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Contamination and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing of Staphylococcus aureus Isolated from Pork in Fresh Markets, Nongchok District, Thailand. Vet Med Int 2021; 2021:6646846. [PMID: 33747429 PMCID: PMC7960054 DOI: 10.1155/2021/6646846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Revised: 02/14/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
We surveyed Staphylococcus aureus contamination in 110 pork samples from 12 fresh meat markets in Nongchok district, Bangkok, Thailand, and performed antimicrobial susceptibility testing with the disk diffusion method. The prevalence of S. aureus was 28.18%, and 52 strains were isolated. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing using the disk diffusion method revealed that 80.77% of the isolates were resistant to tetracycline and 76.92% to ampicillin. All strains were 100% susceptible to cloxacillin, cefoxitin, gentamicin, and cefazolin. The high percentage of antibiotic resistance to tetracycline and ampicillin was attributed to their use in treating infections in farmed animals and their addition to animal food for disease prevention. Interestingly, the present study revealed the intermediate resistance of S. aureus (13.46% of S. aureus-positive pork samples) to vancomycin which is a common medicine for treating severe infection in humans, suggesting that the trend of resistance might increase and becoming a serious problem of public health for both humans and animals.
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Afridayani M, Prastiwi YI, Aulawi K, Rahmat I, Nirwati H, Haryani. Relationship between hand hygiene behavior and Staphylococcus aureus colonization on cell phones of nurses in the intensive care unit. BELITUNG NURSING JOURNAL 2021; 7:24-30. [PMID: 37469800 PMCID: PMC10353620 DOI: 10.33546/bnj.1223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2020] [Revised: 11/10/2020] [Accepted: 01/10/2021] [Indexed: 07/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs) are infections that often occur in hospitals with Staphylococcus aureus as the primary cause. Staphylococcus aureus is usually found on nurses' hands and easily transferred by contact. Cell phones can be a convenient medium for transmitting bacteria. Accordingly, hand washing is one of the effective ways to prevent the transmission of Staphylococcus aureus. Objective This study aimed to determine the relationship between hand hygiene behavior and the colonization of Staphylococcus aureus on cell phones of nurses in the intensive care unit of the academic hospital. Methods This was an observational study with a cross-sectional design conducted from December 2019 to January 2020. The observations of hand hygiene behaviors were performed on 37 nurses selected using total sampling. Colonization of bacteria on each nurses' cell phone was calculated by swabbing the cell phones' surface. Colony counting was done using the total plate count method. Spearman Rank test and Mann Whitney test were used for data analysis. Results The nurses' hand hygiene behavior was 46.06%. Staphylococcus aureus colonization was found on 18.2% of the nurses' cell phones. However, there was no significant relationship between the nurses' hand hygiene behavior and the colonization of Staphylococcus aureus on their cell phones. Conclusion The hand hygiene behavior of nurses was still low, and there was evidence of Staphylococcus aureus colonization on their cell phones. As there was no relationship between the nurses' hand hygiene behavior with the colonization of Staphylococcus aureus on the cell phones, further research is needed to determine if there is an increase or decrease in colonization before and after regular observations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meri Afridayani
- Master Program in Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
| | - Yohana Ika Prastiwi
- Master Program in Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
| | - Khudazi Aulawi
- Department of Medical Surgical Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
| | - Ibrahim Rahmat
- Department of Mental and Community Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
| | - Hera Nirwati
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
| | - Haryani
- Department of Medical Surgical Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
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Bhowmik D, Chetri S, Das BJ, Dhar Chanda D, Bhattacharjee A. Distribution of virulence genes and SCCmec types among methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus of clinical and environmental origin: a study from community of Assam, India. BMC Res Notes 2021; 14:58. [PMID: 33568186 PMCID: PMC7876809 DOI: 10.1186/s13104-021-05473-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective This study was designed to discover the dissemination of virulence genes in Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus from clinical, community and environmental settings. Results This study includes 1165 isolates collected from hospital, community and environmental settings. Among them sixty three were confirmed as MRSA with varied SCCmec types viz; type I, type II, type III, type IV, type V, type VI, type VII, type VIII and type XII. The virulence gene such as sea (n = 54), seb (n = 21), eta (n = 27), etb (n = 2), cna (n = 24), ica (n = 2) and tst (n = 30) was also revealed from this study. The study underscores coexistence of resistance cassette and virulence genes among clinical and environment isolates which is first of its kind from this part of the world.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Shiela Chetri
