Bacterial pathogens in rural water supplies in Southern Alberta, Canada

Evaluating the risks associated with Shiga-toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in private well waters in Canada

Shiga-toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) represent a major concern for waterborne disease outbreaks associated with consumption of contaminated groundwater. Over 4 million people rely on private groundwater systems as their primary drinking water source in Canada; many of these systems do not meet current standards for water quality. This manuscript provides a scoping overview of studies examining STEC prevalence and occurrence in groundwater, and it includes a synopsis of the environmental variables affecting survival, transport, persistence, and overall occurrence of these important pathogenic microbes in private groundwater wells used for drinking purposes.

Preharvest Transmission Routes of Fresh Produce Associated Bacterial Pathogens with Outbreak Potentials: A Review

Disease outbreaks caused by the ingestion of contaminated vegetables and fruits pose a significant problem to human health. The sources of contamination of these food products at the preharvest level of agricultural production, most importantly, agricultural soil and irrigation water, serve as potential reservoirs of some clinically significant foodborne pathogenic bacteria. These clinically important bacteria include: Klebsiella spp., Salmonella spp., Citrobacter spp., Shigella spp., Enterobacter spp., Listeria monocytogenes and pathogenic E. coli (and E. coli O157:H7) all of which have the potential to cause disease outbreaks. Most of these pathogens acquire antimicrobial resistance (AR) determinants due to AR selective pressure within the agroecosystem and become resistant against most available treatment options, further aggravating risks to human and environmental health, and food safety. This review critically outlines the following issues with regards to fresh produce; the global burden of fresh produce-related foodborne diseases, contamination between the continuum of farm to table, preharvest transmission routes, AR profiles, and possible interventions to minimize the preharvest contamination of fresh produce. This review reveals that the primary production niches of the agro-ecosystem play a significant role in the transmission of fresh produce associated pathogens as well as their resistant variants, thus detrimental to food safety and public health.

Epidemiology of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli O157 in the Province of Alberta, Canada, 2009-2016

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infections are the product of the interaction between bacteria, phages, animals, humans, and the environment. In the late 1980s, Alberta had one of the highest incidences of STEC infections in North America. Herein, we revisit and contextualize the epidemiology of STEC O157 human infections in Alberta for the period 2009–2016. STEC O157 infections were concentrated in large urban centers, but also in rural areas with high cattle density. Hospitalization was often required when the Shiga toxin genotype stx2a stx2c was involved, however, only those aged 60 years or older and infection during spring months (April to June) independently predicted that need. Since the late 1980s, the rate of STEC O157-associated hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) in Alberta has remained unchanged at 5.1%, despite a marked drop in the overall incidence of the infection. While Shiga toxin genotypes stx1a stx2c and stx2a stx2c seemed associated with HUS, only those aged under 10 years and infection during spring months were independently predictive of that complication. The complexity of the current epidemiology of STEC O157 in Alberta highlights the need for a One Health approach for further progress to be made in mitigating STEC morbidity.

The association of Salmonella enterica from aquatic environmental and clinical samples in Taiwan

Salmonella is one of the most common pathogens of waterborne and foodborne disease-causing pathogens. In this study, we collected 172 surface water samples from Puzih River and Kaoping River between the years 2010 and 2011. Salmonella was detected in 31.7% (32/101) and 42.2% (30/71) of the samples from the two rivers, respectively. From these positive samples, 44 Salmonella isolates were obtained from these positive samples and were characterized using serotyping and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) genotyping. The isolates were found with 17 serovars and 32 PFGE patterns. Salmonella enterica Newport, Bareilly, Kedougou, Albany and subspecies IIIb 50:k:z were the five most common serovars in aquatic environmental Salmonella isolates. In addition, of the total clinical samples from Chiayi and Kaohsiung, 33.7% (60/178) Newport serovars were isolated. After conducting categorical analysis, we found that the serovar Newport was not uniformly distributed cross the cities. The serovar Newport was over-represented (p<0.001) among human isolates in Chiayi and Kaohsiung. To investigate the association between Salmonella isolates from aquatic environment and human samples, we compared the environmental PFGE patterns of the test samples with those of 2438 clinical isolates, obtained from 51 hospitals across the country between 2010 and 2011. Of the 32 PFGE genotypes of environmental isolates, 8 genotypes were identical to those of clinical samples. Serovar Newport isolates with PFGE patterns SNX.119 and SNX.183 obtained from Puzih River samples were also identified in human samples at a local hospital. These suggest that there is a link between environmental and human clinical Salmonella. Identification of Salmonella serovars and genotypes present in surface water provides an indication of the specific S. enterica serovars and genotypes present in humans. This is the first study to investigate the Salmonella serovars and genotypes present in aquatic environment and humans in Taiwan.

