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Carson LR, Goodman C, van Duin B, Neumann NF. Application of a microbial and pathogen source tracking toolbox to identify infrastructure problems in stormwater drainage networks: a case study. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0033724. [PMID: 39109868 PMCID: PMC11371268 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00337-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Water scarcity and increasing urbanization are forcing municipalities to consider alternative water sources, such as stormwater, to fill in water supply gaps or address hydromodification of receiving urban streams. Mounting evidence suggests that stormwater is often contaminated with human feces, even in stormwater drainage systems separate from sanitary sewers. Pinpointing sources of human contamination in drainage networks is challenging given the diverse sources of fecal pollution that can impact these systems and the non-specificity of traditional fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) for identifying these host sources. As such, we used a toolbox approach that encompassed microbial source tracking (MST), FIB monitoring, and bacterial pathogen monitoring to investigate microbial contamination of stormwater in an urban municipality. We demonstrate that human sewage frequently contaminated stormwater (in >50% of routine samples), based on the presence of the human fecal marker HF183, and often exceeded microbial water quality criteria. Arcobacter butzleri, a pathogen of emerging concern, was also detected in >50% of routine samples, with 75% of these pathogen-positive samples also being positive for the human fecal marker HF183, suggesting human municipal sewage as the likely source for this pathogen. MST and FIB were used to track human fecal pollution in the drainage network to the most likely point source of contamination, for which a sewage cross-connection was identified and confirmed using tracer dyes. These results point to the ubiquitous presence of human sewage in stormwater and also provide municipalities with the tools to identify sources of anthropogenic contamination in storm drainage networks.IMPORTANCEWater scarcity, increased urbanization, and population growth are driving municipalities worldwide to consider stormwater as an alternative water source in urban environments. However, many studies suggest that stormwater is relatively poor in terms of microbial water quality, is frequently contaminated with human sewage, and therefore could represent a potential health risk depending on the type of exposure (e.g., irrigation of community gardens). Traditional monitoring of water quality based on fecal bacteria does not provide any information about the sources of fecal pollution contaminating stormwater (i.e., animals/human feces). Herein, we present a case study that uses fecal bacterial monitoring, microbial source tracking, and bacterial pathogen analysis to identify a cross-connection that contributed to human fecal intrusion into an urban stormwater network. This microbial toolbox approach can be useful for municipalities in identifying infrastructure problems in stormwater drainage networks to reduce risks associated with water reuse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liam R. Carson
- School of Public
Health, University of Alberta,
Edmonton, Alberta,
Canada
| | - Clint Goodman
- Community
Infrastructure, City of Airdrie,
Airdrie, Alberta,
Canada
| | - Bert van Duin
- City & Regional
Planning, City of Calgary,
Calgary, Alberta,
Canada
| | - Norman F. Neumann
- School of Public
Health, University of Alberta,
Edmonton, Alberta,
Canada
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Li J, Xiang S, Li Y, Cheng R, Lai Q, Wang L, Li G, Dong C, Shao Z. Arcobacteraceae are ubiquitous mixotrophic bacteria playing important roles in carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur cycling in global oceans. mSystems 2024; 9:e0051324. [PMID: 38904399 PMCID: PMC11265409 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00513-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Mixotrophy is an important trophic strategy for bacterial survival in the ocean. However, the global relevance and identity of the major mixotrophic taxa remain largely elusive. Here, we combined phylogenetic, metagenomic, and metatranscriptomic analyses to characterize ubiquitous Arcobacteraceae based on our deep-sea in situ incubations and the global data. The phylogenomic tree of Arcobacteraceae is divided into three large clades, among which members of clades A and B are almost all from terrestrial environments, while those of clade C are widely distributed in various marine habitats in addition to some terrestrial origins. All clades harbor genes putatively involved in chitin degradation, sulfide oxidation, hydrogen oxidation, thiosulfate oxidation, denitrification, dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium, microaerophilic respiration, and metal (iron/manganese) reduction. Additionally, in clade C, more unique pathways were retrieved, including thiosulfate disproportionation, ethanol fermentation, methane oxidation, fatty acid oxidation, cobalamin synthesis, and dissimilatory reductions of sulfate, perchlorate, and arsenate. Within this clade, two mixotrophic Candidatus genera represented by UBA6211 and CAIJNA01 harbor genes putatively involved in the reverse tricarboxylic acid pathway for carbon fixation. Moreover, the metatranscriptomic data in deep-sea in situ incubations indicated that the latter genus is a mixotroph that conducts carbon fixation by coupling sulfur oxidation and denitrification and metabolizing organic matter. Furthermore, global metatranscriptomic data confirmed the ubiquitous distribution and global relevance of Arcobacteraceae in the expression of those corresponding genes across all oceanic regions and depths. Overall, these results highlight the contribution of previously unrecognized Arcobacteraceae to carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur cycling in global oceans.IMPORTANCEMarine microorganisms exert a profound influence on global carbon cycling and ecological relationships. Mixotrophy, characterized by the simultaneous utilization of both autotrophic and heterotrophic nutrition, has a significant impact on the global carbon cycling. This report characterizes a group of uncultivated bacteria Arcobacteraceae that thrived on the "hot time" of bulky particulate organic matter and exhibited mixotrophic strategy during the in situ organic mineralization. Compared with clades A and B, more unique metabolic pathways were retrieved in clade C, including the reverse tricarboxylic acid pathway for carbon fixation, thiosulfate disproportionation, methane oxidation, and fatty acid oxidation. Global metatranscriptomic data from the Tara Oceans expeditions confirmed the ubiquitous distribution and extensive transcriptional activity of Arcobacteraceae with the expression of genes putatively involved in carbon fixation, methane oxidation, multiple sulfur compound oxidation, and denitrification across all oceanic regions and depths.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianyang Li
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetic Resources, Key Laboratory of Marine Genetic Resources of Fujian Province, Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources of PR China, Xiamen, China
| | - Shizheng Xiang
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetic Resources, Key Laboratory of Marine Genetic Resources of Fujian Province, Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources of PR China, Xiamen, China
| | - Yufei Li
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetic Resources, Key Laboratory of Marine Genetic Resources of Fujian Province, Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources of PR China, Xiamen, China
| | - Ruolin Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetic Resources, Key Laboratory of Marine Genetic Resources of Fujian Province, Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources of PR China, Xiamen, China
| | - Qiliang Lai
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetic Resources, Key Laboratory of Marine Genetic Resources of Fujian Province, Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources of PR China, Xiamen, China
| | - Liping Wang
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetic Resources, Key Laboratory of Marine Genetic Resources of Fujian Province, Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources of PR China, Xiamen, China
| | - Guizhen Li
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetic Resources, Key Laboratory of Marine Genetic Resources of Fujian Province, Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources of PR China, Xiamen, China
| | - Chunming Dong
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetic Resources, Key Laboratory of Marine Genetic Resources of Fujian Province, Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources of PR China, Xiamen, China
| | - Zongze Shao
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetic Resources, Key Laboratory of Marine Genetic Resources of Fujian Province, Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources of PR China, Xiamen, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Zhuhai, China
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3
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Carson LR, Beaudry M, Valeo C, He J, Banting G, van Duin B, Goodman C, Scott C, Neumann NF. Occurrence, Sources and Virulence Potential of Arcobacter butzleri in Urban Municipal Stormwater Systems. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:13065-13075. [PMID: 38989840 PMCID: PMC11271002 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.4c01358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2024] [Revised: 06/25/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024]
Abstract
