untreated state. The Basic Sanitation Company of the State of Sao Paulo should consider adopting rigorous processes of microbiological water treatment. Authorization for fishing at Bororé river should be reconsidered.

Do the Escherichia coli European Union shellfish safety standards predict the presence of Arcobacter spp., a potential zoonotic pathogen?

The genus Arcobacter comprises Campylobacter-related species, considered zoonotic emergent pathogens, the presence of which in water has been associated with fecal pollution. Discharges of fecal polluted water into the sea have been considered as one of the main reasons for the presence of Arcobacter in shellfish, and this may represent a risk for public health. In this study, the European Union shellfish food safety criteria based on levels of Escherichia coli were studied in relation to their capacity to predict the presence of Arcobacter species. In addition, the accumulation factor (AF) that measures the concentration ratio between the microbes present in the shellfish and in the water, was also studied for both bacteria. The results show that the presence of E. coli correlated with the presence of the potentially pathogenic species A. butzleri and A. cryaerophilus. However, in 26.1% of the shellfish samples (corresponding to those taken during summer months) E. coli failed to predict the presence of, for instance A. butzleri and A. skirrowii, among other species. In the rest of the samples a significant correlation between the concentration of E. coli and Arcobacter spp. (mussels and oyster; R²=0.744) was found. This study indicates that the presence of E. coli can predict the presence of pathogenic Arcobacter species in shellfish samples harvested from water with temperatures lower than 26.2°C. Consumption of shellfish collected at higher temperatures which may not be permissive to the growth of E. coli but does allow growth of Arcobacter spp., may represent a risk for consumers.

Health risks from exposure to Legionella in reclaimed water aerosols: Toilet flushing, spray irrigation, and cooling towers

The use of reclaimed water brings new challenges for the water industry in terms of maintaining water quality while increasing sustainability. Increased attention has been devoted to opportunistic pathogens, especially Legionella pneumophila, due to its growing importance as a portion of the waterborne disease burden in the United States. Infection occurs when a person inhales a mist containing Legionella bacteria. The top three uses for reclaimed water (cooling towers, spray irrigation, and toilet flushing) that generate aerosols were evaluated for Legionella health risks in reclaimed water using quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA). Risks are compared using data from nineteen United States reclaimed water utilities measured with culture-based methods, quantitative PCR (qPCR), and ethidium-monoazide-qPCR. Median toilet flushing annual infection risks exceeded 10^-4 considering multiple toilet types, while median clinical severity infection risks did not exceed this value. Sprinkler and cooling tower risks varied depending on meteorological conditions and operational characteristics such as drift eliminator performance. However, the greatest differences between risk scenarios were due to 1) the dose response model used (infection or clinical severity infection) 2) population at risk considered (residential or occupational) and 3) differences in laboratory analytical method. Theoretical setback distances necessary to achieve a median annual infection risk level of 10^-4 are proposed for spray irrigation and cooling towers. In both cooling tower and sprinkler cases, Legionella infection risks were non-trivial at potentially large setback distances, and indicate other simultaneous management practices could be needed to manage risks. The sensitivity analysis indicated that the most influential factors for variability in risks were the concentration of Legionella and aerosol partitioning and/or efficiency across all models, highlighting the importance of strategies to manage Legionella occurrence in reclaimed water.

Molecular detection and genotypic characterization of enteric adenoviruses in a hospital wastewater

Hospital wastewater (HWW) represents a major source of the diffusion of many antibiotics and some toxic pathogenic microorganisms in the aquatic environment. Sanitation services play a critical role in controlling transmission of numerous waterborne pathogens, especially enteric human adenoviruses (HAdVs) that can cause acute gastroenteritis. This study intended to evaluate the human adenoviruses (HAdVs) detection rates, to determine the genotype of these viruses and to assess the efficiency of HAdVs removal in hospital pilot wastewater treatment plant (PWWTP) in Tunis City, Tunisia. Therefore, hospital wastewater samples (n = 102) were collected during the study year from the two biological wastewater treatment techniques: natural oxidizing ponds and the rotating biological disks or biodisks. Nested polymerase chain reaction (Nested PCR) was used to evaluate the HAdVs detection rates. The genotype of HAdVs positive samples was achieved by the sequencing of the PCR products. HAdVs were detected in 64% (65/102) of positive wastewater samples. A substantial increase in the frequencies of HAdVs was observed at the exit of the two wastewater treatment techniques studied. The typing of HAdVs species F showed the occurrence of only HAdVs type 41. This data acquired for the first time in Tunisia showed high persistence and survival of HAdVs in the two biological wastewater treatment techniques experienced, and mainly highlighted the poor virological quality of the treated wastewater intended for recycling, agriculture reuse, and discharges into the natural receiving environments. Consequently, tertiary wastewater treatment appeared necessary in this case to decrease the load of enteric viruses flowing in the water environment.