Occurrence, characterization, and potential predictors of verotoxigenic Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, and Salmonella in surface water used for produce irrigation in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, Canada

Produce has become a major source of foodborne illness, and may become contaminated through surface water irrigation. The objectives of this study were to (i) determine the frequency of verotoxigenic E. coli (VTEC), Listeria monocytogenes, and Salmonella in surface waters used for irrigation in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, (ii) assess the suitability of fecal coliforms and generic E. coli as hygiene indicators, and (iii) investigate the correlations of environmental factors with pathogen occurrence. Water samples were collected semi-monthly for 18 months from seven irrigation ditches across the Serpentine and Sumas watersheds. VTEC colonies on water filters were detected using a verotoxin colony immunoblot, and the presence of virulence genes vt1 and vt2 was ascertained via multiplex PCR. Detection of L. monocytogenes and Salmonella was completed using standard, Health Canada Compendium of Analytical Methods. Fecal coliforms and generic E. coli were enumerated by 3M™ Petrifilm™ and filtration methods, and meteorological and geographic data were collected from government records. VTEC, L. monocytogenes, and Salmonella were detected in 4.93%, 10.3%, and 2.69% of 223 samples, respectively. L. monocytogenes occurrence was greatest in the Serpentine watershed (χ2; p < 0.05), and was most common during the winter and fall (Fisher exact test; p < 0.05). Site dependence of VTEC and Salmonella occurrence was observed within watersheds (Fisher's exact test; p < 0.10). Pathogen occurrence correlated with fecal coliform counts (r = 0.448), while VTEC occurrence also correlated with precipitation over the five days before sampling (r = 0.239). The density of upstream livestock correlated with VTEC (rs = 0.812), and L. monocytogenes (rs = 0.841) detection. These data show that foodborne pathogens are present in the waters used for irrigation in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, but their frequency may depend on spatial and temporal factors.

Microbial quality of agricultural water in Central Florida

The microbial quality of water that comes into the edible portion of produce is believed to directly relate to the safety of produce, and metrics describing indicator organisms are commonly used to ensure safety. The US FDA Produce Safety Rule (PSR) sets very specific microbiological water quality metrics for agricultural water that contacts the harvestable portion of produce. Validation of these metrics for agricultural water is essential for produce safety. Water samples (500 mL) from six agricultural ponds were collected during the 2012/2013 and 2013/2014 growing seasons (46 and 44 samples respectively, 540 from all ponds). Microbial indicator populations (total coliforms, generic Escherichia coli, and enterococci) were enumerated, environmental variables (temperature, pH, conductivity, redox potential, and turbidity) measured, and pathogen presence evaluated by PCR. Salmonella isolates were serotyped and analyzed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. Following rain events, coliforms increased up to 4.2 log MPN/100 mL. Populations of coliforms and enterococci ranged from 2 to 8 and 1 to 5 log MPN/100 mL, respectively. Microbial indicators did not correlate with environmental variables, except pH (P<0.0001). The invA gene (Salmonella) was detected in 26/540 (4.8%) samples, in all ponds and growing seasons, and 14 serotypes detected. Six STEC genes were detected in samples: hly (83.3%), fliC (51.8%), eaeA (17.4%), rfbE (17.4%), stx-I (32.6%), stx-II (9.4%). While all ponds met the PSR requirements, at least one virulence gene from Salmonella (invA-4.8%) or STEC (stx-I-32.6%, stx-II-9.4%) was detected in each pond. Water quality for tested agricultural ponds, below recommended standards, did not guarantee the absence of pathogens. Investigating the relationships among physicochemical attributes, environmental factors, indicator microorganisms, and pathogen presence allows researchers to have a greater understanding of contamination risks from agricultural surface waters in the field.