- Department of Microbiology, Assam University, Silchar, Assam, India
| | | | - Debadatta Dhar Chanda
- Department of Microbiology, Silchar Medical College and Hospital, Silchar, Assam, India
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Chen YH, Yan C, Yang YF, Ma JX. Quantitative microbial risk assessment and sensitivity analysis for workers exposed to pathogenic bacterial bioaerosols under various aeration modes in two wastewater treatment plants. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 755:142615. [PMID: 33038813 PMCID: PMC7527313 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.142615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2020] [Revised: 09/20/2020] [Accepted: 09/21/2020] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) could emit a large amount of bioaerosols containing pathogenic bacteria. Assessing the health risks of exposure to these bioaerosols by using quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) is important to protect workers in WWTPs. However, the relative impacts of the stochastic input variables on the health risks determined in QMRA remain vague. Hence, this study performed a Monte Carlo simulation-based QMRA case study for workers exposing to S. aureus or E. coli bioaerosols and a sensitivity analysis in two WWTPs with various aeration modes. Results showed that when workers equipped without personal protective equipment (PPE) were exposed to S. aureus or E. coli bioaerosol in the two WWTPs, the annual probability of infection considerably exceeded the U.S. EPA benchmark (≤10E-4 pppy), and the disease burden did not satisfy the WHO benchmark (≤10E-6 DALYs pppy) (except exposure to E. coli bioaerosol for disease health risk burden). Nevertheless, the use of PPE effectively reduced the annual infection health risk to an acceptable level and converted the disease health risk burden to a highly acceptable level. Referring to the sensitivity analysis, the contribution of mechanical aeration modes to the variability of the health risks was absolutely dominated in the WWTPs. On the aeration mode that showed high exposure concentration, the three input exposure parameters (exposure time, aerosol ingestion rate, and breathing rate) had a great impact on health risks. The health risks were also prone to being highly influenced by the various choices of the dose-response model and related parameters. Current research systematically delivered new data and a novel perspective on the sensitivity analysis of QMRA. Then, management decisions could be executed by authorities on the basis of the results of this sensitivity analysis to reduce related occupational health risks of workers in WWTPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan-Huan Chen
- School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, PR China
| | - Cheng Yan
- School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, PR China.
| | - Ya-Fei Yang
- School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, PR China
| | - Jia-Xin Ma
- School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, PR China
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Yan C, Wang RN, Zhao XY. Emission characteristics of bioaerosol and quantitative microbiological risk assessment for equipping individuals with various personal protective equipment in a WWTP. CHEMOSPHERE 2021; 265:129117. [PMID: 33272663 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.129117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Revised: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are a nonnegligible source of bioaerosols that can pose health risks to workers and nearby residents. Thus, this study systematically investigated the emission characteristics of the size distribution and concentration of Staphylococcus aureus bioaerosol in a WWTP. Then, the research focused on the quantitative microbiological risk assessment (QMRA) of workers and nearby residents for equipping them with various grades personal protective equipment (PPE). Results showed that the peak proportion of the size distributions of bioaerosol particles in the three sources all obtained a size range between 3.3 and 4.7 μm. In the residential building, the peak proportion was larger (>7.0 μm). Referring to the three sources, the average bioaerosol concentrations were in the following sequence: inverted umbrella aerator tank > residual sludge storage yard > microporous aerator tank. The health risks of residents were generally 1-2 orders of magnitude higher than the other two exposure scenarios and were clearly beyond the benchmarks. Meanwhile, the health risks of the field engineer were usually lower than those of the staff at the residual sludge storage yard. In general, equipping workers and residents with PPE could at least decrease the health risks by one order of magnitude, and higher-grade PPE could appropriately promote the reduction of health risks. This research systematically delivered a series of novel data about the emission characteristics of Staphylococcus aureus bioaerosol in a WWTP. It advanced the understanding of the quantitative health risks of equipping individuals with various PPE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Yan
- School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, PR China.