A. butzleri is an underappreciated emerging global pathogen, despite growing evidence that it is a major contributor of diarrheal illness. Few studies have investigated the occurrence and public health risks that this organism possesses from waterborne exposure routes including through stormwater use. In this study, we assessed the prevalence, virulence potential, and primary sources of stormwater-isolated A. butzleri in fecally contaminated urban stormwater systems. Based on qPCR, A. butzleri was the most common enteric bacterial pathogen [25%] found in stormwater among a panel of pathogens surveyed, including Shiga-toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC) [6%], Campylobacter spp. [4%], and Salmonella spp. [<1%]. Concentrations of the bacteria, based on qPCR amplification of the single copy gene hsp60, were as high as 6.2 log10 copies/100 mL, suggesting significant loading of this pathogen in some stormwater systems. Importantly, out of 73 unique stormwater culture isolates, 90% were positive for the putative virulence genes cadF, ciaB, tlyA, cjl349, pldA, and mviN, while 50-75% of isolates also possessed the virulence genes irgA, hecA, and hecB. Occurrence of A. butzleri was most often associated with the human fecal pollution marker HF183 in stormwater samples. These results suggest that A. butzleri may be an important bacterial pathogen in stormwater, warranting further study on the risks it represents to public health during stormwater use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liam R. Carson
- School
of Public Health, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2E9
| | - Megan Beaudry
- Daicel
Arbor Biosciences, Ann Arbor, Michigan 30606, United States
| | - Caterina Valeo
- Department
of Mechanical Engineering, University of
Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada V8W 2Y2
| | - Jianxun He
- Department
of Civil Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N4
| | | | - Bert van Duin
- City &
Regional Planning, City of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2P 2M5
| | - Clint Goodman
- Community
Infrastructure, City of Airdrie, Airdrie, Alberta, Canada T4A 2K3
| | - Candis Scott
- School
of Public Health, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2E9
| | - Norman F. Neumann
- School
of Public Health, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2E9
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Basili M, Perini L, Zaggia L, Luna GM, Quero GM. Integrating culture-based and molecular methods provides an improved assessment of microbial quality in a coastal lagoon. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 334:122140. [PMID: 37414126 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.122140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/02/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023]
Abstract
Faecal pollution in aquatic environments is a worldwide public health concern, yet the reliability and comprehensiveness of the methods used to assess faecal contamination are still debated. We compared three approaches, namely a culture-based method to enumerate Faecal Indicator Bacteria (FIB), a FIB-targeting qPCR assay, and High-Throughput Sequencing (HTS) to detect faeces- and sewage-associated taxa in water and sediment samples of an impacted model lagoon and its adjacent sea across one year. Despite at different levels, all approaches agreed in showing a higher contamination in the lagoon than in the sea, and higher in sediments than water. FIB significantly correlated when considering separately sediment and water, and when using both cultivation and qPCR. Similarly, FIB correlated between cultivation and qPCR, but qPCR provided consistently higher estimates of FIB. Faeces-associated bacteria positively correlated with cultivated FIB in both compartments, whereas sewage-associated bacteria did only in water. Considering their benefits and limitations, we conclude that, in our study site, improved quali-quantitative information on contamination is provided when at least two approaches are combined (e.g., cultivation and qPCR or HTS data). Our results provide insights to move beyond the use of FIB to improve faecal pollution management in aquatic environments and to incorporate HTS analysis into routine monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Basili
- CNR IRBIM, National Research Council - Institute of Marine Biological Resources and Biotechnologies, Largo Fiera della Pesca, 60125, Ancona, Italy
| | - Laura Perini
- Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, 4000, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Luca Zaggia
- CNR IGG, National Research Council - Institute of Geosciences and Earth Resources, Via G. Gradenigo 6, 35131, Padova, Italy
| | - Gian Marco Luna
- CNR IRBIM, National Research Council - Institute of Marine Biological Resources and Biotechnologies, Largo Fiera della Pesca, 60125, Ancona, Italy
| | - Grazia Marina Quero
- CNR IRBIM, National Research Council - Institute of Marine Biological Resources and Biotechnologies, Largo Fiera della Pesca, 60125, Ancona, Italy.