Distribution of Salmonella in Humans, Production Animal Operations and a Watershed in a FoodNet Canada Sentinel Site

Salmonella is an important human pathogen, and production animals as well as water are known potential sources. This study helped provide insight into the epidemiology of Salmonella by comparing Salmonella strains found in humans to those detected in production animals and water in the same geographic area and time frame. Salmonella was found in 55% of broiler, 30% of swine, 13% of dairy, and 10% of beef manure samples and 23% of water samples. At the farm level, Salmonella was found on 93% of broiler, 81% of swine, 32% of beef and 30% of dairy farms. Salmonella strains of importance to public health were found in all sources tested; however, they appeared to be more common in the broilers. A number of the farms in this study were mixed farms, in that they had more than one production animal species on the farm. At both the sample and farm levels, beef-only farms had a significantly lower Salmonella prevalence (5% and 7%, respectively) than beef farms with additional production animal species (e.g. poultry) (12% and 42%, respectively) (P ≤ 0.05). Additionally, a number of mixed farms had more than one commodity sampled for this study and similar Salmonella strains by phage type and PFGE were found in the poultry and the other sampled commodity on the farm. This information can help inform the evidence base needed to help target interventions and modify best practices in production agriculture.

Effect of the food production chain from farm practices to vegetable processing on outbreak incidence

The popularity in the consumption of fresh and fresh-cut vegetables continues to increase globally. Fresh vegetables are an integral part of a healthy diet, providing vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and other health-promoting compounds. The diversity of fresh vegetables and packaging formats (spring mix in clamshell container, bagged heads of lettuce) support increased consumption. Unfortunately, vegetable production and processing practices are not sufficient to ensure complete microbial safety. This review highlights a few specific areas that require greater attention and research. Selected outbreaks are presented to emphasize the need for science-based 'best practices'. Laboratory and field studies have focused on inactivation of pathogens associated with manure in liquid, slurry or solid forms. As production practices change, other forms and types of soil amendments are being used more prevalently. Information regarding the microbial safety of fish emulsion and pellet form of manure is limited. The topic of global climate change is controversial, but the potential effect on agriculture cannot be ignored. Changes in temperature, precipitation, humidity and wind can impact crops and the microorganisms that are associated with production environments. Climate change could potentially enhance the ability of pathogens to survive and persist in soil, water and crops, increasing human health risks. Limited research has focused on the prevalence and behaviour of viruses in pre and post-harvest environments and on vegetable commodities. Globally, viruses are a major cause of foodborne illnesses, but are seldom tested for in soil, soil amendments, manure and crops. Greater attention must also be given to the improvement in the microbial quality of seeds used in sprout production. Human pathogens associated with seeds can result in contamination of sprouts intended for human consumption, even when all appropriate 'best practices' are used by sprout growers.

Irrigation water quality and the benefits of implementing good agricultural practices during tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum) production

The implementation of good agricultural practices (GAP) from irrigation water to the tomato packaging process enhances the safety of fresh produce and its value throughout the food chain. The aim of the present study was to show that fresh produce farms that apply and enforce GAP could reduce the presence of Salmonella in finished produce. Samples were collected biweekly from six packing houses from the central region of Sinaloa, México, for the isolation of Salmonella spp by the ISO 6579:2002 method, and the isolated strains were serotyped and genotyped by the Kauffmman-White scheme and pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), respectively. Salmonella strains were detected in 13 (36.1 %) irrigation water samples, while only two tomato samples were positive (5.5 %). Eight different serotypes were identified in irrigation water, and Salmonella Oranienburg (34 %) was the most prevalent; however, only Salmonella Agona and Salmonella Weltevreden were present on tomatoes. Salmonella Oranienburg was the most widely dispersed and variable serotype, with 10 different PFGE profiles. Salmonella Weltevreden was isolated from both types of samples, albeit with distinct genetic profiles, implying that the sources of contamination differ. These results confirm the utility of implementing good agricultural practices to reduce Salmonella contamination in irrigation water and the packaging process.