High prevalence of Salmonella spp. in wastewater reused for irrigation assessed by molecular methods

Salmonella spp. is one of the most important causal agents of food-borne illness in developed countries and its presence in irrigation water poses a risk to public health. Its detection in environmental samples is not easy when culture methods are used, and molecular techniques such as PCR or ribosomal rRNA probe hybridization (Fluorescent in situ Hybridization, FISH) are outstanding alternatives. The aim of this work was to determine the environmental risk due to the presence of Salmonella spp. in wastewater by culture, PCR and FISH. A new specific rDNA probe for Salmonella was designed and its efficiency was compared with the rest of methods Serotype and antibiotic resistance of isolated strains were determined. Forty-five wastewater samples (collected from two secondary wastewater treatment plants) were analysed. Salmonella strains were isolated in 24 wastewater samples (53%), two of them after disinfection treatment. Twenty-three Salmonella strains exhibited resistance to one or more antimicrobial agent. Analysis of wastewater samples yielded PCR positive results for Salmonella in 28 out of the 45 wastewater samples (62%). FISH analysis allowed for the detection of Salmonella in 27 (60%) samples. By using molecular methods, Salmonella was detected in four samples after disinfection treatment. These results show the prevalence of Salmonella in reclaimed wastewater even after U.V. disinfection, what is a matter of public health concern, the high rates of resistance to antibiotics and the adequacy of molecular methods for its rapid detection. FISH method, with SA23 probe developed and assayed in this work provides a tool for detecting Salmonella in water within few hours, with a high rate of effectiveness.

Inactivation of microbiota from urban wastewater by single and sequential electrocoagulation and electro-Fenton treatments

This work aims at comparing the ability of two kinds of electrochemical technologies, namely electrocoagulation (EC) and electro-Fenton (EF), to disinfect primary and secondary effluents from municipal wastewater treatment plants. Heterotrophic bacteria, Escherichia coli, enterococci, Clostridium perfringens spores, somatic coliphages and eukaryotes (amoebae, flagellates, ciliates and metazoa) were tested as indicator microorganisms. EC with an Fe/Fe cell at 200 A m^-2 and natural pH allowed >5 log unit removal of E. coli and final concentration below 1 bacteria mL^-1 of coliphages and eukaryotes from both effluents in ca. 60 min, whereas heterotrophic bacteria, enterococci and spores were more resistant. A larger removal was obtained for the primary effluent, probably because the flocs remove higher amount of total organic carbon (TOC), entrapping more easily the microbiota. EF with a boron-doped diamond (BDD) anode and an air-diffusion cathode that produces H₂O₂ on site was first performed at pH 3.0, with large or even total inactivation of microorganisms within 30 min. A more effective microorganism removal was attained as compared to EC thanks to ^•OH formed from Fenton's reaction. A quicker disinfection was observed for the secondary effluent owing to its lower TOC content, allowing the attack of greater quantities of electrogenerated oxidants on microorganisms. Wastewater disinfection by EF was also feasible at natural pH (∼7), showing similar abatement of active microorganisms as a result of the synergistic action of generated oxidants like active chlorine and coagulation with iron hydroxides. A sequential EC/EF treatment (30 min each) was more effective for a combined decontamination and disinfection of urban wastewater.