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5
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Williams NLR, Siboni N, McLellan SL, Potts J, Scanes P, Johnson C, James M, McCann V, Seymour JR. Rainfall leads to elevated levels of antibiotic resistance genes within seawater at an Australian beach. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 307:119456. [PMID: 35561796 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.119456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Revised: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Anthropogenic waste streams can be major sources of antibiotic resistant microbes within the environment, creating a potential risk to public health. We examined patterns in the occurrence of a suite of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and their links to enteric bacteria at a popular swimming beach in Australia that experiences intermittent contamination by sewage, with potential points of input including stormwater drains and a coastal lagoon. Samples were collected throughout a significant rainfall event (40.8 mm over 3 days) and analysed using both qPCR and 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. Before the rainfall event, low levels of faecal indicator bacteria and a microbial source tracking human faeces (sewage) marker (Lachno3) were observed. These levels increased over 10x following rainfall. Within lagoon, drain and seawater samples, levels of the ARGs sulI, dfrA1 and qnrS increased by between 1 and 2 orders of magnitude after 20.4 mm of rain, while levels of tetA increased by an order of magnitude after a total of 40.8 mm. After 40.8 mm of rain sulI, tetA and qnrS could be detected 300 m offshore with levels remaining high five days after the rain event. Highest levels of sewage markers and ARGs were observed adjacent to the lagoon (when opened) and in-front of the stormwater drains, pinpointing these as the points of ARG input. Significant positive correlations were observed between all ARGs, and a suite of Amplicon Sequence Variants that were identified as stormwater drain indicator taxa using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing data. Of note, some stormwater drain indicator taxa, which exhibited correlations to ARG abundance, included the human pathogens Arcobacter butzleri and Bacteroides fragilis. Given that previous research has linked high levels of ARGs in recreationally used environments to antimicrobial resistant pathogen infections, the observed patterns indicate a potentially elevated human health risk at a popular swimming beach following significant rainfall events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan L R Williams
- Climate Change Cluster Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Nachshon Siboni
- Climate Change Cluster Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Sandra L McLellan
- University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, School of Freshwater Sciences, 600 E Greenfield Ave, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Jaimie Potts
- Waters, Wetlands, Coasts Science Branch, NSW Department of Primary Industries and Environment, Lidcombe, NSW, 2141, Australia
| | - Peter Scanes
- Waters, Wetlands, Coasts Science Branch, NSW Department of Primary Industries and Environment, Lidcombe, NSW, 2141, Australia
| | - Colin Johnson
- Waters, Wetlands, Coasts Science Branch, NSW Department of Primary Industries and Environment, Lidcombe, NSW, 2141, Australia
| | - Melanie James
- Central Coast Council, Hely Street, Wyong, NSW, 2259, Australia
| | - Vanessa McCann
- Central Coast Council, Hely Street, Wyong, NSW, 2259, Australia
| | - Justin R Seymour
- Climate Change Cluster Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
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6
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Zhang D, Prigiobbe V. Measuring and modeling the influence of salinity change on the transport behaviour of Escherichia coli through quartz sand. JOURNAL OF CONTAMINANT HYDROLOGY 2022; 248:104016. [PMID: 35512510 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconhyd.2022.104016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2021] [Revised: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 04/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Pathogenic bacteria can be discharged in the environment through natural as well as anthropogenic activities. Once in the environment, they may contaminate soil and sediments and migrate towards water bodies. Transient chemical conditions may occur in soil/sediments and favor mobilization of bacteria, e.g., upon the reduction of salinity (or ionic strength). However, the magnitude of this phenomenon and its relationship with particle size is not well understood, yet. In this work, we investigated the transport of Escherichia coli under variable salinity conditions (between 1 and 20 part per thousand, ppt) and for different soil grain sizes (between 150 and 710 μm). A model developed in our group was applied in this work. It couples bacteria and salinity transport equations in order to account for transient water composition in the description of bacteria migration. The model was calibrated and validated with laboratory experiments. The tests were monitored continuously with UV-Vis spectroscopy, which allowed to record highly resolved concentration fronts. The results show that salinity increases the retardation of the bacteria. Upon salinity drop, a release of bacteria occurs forming a peak whose magnitude increases with salinity change. This effect becomes more important as the grain size decreases. Simulations suggest that the dominant retention mechanism is attachment for coarse sand and straining for fine sand. The retention can be reversed as the salinity is reduced causing a sudden bacteria mobilization. Such a behaviour may have important implications on microbial contamination of water bodies when soil/sediments undergo transient chemical conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong Zhang
- Department of Civil, Environmental, and Ocean Engineering, Stevens Institute of Technology, Castle Point on Hudson, Hoboken, NJ 07030, United States; Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588, United States
| | - Valentina Prigiobbe
- Department of Civil, Environmental, and Ocean Engineering, Stevens Institute of Technology, Castle Point on Hudson, Hoboken, NJ 07030, United States.