Occurrence of diarrheagenic virulence genes and genetic diversity in Escherichia coli isolates from fecal material of various avian hosts in British Columbia, Canada

Contamination of surface water by fecal microorganisms originating from human and nonhuman sources is a public health concern. In the present study, Escherichia coli isolates (n = 412) from the feces of various avian host sources were screened for various virulence genes: stx1 and stx2 (Shiga toxin-producing E. coli [STEC]), eae (enteropathogenic E. coli [EPEC]), est-h, est-p, and elt (encoding heat-stable toxin [ST] variants STh and STp and heat-labile toxin [LT], respectively) (enterotoxigenic E. coli [ETEC]), and ipaH (enteroinvasive E. coli [EIEC]). None of the isolates were found to be positive for stx1, while 23% (n = 93) were positive for only stx2, representing STEC, and 15% (n = 63) were positive for only eae, representing EPEC. In addition, five strains obtained from pheasant were positive for both stx2 and eae and were confirmed as non-O157 by using an E. coli O157 rfb (rfbO157) TaqMan assay. Isolates positive for the virulence genes associated with ETEC and EIEC were not detected in any of the hosts. The repetitive element palindromic PCR (rep-PCR) fingerprint analysis identified 143 unique fingerprints, with an overall Shannon diversity index of 2.36. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) showed that the majority of the STEC and EPEC isolates were genotypically distinct from nonpathogenic E. coli and clustered independently. MANOVA analysis also revealed spatial variation among the E. coli isolates, since the majority of the isolates clustered according to the sampling locations. Although the presence of virulence genes alone cannot be used to determine the pathogenicity of strains, results from this study show that potentially pathogenic STEC and EPEC strains can be found in some of the avian hosts studied and may contaminate surface water and potentially impact human health.

The increased expression of proteins involved in proliferation, DNA repair and DNA methylation in spleen of mice exposed to E. coli O157:H7 lipopolysaccharide

Previous research showed that the consumption of heat-killed E. coli O157:H7 bacteria resulted in an increase in the level of DNA damage in intestine, liver and spleen cells. We hypothesized that certain bacterial components released from heat-killed bacteria trigger this response. We analysed the possibility that bacterial components [such as lipopolysaccharides (LPS)] could induce changes in the level of proteins involved in cell proliferation, DNA repair and DNA methylation in distal spleen tissues of mice. Four-week-old male mice were provided water supplemented with whole heat-killed E. coli O157:H7 bacteria or components of bacteria (DNA, RNA, proteins and LPS). Spleen cells responded to exposure to whole heat-killed bacteria and LPS with an alteration in the level of PCNA proteins, DNA methylation proteins (DNMT1, DNMT3A, DNMT3B, and MeCP2) and DNA repair proteins (APE1 and KU70). Other bacterial components analysed in this study mostly did not alter protein expression. The data suggest that LPS is a bacterial component capable of inducing molecular changes in naïve spleen cells of hosts exposed to it.