| | - Rui-Ning Wang
- School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, PR China
| | - Xiao-Yan Zhao
- School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, PR China
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Zhao Y, Zhang J, Wang S, Yu L, Yu H, Wang Y, Feng L. Efficacy of 75% alcohol in pretreatment of the Andersen sampler in trapping maximum airborne microbes. AEROBIOLOGIA 2021; 37:171-178. [PMID: 33424104 PMCID: PMC7781652 DOI: 10.1007/s10453-020-09668-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The present study was conducted to evaluate the effects of the pretreatment methods and sampling time on the sampling of airborne bacteria in hospitals. Methods for the pretreatment of Andersen samplers, namely, non-sterilized, 75% ethanol and autoclaving sampled for 5 min, 10 min and 15 min in the general ward and class 1000 clean operating department, respectively, were studied. Statistical analysis was used to compare the differences in sampling results of airborne bacteria under different pretreatment methods, sampling time and environmental conditions. In the first test, the sampling results of the airborne bacteria obtained by pretreatment of the sampler with 75% ethanol and without pre-treatment were not very different, and the sampling results showed a certain declining trend with the extension of the sampling time. In the second test, the pretreatment effect of autoclaving was significantly better than that of 75% ethanol, and the sampling time had no effect on the sampling results. After removing the influencing factors of the environment, the results were consistent with the results of the second test. It was observed that the Andersen samplers should not be pretreated with 75% ethanol before airborne microbes sampling. The pretreatment should be carried out by autoclaving, and the sampling time has little effect on the sampling results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Zhao
- Department of Environment and Health, Tianjin Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 6 Huayue Road, Hedong District, Tianjin, China
| | - Jingwei Zhang
- Department of Environment and Health, Tianjin Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 6 Huayue Road, Hedong District, Tianjin, China
| | - Shumei Wang
- Department of Pathogen Microbiology, Tianjin Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Tianjin, China
| | - Lingqi Yu
- Department of Pathogen Microbiology, Tianjin Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Tianjin, China
| | - Hao Yu
- Department of Environment and Health, Tianjin Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 6 Huayue Road, Hedong District, Tianjin, China
| | - Yuwen Wang
- Department of Environment and Health, Tianjin Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 6 Huayue Road, Hedong District, Tianjin, China
| | - Lihong Feng
- Department of Environment and Health, Tianjin Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 6 Huayue Road, Hedong District, Tianjin, China
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Squire MM, Sessel GK, Lin G, Squire EN, Igusa T. Optimal Design of Paired Built Environment Interventions for Control of MDROs in Acute Care and Community Hospitals. HERD-HEALTH ENVIRONMENTS RESEARCH & DESIGN JOURNAL 2020; 14:109-129. [PMID: 33375862 DOI: 10.1177/1937586720976585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Our goal was to optimize infection control of paired environmental control interventions within hospitals to reduce methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), and vancomycin-resistant Enterococci (VRE). BACKGROUND The most widely used infection control interventions are deployment of handwashing (HW) stations, control of relative humidity (RH), and negative pressure (NP) treatment rooms. Direct costs of multidrug-resistant organism (MDRO) infections are typically not included in the design of such interventions. METHODS We examined the effectiveness of pairing HW with RH and HW with NP. We used the following three data sets: A meta-analysis of progression rates from uncolonized to colonized to infected, 6 years of MDRO treatment costs from 400 hospitals, and 8 years of MDRO incidence rates at nine army hospitals. We used these data as inputs into an Infection De-Escalation Model with varying budgets to obtain optimal intervention designs. We then computed the infection and prevention rates and cost savings resulting from these designs. RESULTS The average direct cost of an MDRO infection was $3,289, $1,535, and $1,067 for MRSA, CRE, and VRE. The mean annual incidence rates per facility were 0.39%, 0.034%, and 0.011% for MRSA, CRE, and VRE. After applying the cost-minimizing intervention pair to each scenario, the percentage reductions in infections (and annual direct cost savings) in large, community, and small acute care hospitals were 69% ($1.5 million), 73% ($631K), 60% ($118K) for MRSA, 52% ($460.5K), 58% ($203K), 50% ($37K) for CRE, and 0%, 0%, and 50% ($12.8K) for VRE. CONCLUSION The application of this Infection De-Escalation Model can guide cost-effective decision making in hospital built environment design to improve control of MDRO infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marietta M Squire