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Suzzi AL, Gaston TF, McKenzie L, Mazumder D, Huggett MJ. Tracking the impacts of nutrient inputs on estuary ecosystem function. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 811:152405. [PMID: 34923003 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.152405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2021] [Revised: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Estuaries are one of the most impacted coastal environments globally, subjected to multiple stressors from urban, industry and coastal development. With increasing anthropogenic activity surrounding estuarine systems, sewage inputs have become a common concern. Stable isotope analysis provides a well-established tool to investigate the incorporation of nitrogen into marine organisms and identify major nutrient sources. Benthic macroinvertebrate communities are often used as bioindicators in ecological studies as they typically display predictable responses to anthropogenic pressures, however have a suite of limitations and costs associated with their use. 16S rDNA amplicon sequencing techniques allow for investigation of the microbial communities inhabiting complex environmental samples, with potential as a tool in the ecological assessment of pollution. These communities have not yet been adequately considered for ecological studies and biomonitoring, with a need to better understand interactions with environmental stressors and implications for ecosystem function. This study used a combination of stable isotope analysis to trace the uptake of anthropogenic nitrogen in biota, traditional assessment of benthic macroinvertebrate communities, and 16S rDNA genotyping of benthic microbial communities. Stable isotope analysis of seagrass and epiphytes identified multiple treated and untreated sewage inputs, ranges of 5.2-7.2‰ and 1.9-4.0‰ for δ15N respectively, as the dominant nitrogen source at specific locations. The benthic macroinvertebrate community reflected these inputs with shifts in dominant taxa and high abundances of polychaetes at some sites. Microbial communities provided a sensitive indication of impact with a breadth of information not available using traditional techniques. Composition and predicted function reflected sewage inputs, particularly within sediments, with the relative abundance of specific taxa and putative pathogens linked to these inputs. This research supports the growing body of evidence that benthic microbial communities respond rapidly to anthropogenic stressors and have potential as a monitoring tool in urban estuarine systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra L Suzzi
- College of Engineering, Science and Environment, University of Newcastle, Ourimbah, NSW, Australia.
| | - Troy F Gaston
- College of Engineering, Science and Environment, University of Newcastle, Ourimbah, NSW, Australia
| | - Louise McKenzie
- College of Engineering, Science and Environment, University of Newcastle, Ourimbah, NSW, Australia; Hunter Water Corporation, Newcastle, NSW, Australia
| | - Debashish Mazumder
- Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO), Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Megan J Huggett
- College of Engineering, Science and Environment, University of Newcastle, Ourimbah, NSW, Australia; Centre for Marine Ecosystems Research, School of Science, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, WA, Australia
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Venâncio I, Luís Â, Domingues F, Oleastro M, Pereira L, Ferreira S. The Prevalence of Arcobacteraceae in Aquatic Environments: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Pathogens 2022; 11:244. [PMID: 35215187 PMCID: PMC8880612 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11020244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Revised: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Igor Venâncio
- CICS-UBI-Health Sciences Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, 6200-506 Covilhã, Portugal; (I.V.); (Â.L.); (F.D.)
| | - Ângelo Luís
- CICS-UBI-Health Sciences Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, 6200-506 Covilhã, Portugal; (I.V.); (Â.L.); (F.D.)
