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Rytkönen A, Meriläinen P, Valkama K, Hokajärvi AM, Ruponen J, Nummela J, Mattila H, Tulonen T, Kivistö R, Pitkänen T. Scenario-based assessment of fecal pathogen sources affecting bathing water quality: novel treatment options to reduce norovirus and Campylobacter infection risks. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1353798. [PMID: 38628869 PMCID: PMC11018956 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1353798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Wastewater discharge and runoff waters are significant sources of human and animal fecal microbes in surface waters. Human-derived fecal contamination of water is generally estimated to pose a greater risk to human health than animal fecal contamination, but animals may serve as reservoirs of zoonotic pathogens. In this study, quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) tools were used to evaluate the hygienic impact of sewage effluents and runoff water from municipalities and animal farms on surface and bathing waters. The human-specific microbial source tracking (MST) marker HF183 was used to evaluate the dilution of fecal pathogens originating from the sewage effluent discharge to the downstream watershed. As novel risk management options, the efficiency of UV-LED disinfection and wetland treatment as well as biochar filtration was tested on-site for the contamination sources. According to the dilution pattern of the MST marker HF183, microbes from wastewater were diluted (2.3-3.7 log10) in the receiving waters. The scenario-based QMRA revealed, that the health risks posed by exposure to human-specific norovirus GII and zoonotic Campylobacter jejuni during the bathing events were evaluated. The risk for gastroenteritis was found to be elevated during wastewater contamination events, where especially norovirus GII infection risk increased (1-15 cases per day among 50 bathers) compared with the business as usual (BAU) situation (1 case per day). The noted C. jejuni infection risk was associated with animal farm contamination (1 case per day, versus 0.2-0.6 cases during BAU). Tertiary treatment of wastewater with wetland treatment and UV-LED disinfection effectively reduced the waterborne gastroenteritis risks associated with bathing. Based on the experiences from this study, a QMRA-based approach for health risk evaluations at bathing sites can be useful and is recommended for bathing site risk assessments in the future. In case of low pathogen numbers at the exposure sites, the MST marker HF183 could be used as a pathogen dilution coefficient for the watershed under evaluation. The full-scale implementation of novel tertiary treatment options at wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) as well as on-site runoff water treatment options should be considered for infection risk management at locations where scenario-based QMRA implies elevated infection risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annastiina Rytkönen
- Department of Food Hygiene and Environmental Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Päivi Meriläinen
- Department of Health Security, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Kristiina Valkama
- Department of Health Security, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Anna-Maria Hokajärvi
- Department of Health Security, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Josefiina Ruponen
- Lammi Biological Station, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Bio Research Unit, Häme University of Applied Sciences, Hämeenlinna, Finland
| | - Jarkko Nummela
- Bio Research Unit, Häme University of Applied Sciences, Hämeenlinna, Finland
| | - Harri Mattila
- Bio Research Unit, Häme University of Applied Sciences, Hämeenlinna, Finland
| | - Tiina Tulonen
- Lammi Biological Station, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Rauni Kivistö
- Department of Food Hygiene and Environmental Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tarja Pitkänen
- Department of Food Hygiene and Environmental Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Health Security, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Kuopio, Finland
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Neblea IE, Chiriac AL, Zaharia A, Sarbu A, Teodorescu M, Miron A, Paruch L, Paruch AM, Olaru AG, Iordache TV. Introducing Semi-Interpenetrating Networks of Chitosan and Ammonium-Quaternary Polymers for the Effective Removal of Waterborne Pathogens from Wastewaters. Polymers (Basel) 2023; 15:polym15051091. [PMID: 36904332 PMCID: PMC10007103 DOI: 10.3390/polym15051091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Revised: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The present work aims to study the influence of ammonium-quaternary monomers and chitosan, obtained from different sources, upon the effect of semi-interpenetrating polymer network (semi-IPN) hydrogels upon the removal of waterborne pathogens and bacteria from wastewater. To this end, the study was focused on using vinyl benzyl trimethylammonium chloride (VBTAC), a water-soluble monomer with known antibacterial properties, and mineral-enriched chitosan extracted from shrimp shells, to prepare the semi-IPNs. By using chitosan, which still contains the native minerals (mainly calcium carbonate), the study intends to justify that the stability and efficiency of the semi-IPN bactericidal devices can be modified and better improved. The new semi-IPNs were characterized for composition, thermal stability and morphology using well-known methods. Swelling degree (SD%) and the bactericidal effect assessed using molecular methods revealed that hydrogels made of chitosan derived from shrimp shell demonstrated the most competitive and promising potential for wastewater (WW) treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iulia E. Neblea