- Department of Civil and Systems Engineering, 1466Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Gareth K Sessel
- Outreach Engineering NPC (Nonprofit Company), Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Gary Lin
- Department of Emergency Medicine, 1466Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | - Takeru Igusa
- Department of Civil and Systems Engineering, 1466Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Haas D, Kriso A, Fritz T, Galler H, Habib J, Ilieva M, Kropsch M, Ofner-Kopeinig P, Stonitsch M, Strasser A, Zentner E, Reinthaler FF. Background Concentrations of Cultivable, Mesophilic Bacteria and Dust Particles in the Air in Urban, Rural and Mountain Regions. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17249572. [PMID: 33371355 PMCID: PMC7767401 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17249572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2020] [Revised: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Particulate air components can be of anthropogenic or natural origin. It is assumed that in different geographical areas varying concentrations of mesophilic bacteria are present in the ambient air. The aim of this study was to determine the background concentrations of airborne culturable mesophilic bacteria and particulate matter in the ambient air. Furthermore, the association between their concentrations and some environmental factors was analysed. In the period from July to October 2019, concentrations of mesophilic bacteria and dust particles were measured in urban, rural and mountain areas using the single-stage air sampler and the particle counter. The concentrations of bacteria and dust particles in the air were counted as number of Colony Forming Units per cubic metre (CFU/m3) and particles per cubic metre (pa/m3). Staphylococcus sp. were identified. The median values of the cultivated mesophilic bacteria at 30 °C and 37 °C were 7.1 × 102 CFU/m3 and 2.3 × 101 CFU/m3 in mountain regions, 1.3 × 102 CFU/m3 and 6.9 × 101 CFU/m3 in rural regions and 2.1 × 102 CFU/m3 and 6.5 × 101 CFU/m3 in urban regions. The median of Staphylococcus sp. was 2.5 × 100 CFU/m3 in alpine areas and 7.5 × 100 CFU/m3 in urban and rural areas. Higher bacterial concentrations were measured in sunshine and in windy weather. A relationship was observed between the concentrations of airborne mesophilic bacteria and the coarse particles in all three areas. The present study determined values between 5.0 × 100 and 4.6 × 102 CFU/m3 as natural background concentrations of airborne mesophilic bacteria and 1.2 × 107 pa/m3 and 6.5 × 104 pa/m3 for fine and coarse particles, respectively. These results can be proposed as baseline for the assessment of the emission sources of mesophilic bacteria for summer and early autumn.
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Affiliation(s)
- Doris Haas
- D&R Institute of Hygiene, Microbiology and Environmental Medicine, Medical University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria; (A.K.); (T.F.); (H.G.); (J.H.); (M.I.); (M.S.); (A.S.); (F.F.R.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Angela Kriso
- D&R Institute of Hygiene, Microbiology and Environmental Medicine, Medical University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria; (A.K.); (T.F.); (H.G.); (J.H.); (M.I.); (M.S.); (A.S.); (F.F.R.)
| | - Theresa Fritz
- D&R Institute of Hygiene, Microbiology and Environmental Medicine, Medical University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria; (A.K.); (T.F.); (H.G.); (J.H.); (M.I.); (M.S.); (A.S.); (F.F.R.)
| | - Herbert Galler
- D&R Institute of Hygiene, Microbiology and Environmental Medicine, Medical University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria; (A.K.); (T.F.); (H.G.); (J.H.); (M.I.); (M.S.); (A.S.); (F.F.R.)
| | - Juliana Habib
- D&R Institute of Hygiene, Microbiology and Environmental Medicine, Medical University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria; (A.K.); (T.F.); (H.G.); (J.H.); (M.I.); (M.S.); (A.S.); (F.F.R.)
| | - Mihaela Ilieva
- D&R Institute of Hygiene, Microbiology and Environmental Medicine, Medical University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria; (A.K.); (T.F.); (H.G.); (J.H.); (M.I.); (M.S.); (A.S.); (F.F.R.)
| | - Michael Kropsch
- Agricultural Research and Education Center Raumberg Gumpenstein, 8952 Irdning, Austria; (M.K.); (E.Z.)
| | - Petra Ofner-Kopeinig
- Institute for Medical Informatics Statistics and Documentation, Medical University of Graz, 8036 Graz, Austria;
| | - Martin Stonitsch
- D&R Institute of Hygiene, Microbiology and Environmental Medicine, Medical University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria; (A.K.); (T.F.); (H.G.); (J.H.); (M.I.); (M.S.); (A.S.); (F.F.R.)