- Grupo de Revisões Sistemáticas (GRUBI), Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade da Beira Interior, 6200-506 Covilhã, Portugal;
| | - Fernanda Domingues
- CICS-UBI-Health Sciences Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, 6200-506 Covilhã, Portugal; (I.V.); (Â.L.); (F.D.)
| | - Mónica Oleastro
- National Reference Laboratory for Gastrointestinal Infections, Department of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Health Dr. Ricardo Jorge, 1649-016 Lisbon, Portugal;
| | - Luísa Pereira
- Grupo de Revisões Sistemáticas (GRUBI), Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade da Beira Interior, 6200-506 Covilhã, Portugal;
- CMA-UBI-Centro de Matemática e Aplicações, Universidade da Beira Interior, 6200-001 Covilhã, Portugal
- C4-UBI, Cloud Computing Competence Centre, University of Beira Interior, 6200-284 Covilhã, Portugal
| | - Susana Ferreira
- CICS-UBI-Health Sciences Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, 6200-506 Covilhã, Portugal; (I.V.); (Â.L.); (F.D.)
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Orel N, Fadeev E, Klun K, Ličer M, Tinta T, Turk V. Bacterial Indicators Are Ubiquitous Members of Pelagic Microbiome in Anthropogenically Impacted Coastal Ecosystem. Front Microbiol 2022; 12:765091. [PMID: 35111137 PMCID: PMC8801744 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.765091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Coastal zones are exposed to various anthropogenic impacts, such as different types of wastewater pollution, e.g., treated wastewater discharges, leakage from sewage systems, and agricultural and urban runoff. These various inputs can introduce allochthonous organic matter and microbes, including pathogens, into the coastal marine environment. The presence of fecal bacterial indicators in the coastal environment is usually monitored using traditional culture-based methods that, however, fail to detect their uncultured representatives. We have conducted a year-around in situ survey of the pelagic microbiome of the dynamic coastal ecosystem, subjected to different anthropogenic pressures to depict the seasonal and spatial dynamics of traditional and alternative fecal bacterial indicators. To provide an insight into the environmental conditions under which bacterial indicators thrive, a suite of environmental factors and bacterial community dynamics were analyzed concurrently. Analyses of 16S rRNA amplicon sequences revealed that the coastal microbiome was primarily structured by seasonal changes regardless of the distance from the wastewater pollution sources. On the other hand, fecal bacterial indicators were not affected by seasons and accounted for up to 34% of the sequence proportion for a given sample. Even more so, traditional fecal indicator bacteria (Enterobacteriaceae) and alternative wastewater-associated bacteria (Lachnospiraceae, Ruminococcaceae, Arcobacteraceae, Pseudomonadaceae and Vibrionaceae) were part of the core coastal microbiome, i.e., present at all sampling stations. Microbial source tracking and Lagrangian particle tracking, which we employed to assess the potential pollution source, revealed the importance of riverine water as a vector for transmission of allochthonous microbes into the marine system. Further phylogenetic analysis showed that the Arcobacteraceae in our data set was affiliated with the pathogenic Arcobacter cryaerophilus, suggesting that a potential exposure risk for bacterial pathogens in anthropogenically impacted coastal zones remains. We emphasize that molecular analyses combined with statistical and oceanographic models may provide new insights for environmental health assessment and reveal the potential source and presence of microbial indicators, which are otherwise overlooked by a cultivation approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neža Orel
- Marine Biology Station Piran, National Institute of Biology, Piran, Slovenia
- *Correspondence: Neža Orel,
| | - Eduard Fadeev
- Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Katja Klun
- Marine Biology Station Piran, National Institute of Biology, Piran, Slovenia
| | - Matjaž Ličer
- Marine Biology Station Piran, National Institute of Biology, Piran, Slovenia
- Office for Meteorology, Hydrology and Oceanography, Slovenian Environment Agency, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Tinkara Tinta
- Marine Biology Station Piran, National Institute of Biology, Piran, Slovenia
- Tinkara Tinta,
| | - Valentina Turk
- Marine Biology Station Piran, National Institute of Biology, Piran, Slovenia
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10
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Zhang Y, Xu H, Wang L, Liu R, Fu L, Lin K. Unique bacterial communities and potential function along the vertical gradient in the deepest marine blue hole. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY REPORTS 2021; 13:911-927. [PMID: 34490729 DOI: 10.1111/1758-2229.13001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2021] [Revised: 07/18/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