Chlorinated and ultraviolet radiation -treated reclaimed irrigation water is the source of Aeromonas found in vegetables used for human consumption

Wastewater is increasingly being recognized as a key water resource, and reclaimed water (or treated wastewater) is used for irrigating vegetables destined for human consumption. The aim of the present study was to determine the diversity and prevalence of Aeromonas spp. both in reclaimed water used for irrigation and in the three types of vegetables irrigated with that water. Seven of the 11 (63.6%) samples of reclaimed water and all samples of vegetables were positive for the presence of Aeromonas. A total of 216 Aeromonas isolates were genotyped and corresponded to 132 different strains that after identification by sequencing the rpoD gene belonged to 10 different species. The prevalence of the species varied depending on the type of sample. In the secondary treated reclaimed water A. caviae and A. media dominated (91.4%) while A. salmonicida, A. media, A. allosaccharophila and A. popoffii represented 74.0% of the strains in the irrigation water. In vegetables, A. caviae (75.0%) was the most common species, among which a strain isolated from lettuce had the same genotype (ERIC pattern) as a strain recovered from the irrigation water. Furthermore, the same genotype of the species A. sanarellii was recovered from parsley and tomatoes demonstrating that irrigation water was the source of contamination and confirming the risk for public health.

The Use of Two Culturing Methods in Parallel Reveals a High Prevalence and Diversity of Arcobacter spp. in a Wastewater Treatment Plant

The genus Arcobacter includes species considered emerging food and waterborne pathogens. Despite Arcobacter has been linked to the presence of faecal pollution, few studies have investigated its prevalence in wastewater, and the only isolated species were Arcobacter butzleri and Arcobacter cryaerophilus. This study aimed to establish the prevalence of Arcobacter spp. at a WWTP using in parallel two culturing methods (direct plating and culturing after enrichment) and a direct detection by m-PCR. In addition, the genetic diversity of the isolates was established using the ERIC-PCR genotyping method. Most of the wastewater samples (96.7%) were positive for Arcobacter and a high genetic diversity was observed among the 651 investigated isolates that belonged to 424 different ERIC genotypes. However, only few strains persisted at different dates or sampling points. The use of direct plating in parallel with culturing after enrichment allowed recovering the species A. butzleri, A. cryaerophilus, Arcobacter thereius, Arcobacter defluvii, Arcobacter skirrowii, Arcobacter ellisii, Arcobacter cloacae, and Arcobacter nitrofigilis, most of them isolated for the first time from wastewater. The predominant species was A. butzleri, however, by direct plating predominated A. cryaerophilus. Therefore, the overall predominance of A. butzleri was a bias associated with the use of enrichment.

Reassessment of the Enteropathogenicity of Mesophilic Aeromonas Species

Cases of Aeromonas diarrhea have been described all over the world. The genus Aeromonas includes ca. 30 species, of which 10 have been isolated in association with gastroenteritis. The dominating species that account for ca. 96% of the identified strains are Aeromonas caviae, A. veronii, A. dhakensis, and A. hydrophila. However, the role of Aeromonas as a true enteropathogen has been questioned on the basis of the lack of outbreaks, the non-fulfillment of Koch's postulates and the low numbers of acute illnesses in the only existing human challenge study. In the present study we reassess the enteropathogenicity of Aeromonas using dose response models for microbial infection and acute illness. The analysis uses the data from the human challenge study and additional data from selected outbreak investigations where the numbers exposed and the dose were reported, allowing their inclusion as "natural experiments". In the challenge study several cases of asymptomatic shedding were found (26.3%, 15/57), however, only 3.5% (2/57) of those challenged with Aeromonas developed acute enteric symptoms (i.e., diarrhea). The "natural experiments" showed a much higher risk of illness associated with exposure to Aeromonas, even at moderate to low doses. The median dose required for 1% illness risk, was ~1.4 × 104 times higher in the challenge study (1.24 × 104 cfu) compared to natural exposure events (0.9 cfu). The dose response assessment presented in this study shows that the combined challenge and outbreak data are consistent with high infectivity of Aeromonas, and a wide range of susceptibility to acute enteric illness. To illustrate the outcomes, we simulate the risk associated with concentrations of Aeromonas found in different water and food matrices, indicating the disease burden potentially associated with these bacteria. In conclusion this study showed that Aeromonas is highly infectious, and that human susceptibility to illness may be high, similar to undisputed enteropathogens like Campylobacter or Salmonella.