| | - Andreas Strasser
- D&R Institute of Hygiene, Microbiology and Environmental Medicine, Medical University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria; (A.K.); (T.F.); (H.G.); (J.H.); (M.I.); (M.S.); (A.S.); (F.F.R.)
| | - Eduard Zentner
- Agricultural Research and Education Center Raumberg Gumpenstein, 8952 Irdning, Austria; (M.K.); (E.Z.)
| | - Franz F. Reinthaler
- D&R Institute of Hygiene, Microbiology and Environmental Medicine, Medical University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria; (A.K.); (T.F.); (H.G.); (J.H.); (M.I.); (M.S.); (A.S.); (F.F.R.)
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Cullom AC, Martin RL, Song Y, Williams K, Williams A, Pruden A, Edwards MA. Critical Review: Propensity of Premise Plumbing Pipe Materials to Enhance or Diminish Growth of Legionella and Other Opportunistic Pathogens. Pathogens 2020; 9:E957. [PMID: 33212943 PMCID: PMC7698398 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens9110957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2020] [Revised: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Growth of Legionella pneumophila and other opportunistic pathogens (OPs) in drinking water premise plumbing poses an increasing public health concern. Premise plumbing is constructed of a variety of materials, creating complex environments that vary chemically, microbiologically, spatially, and temporally in a manner likely to influence survival and growth of OPs. Here we systematically review the literature to critically examine the varied effects of common metallic (copper, iron) and plastic (PVC, cross-linked polyethylene (PEX)) pipe materials on factors influencing OP growth in drinking water, including nutrient availability, disinfectant levels, and the composition of the broader microbiome. Plastic pipes can leach organic carbon, but demonstrate a lower disinfectant demand and fewer water chemistry interactions. Iron pipes may provide OPs with nutrients directly or indirectly, exhibiting a high disinfectant demand and potential to form scales with high surface areas suitable for biofilm colonization. While copper pipes are known for their antimicrobial properties, evidence of their efficacy for OP control is inconsistent. Under some circumstances, copper's interactions with premise plumbing water chemistry and resident microbes can encourage growth of OPs. Plumbing design, configuration, and operation can be manipulated to control such interactions and health outcomes. Influences of pipe materials on OP physiology should also be considered, including the possibility of influencing virulence and antibiotic resistance. In conclusion, all known pipe materials have a potential to either stimulate or inhibit OP growth, depending on the circumstances. This review delineates some of these circumstances and informs future research and guidance towards effective deployment of pipe materials for control of OPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abraham C. Cullom
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, 1145 Perry St., 418 Durham Hall, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA; (A.C.C.); (R.L.M.); (Y.S.); (A.P.)
| | - Rebekah L. Martin
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, 1145 Perry St., 418 Durham Hall, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA; (A.C.C.); (R.L.M.); (Y.S.); (A.P.)
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, VA 24450, USA
| | - Yang Song
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, 1145 Perry St., 418 Durham Hall, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA; (A.C.C.); (R.L.M.); (Y.S.); (A.P.)
| | | | - Amanda Williams
- c/o Marc Edwards, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, 1145 Perry St., 418 Durham Hall, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA;
| | - Amy Pruden
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, 1145 Perry St., 418 Durham Hall, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA; (A.C.C.); (R.L.M.); (Y.S.); (A.P.)
| | - Marc A. Edwards
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, 1145 Perry St., 418 Durham Hall, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA; (A.C.C.); (R.L.M.); (Y.S.); (A.P.)