- Advanced Polymer Materials and Polymer Recycling Group, National Institute for Research & Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry ICECHIM, Splaiul Independentei No. 202, 060021 Bucharest, Romania
- Department of Bioresources and Polymer Science, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnologies, University “Politehnica” of Bucharest, 1–7 Gh. Polizu Street, 011061 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Anita-L. Chiriac
- Advanced Polymer Materials and Polymer Recycling Group, National Institute for Research & Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry ICECHIM, Splaiul Independentei No. 202, 060021 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Anamaria Zaharia
- Advanced Polymer Materials and Polymer Recycling Group, National Institute for Research & Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry ICECHIM, Splaiul Independentei No. 202, 060021 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Andrei Sarbu
- Advanced Polymer Materials and Polymer Recycling Group, National Institute for Research & Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry ICECHIM, Splaiul Independentei No. 202, 060021 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Mircea Teodorescu
- Department of Bioresources and Polymer Science, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnologies, University “Politehnica” of Bucharest, 1–7 Gh. Polizu Street, 011061 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Andreea Miron
- Advanced Polymer Materials and Polymer Recycling Group, National Institute for Research & Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry ICECHIM, Splaiul Independentei No. 202, 060021 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Lisa Paruch
- Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research (NIBIO), Division of Environment and Natural Resources, Oluf Thesens vei 43, 1433 Aas, Norway
- Correspondence: (L.P.); (A.G.O.); (T.-V.I.)
| | - Adam M. Paruch
- Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research (NIBIO), Division of Environment and Natural Resources, Oluf Thesens vei 43, 1433 Aas, Norway
| | - Andreea G. Olaru
- S.C. EDAS-EXIM S.R.L., Banat Street 23, 010933 Bucharest, Romania
- Correspondence: (L.P.); (A.G.O.); (T.-V.I.)
| | - Tanta-V. Iordache
- Advanced Polymer Materials and Polymer Recycling Group, National Institute for Research & Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry ICECHIM, Splaiul Independentei No. 202, 060021 Bucharest, Romania
- Correspondence: (L.P.); (A.G.O.); (T.-V.I.)
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Diversity of Blastocystis Subtypes in Horses in Colombia and Identification of Two New Subtypes. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10091693. [PMID: 36144295 PMCID: PMC9505074 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10091693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Revised: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Blastocystis is a common intestinal protist in humans and animals worldwide. Wild and domestic animals are thought to be reservoirs of Blastocystis subtypes that also infect humans. There are limited studies on the prevalence and subtype distribution of Blastocystis in horses. In this study, 185 fecal samples were collected from horses (1 month to 17 years of age) in four regions of Colombia (Sabana de Bogotá, Costa Atlántica, Llanos Orientales, and Bogotá D.C.). Blastocystis presence and subtypes were determined by PCR and next generation amplicon sequencing. Eighty-one (43.8%) horses were positive for Blastocystis, with positive horses in all four regions. Molecular characterization identified 12 Blastocystis subtypes, 10 known subtypes (ST1, ST3–ST6, ST10, ST14, ST25, ST26), and 2 novel subtypes (ST33 and ST34). The validity of the novel subtypes was confirmed via phylogenetic and pairwise distance analyses of the full-length SSU rRNA gene sequences. Mixed subtype infections were common (55.6% of Blastocystis-positive horses). ST10 was the most prevalent subtype, present in 82.8% of Blastocystis-positive horses. Potentially zoonotic subtypes were identified in 88.9% of the Blastocystis-positive horses. This constitutes the most comprehensive study of Blastocystis in horses. Our findings indicate that horses harbor potentially zoonotic subtypes and could contribute to the transmission of Blastocystis to humans.
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