The Sansha Yongle Blue Hole is the deepest blue hole in the world discovered so far, while its great potential and values have not been fully exploited regarding microbial communities. A large-scale sampling was performed at different depths (0-270 m) inside the blue hole. Based on high-throughput sequencing, the diversity and richness of bacterial communities were relatively higher in oxic and euphotic layer, and at depths of 180-230 m in anoxic layer. Proteobacteria was dominant with mean relative abundance of 64.7%. As the representative genera, Thiomicrospira and Arcobacter were detected with higher abundances up to 96.1% and 31.5% in the anaerobic environment. Principal co-ordinates analysis, one-way ANOVA and network analysis highlighted the distinctive species at different depths. Correlation analysis illustrated the significant correlations between the bacteria and environmental elements of dissolved oxygen, temperature, salinity, pH, sulphur and nutrient. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the microbial ecosystem was characterized with infrequent and unidentified microorganisms in the deep layer. This research revealed the unique microbial ecosystem and potential functions in regulating ecosystem productivity and cycling of carbon, sulphur and nitrogen. Comprehensive and long-term investigations in the Sansha Blue Hole should be taken to conserve the peculiar ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxuan Zhang
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Environment, State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China
| | - Huitao Xu
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Environment, State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China
| | - Liping Wang
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Environment, State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China
| | - Ruizhi Liu
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Environment, State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China
| | - Liang Fu
- Sansha Trackline Institute of Coral Reef Environment Protection, Sansha, 571400, China
| | - Kuixuan Lin
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Environment, State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China
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Basili M, Campanelli A, Frapiccini E, Luna GM, Quero GM. Occurrence and distribution of microbial pollutants in coastal areas of the Adriatic Sea influenced by river discharge. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 285:117672. [PMID: 34380232 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.117672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2021] [Revised: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/27/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The transport of a variety of pollutants from agricultural, industrial and urbanised areas makes rivers major contributors to the contamination of coastal marine environments. Too little is known of their role in carrying pathogens to the coast. We used DNA-based metabarcoding data to describe the microbial community composition in seawater and sediment collected in front of the estuary of the Tronto, the Chienti and the Esino, three Italian rivers with different pollution levels that empty into the north-central Adriatic Sea, and to detect and measure within these communities the relative abundance of microbial pollutants, including traditional faecal indicators and alternative faecal and sewage-associated pollutants. We then applied the FORENSIC algorithm to distinguish human from non-human sources of microbial pollution and FAPROTAX to map prokaryotic clades to established metabolic or other ecologically relevant functions. Finally, we searched the dataset for other common pathogenic taxa. Seawater and sediment contained numerous potentially pathogenic bacteria, mainly faecal and sewage-associated. The samples collected in front of the Tronto estuary showed the highest level of contamination, likely sewage-associated. The pathogenic signature showed a weak but positive correlation with some nutrients and strong correlations with some polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. This study confirms that rivers transport pathogenic bacteria to the coastal sea and highlights the value of expanding the use of HTS data, source tracking and functional identification tools to detect microbial pollutants and identify their sources with a view to gaining a better understanding of the pathways of sewage-associated discharges to the sea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Basili
- Institute of Marine Biological Resources and Biotechnologies, National Research Council (CNR-IRBIM), Ancona, Italy
| | - Alessandra Campanelli
- Institute of Marine Biological Resources and Biotechnologies, National Research Council (CNR-IRBIM), Ancona, Italy
| | - Emanuela Frapiccini
- Institute of Marine Biological Resources and Biotechnologies, National Research Council (CNR-IRBIM), Ancona, Italy
| | - Gian Marco Luna
- Institute of Marine Biological Resources and Biotechnologies, National Research Council (CNR-IRBIM), Ancona, Italy
| | - Grazia Marina Quero
- Institute of Marine Biological Resources and Biotechnologies, National Research Council (CNR-IRBIM), Ancona, Italy.
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Oluwaseun Alegbeleye O, Sant’Ana AS. Understanding the public health burden of unconventional produce-associated enteropathogens. Curr Opin Food Sci 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cofs.2020.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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