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Zieliński W, Korzeniewska E, Harnisz M, Hubeny J, Buta M, Rolbiecki D. The prevalence of drug-resistant and virulent Staphylococcus spp. in a municipal wastewater treatment plant and their spread in the environment. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2020; 143:105914. [PMID: 32615351 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.105914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Revised: 06/15/2020] [Accepted: 06/16/2020] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Drug-resistant and pathogenic Staphylococcus spp. strains can reach surface waters and air with wastewater evacuated to the environment. These strains increase the environmental pool of genetic determinants conferring antibiotic resistance and virulence, and constitute a health risk for the employees of wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) who come into daily contact with bioaerosols. The aim of this study was to identify the genetic determinants of drug resistance and virulence in Staphylococcus spp. strains isolated from untreated (UWW) and treated wastewater (TWW), an activated sludge (AS) bioreactor, river water collected upstream and downstream from the wastewater discharge point (URW and DRW), and WWTP employees. All isolates were analysed for the presence of the rpoB gene, and were subjected to clonal analysis by ERIC fingerprinting. As a result, 249 of the 455 analysed isolates were selected for PCR. The presence of the gene encoding nuclease activity in S. aureus (nuc), the methicillin resistance gene (mecA), vancomycin resistance gene (vanA), antiseptic resistance gene (qacA/B) and virulence genes (sasX, pvl, tst1, hla, sec) was determined. The prevalence of nuc, mecA, vanA and qacA/B genes in wastewater and river water was determined by quantitative PCR (qPCR). In the group of strains isolated from wastewater and water samples, 63% were identified as S. aureus, and 20% of the strains carried the vanA gene. The hla virulence gene was present in 80% of the isolates, and the pvl gene was detected in 27% of the isolates. In the group of strains isolated from the employees, 82% were identified as S. aureus, and the presence of vanA and mecA genes was confirmed in 14% and 16% of the isolates, respectively. The most prevalent virulence gene was hla (74%), whereas pvl was observed in 43% of the isolates. The quantitative analysis revealed the highest concentrations of the studied genes in UWW samples, at 2.56x104 gene copies/ml for nuc, 1.18x103 gene copies /ml for mecA, 8.28x105 gene copies /ml for vanA and 3.83x105 gene copies /ml for qacA/B. Some of analysed genes were identified in the isolates from both URW and DRW samples, as well as in genomic DNA of these samples. These results indicate that wastewater is not effectively treated in the analysed WWTP, which could contribute to the dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) to the environment. An analysis of the genetic relatedness of selected isolates revealed clusters of strains originating from UWW samples, AS samples and the employees. These observations suggest that ARGs and ARB are transmitted by wastewater bioaerosols to the upper respiratory tract mucosa of the plant's employees, thus increasing their exposure to infectious factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wiktor Zieliński
- Department of Engineering of Water Protection and Environmental Microbiology, The Faculty of Geoengineering, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Prawocheńskiego 1 Str., 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Ewa Korzeniewska
- Department of Engineering of Water Protection and Environmental Microbiology, The Faculty of Geoengineering, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Prawocheńskiego 1 Str., 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland.
| | - Monika Harnisz
- Department of Engineering of Water Protection and Environmental Microbiology, The Faculty of Geoengineering, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Prawocheńskiego 1 Str., 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Jakub Hubeny
- Department of Engineering of Water Protection and Environmental Microbiology, The Faculty of Geoengineering, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Prawocheńskiego 1 Str., 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Martyna Buta
- Department of Engineering of Water Protection and Environmental Microbiology, The Faculty of Geoengineering, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Prawocheńskiego 1 Str., 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Damian Rolbiecki
- Department of Engineering of Water Protection and Environmental Microbiology, The Faculty of Geoengineering, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Prawocheńskiego 1 Str., 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland
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Methods for Bioaerosol Characterization: Limits and Perspectives for Human Health Risk Assessment in Organic Waste Treatment. ATMOSPHERE 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/atmos11050452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Bioaerosol characterization represents a major challenge for the risk assessment and management of exposed people. One of the most important bioaerosol sources is the organic waste collection and treatment. This work analyzed and discussed the literature with the purpose of investigating the main techniques used nowadays for bioaerosol monitoring during organic waste treatment. The discussion includes an overview on the most efficient sampling, DNA extraction, and analysis methods, including both the cultural and the bio-molecular approach. Generally, an exhaustive biological risk assessment is not applied due to the organic waste heterogeneity, treatment complexity, and unknown aerosolized emission rate. However, the application of bio-molecular methods allows a better bioaerosol characterization, and it is desirable to be associated with standardized cultural methods. Risk assessment for organic waste workers generally includes the evaluation of the potential exposition to pathogens and opportunistic pathogens or to other microorganisms as biomarkers. In most cases, Saccharopolyspora rectivirgula, Legionella spp., Aspergillus spp., and Mycobacterium spp. are included. Future perspectives are focused on identifying common composting biomarkers, on investigating the causality process between chronic bioaerosol exposure and disease onset, and finally, on defining common exposure limits.
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