Salmonella serotype diversity and seasonality in urban and rural streams

AIMS

To investigate the prevalence, seasonality and genetic diversity of Salmonella enterica serotypes, particularly those of human and veterinary health significance, in urban and rural streams.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Using a swab collection technique and multiple culture media for isolation, Salmonella were detected in 78.4% of water samples (November 2003 to July 2005) taken from urban and rural/agricultural streams in the Grand River watershed (Ontario, Canada). Among 235 isolates, there were 38 serotypes, with the predominant serotypes and phagetypes (PT) being Salmonella Typhimurium PT 104 and Salmonella Heidelberg PT 19. These are also the most common Salmonella serotypes found in humans and farm animals locally and across Canada, a trend not commonly reported. The urban stream had more frequent Salmonella occurrence, greater serotype diversity and greater genetic variability (based on pulsed field gel electrophoresis) of specific strains compared with the rural/agricultural streams. Distinct seasonality in serotypes of health significance was observed only in the rural/agricultural streams, which is likely a reflection of seasonal source inputs in these watersheds. Despite the lower occurrence of these strains in stream water in the colder months, laboratory studies did not support reduced survival of Salm. Typhimurium and Salm. Heidelberg at lower temperatures, although survival differences were observed with other serotypes.

CONCLUSIONS

A diverse range of Salmonella serotypes and PT were obtained from both urban and rural/agricultural streams, with the predominant strains being those most frequently associated with human and veterinary disease in Canada.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

The ubiquitous nature of Salmonella in water and the predominance of serotypes/PT of human or veterinary health significance suggest that the aquatic environment is a reservoir for this bacterium and could be involved in the transport and dissemination of this pathogen between hosts.

Prevalence of Salmonella spp. in cane toads (Bufo marinus) from Grenada, West Indies, and their antimicrobial susceptibility

Cloacal swabs and caecal contents sampled from 58 cane toads (Bufo marinus) in St George's parish, Grenada, during a 7-month period in 2011 were examined by an enrichment and selective culture method for presence of Salmonella spp. Twenty-four (41%) toads were positive for Salmonella spp. of which eight were Salmonella enterica serovar Javiana, and eight were S. enterica serovar Rubislaw. The other serovars were as follows: Montevideo, 6; Arechavaleta, 1; and serovar: IV:43:-:-, 1. The high frequency of isolation of serovar Javiana, an emerging human pathogen associated with several outbreaks in the recent years in the eastern United States, suggests a possible role for cane toads in transmission of this serovar. Although S. Rubislaw has been isolated from lizards, bats and cases of some human infections, there is no report of its carriage by cane toads, and in such high frequency. The rate of carriage of S. Montevideo, a cause for human foodborne outbreaks around the world was also over 10% in the 58 toads sampled in this study. The antimicrobial drug susceptibility tests against amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, ampicillin, cefotaxime, ceftazidime, ciprofloxacin, enrofloxacin, gentamicin, imipenem, nalidixic acid, streptomycin, tetracycline and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole showed that drug resistance is minimal and is of little concern. Antimicrobial resistance was limited to ampicillin and amoxicillin-clavulanic acid in one isolate of S. Javiana and one isolate of S. Rubislaw. This is the first report of isolation and antimicrobial susceptibilities of various Salmonella serovars not identified previously in cane toads in Grenada, West Indies.

Spatial and temporal drivers of zoonotic pathogen contamination of an agricultural watershed

In regions where animal agriculture is prominent, such as southern Alberta, higher rates of gastrointestinal illness have been reported when compared with nonagricultural regions. This difference in the rate of illness is thought to be a result of increased zoonotic pathogen exposure through environmental sources such as water. In this study, temporal and spatial factors associated with bacterial pathogen contamination of the Oldman River, which transverses this region, were analyzed using classification and regression tree analysis. Significantly higher levels of fecal indicators; more frequent isolations of Campylobacter spp., Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Salmonella enterica spp.; and higher rates of detection of pig-specific Bacteroides markers occurred at downstream sites than at upstream sites, suggesting additive stream inputs. Fecal indicator densities were also significantly higher when any one of these three bacterial pathogens was present and where there were higher total animal manure units; however, occasionally pathogens were present when fecal indicator levels were low or undetectable. Overall, Salmonella spp., Campylobacter spp., and E. coli O157:H7 presence was associated with season, animal manure units, and total rainfall on the day of sampling and 3 d in advance of sampling. Several of the environmental variables analyzed in this study appear to influence pathogen prevalence and therefore may be useful in predicting water quality and safety and in the improvement of watershed management practices in this and other agricultural regions.

Molecular subtypes of Campylobacter spp., Salmonella enterica, and Escherichia coli O157:H7 isolated from faecal and surface water samples in the Oldman River watershed, Alberta, Canada

Campylobacter spp., Salmonella enterica, and Escherichia coli O157:H7 isolated from 898 faecal, 43 sewage, and 342 surface water samples from the Oldman River were characterized using bacterial subtyping methods in order to investigate potential sources of contamination of the watershed. Among these pathogens, Campylobacter spp. were the most frequently isolated from faecal, sewage, and surface water samples (266/895, 11/43, and 91/342, respectively), followed by Salmonella (67/898, 8/43, and 29/342, respectively), and E. coli O157:H7 (16/898, 2/43, and 8/342, respectively). Salmonella Rubislaw was the most common serovar isolated from water. This serovar was also isolated from two wild bird species. Most other serovars isolated from water were either not isolated from animals or were isolated from multiple species. E. coli O157:H7 was predominantly isolated from cattle. The most common phage-types of this pathogen from cattle were also the most common among water isolates, and there were exact pulsed field gel electrophoresis and comparative genomic fingerprint matches between cattle, sewage, and water isolates. Campylobacters were commonly isolated from surface waters and faeces from most animal species. Restriction fragment length polymorphism of the Campylobacter flaA gene identified several location and host species-specific (cattle, goose, pig) fingerprints. Molecular subtyping of these bacterial pathogens shows considerable promise as a tool for determining the sources of faecal pollution of water.

Fecal indicator bacteria and Salmonella in ponds managed as bird habitat, San Francisco Bay, California, USA

Throughout the world, coastal resource managers are encouraging the restoration of previously modified coastal habitats back into wetlands and managed ponds for their ecosystem value. Because many coastal wetlands are adjacent to urban centers and waters used for human recreation, it is important to understand how wildlife can affect water quality. We measured fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) concentrations, presence/absence of Salmonella, bird abundance, and physico-chemical parameters in two coastal, managed ponds and adjacent sloughs for 4 weeks during the summer and winter in 2006. We characterized the microbial water quality in these waters relative to state water-quality standards and examined the relationship between FIB, bird abundance, and physico-chemical parameters. A box model approach was utilized to determine the net source or sink of FIB in the ponds during the study periods. FIB concentrations often exceeded state standards, particularly in the summer, and microbial water quality in the sloughs was generally lower than in ponds during both seasons. Specifically, the inflow of water from the sloughs to the ponds during the summer, more so than waterfowl use, appeared to increase the FIB concentrations in the ponds. The box model results suggested that the ponds served as net wetland sources and sinks for FIB, and high bird abundances in the winter likely contributed to net winter source terms for two of the three FIB in both ponds. Eight serovars of the human pathogen Salmonella were isolated from slough and pond waters, although the source of the pathogen to these wetlands was not identified. Thus, it appeared that factors other than bird abundance were most important in modulating FIB concentrations in these ponds.

A virulence and antimicrobial resistance DNA microarray detects a high frequency of virulence genes in Escherichia coli isolates from Great Lakes recreational waters

Escherichia coli is generally described as a commensal species with occasional pathogenic strains. Due to technological limitations, there is currently little information concerning the prevalence of pathogenic E. coli strains in the environment. For the first time, using a DNA microarray capable of detecting all currently described virulence genes and commonly found antimicrobial resistance genes, a survey of environmental E. coli isolates from recreational waters was carried out. A high proportion (29%) of 308 isolates from a beach site in the Great Lakes carried a pathotype set of virulence-related genes, and 14% carried antimicrobial resistance genes, findings consistent with a potential risk for public health. The results also showed that another 8% of the isolates had unusual virulence gene combinations that would be missed by conventional screening. This new application of a DNA microarray to environmental waters will likely have an important impact on public health, epidemiology, and microbial ecology in the future.