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Zhou J, Qu M, Dunkinson C, Lefebvre DD, Wang Y, Brown RS. The Effect of Microcystis on the Monitoring of Faecal Indicator Bacteria. Toxins (Basel) 2023; 15:628. [PMID: 37999491 PMCID: PMC10675124 DOI: 10.3390/toxins15110628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2023] [Revised: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The survival of Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria, the most common faecal indicator bacteria (FIB), may be significantly affected by cyanobacteria present during a harmful algal bloom (HAB). Therefore, the effect of Microcystis on the survival of FIB E.coli and coliforms was investigated. Microcosms containing two species of Microcystis (M. aeruginosa and M. smithii) were established and then inoculated with four reference strains of E. coli (ATCC 25922, 8739, 51813, and 11775) to explore the cyanobacteria-bacteria dynamics at a laboratory setting. Monitoring over several days showed normal growth of Microcystis, with or without the presence of E. coli. However, Microcystis was shown to dramatically decrease the survival of E. coli over time. Analysis of microcystin production by Microcystis was found to correlate with loss of E. coli, suggesting a toxic effect of microcystins on E. coli bacteria. This phenomenon was also demonstrated for a natural consortium of E. coli and coliform bacteria by inoculating with contaminated lake water. The results indicate that the use of E. coli as FIB may be greatly compromised in the presence of Microcystis spp. such as during a HAB when associated toxins are produced.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingjing Zhou
- School of Environmental Studies, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada; (J.Z.); (C.D.)
| | - Mingzhi Qu
- Department of Biology, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada; (M.Q.); (Y.W.)
| | - Christy Dunkinson
- School of Environmental Studies, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada; (J.Z.); (C.D.)
| | - Daniel D. Lefebvre
- Department of Biology, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada; (M.Q.); (Y.W.)
| | - Yuxiang Wang
- Department of Biology, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada; (M.Q.); (Y.W.)
| | - R. Stephen Brown
- School of Environmental Studies, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada; (J.Z.); (C.D.)
- Department of Chemistry, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada
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Urakawa H, Kratz MA, Hancock TL, Armstrong RA. QT-AMP: Sequencing PCR amplicons from Quanti-Tray wells to analyze enterococci communities. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 839:156188. [PMID: 35618132 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.156188] [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: 02/21/2022] [Revised: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Enterococcus is ubiquitous in human feces and has been adopted as a useful indicator of human fecal pollution in water. Although regular enterococci monitoring only examines their numbers, identifying human-specific Enterococcus species or genotypes could help discriminate human fecal contamination from other environmental sources. We documented a new approach to characterize enterococci using a high-throughput 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing platform from Quanti Trays after following the counting of the most probable numbers of enterococci. We named this method QT-AMP (Quanti-Tray-based amplicon sequencing). We tested surface water samples collected from three rivers in southwest Florida. We detected 11 Enterococcus species from 45 samples in 1.1 million sequence reads. The method detected three rare species and eight cosmopolitan species (Enterococcus faecalis, E. faecium, E. casseliflavus, E. hirae, E. mundtii, E. gallinarum, E. avium, and E. durans) which have been commonly documented in previous studies. The approximate detection level of QT-AMP was four orders of magnitude higher than regular 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. The current Enterolert MPN method only provides quantitative information but now we can look into the relative abundance of Enterococci species composition by accompanying Illumina sequencing. This QT-AMP could be a useful tool to streamline the quantification and identification of enterococci and could be used in various water management projects and human health risk assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hidetoshi Urakawa
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Studies, Florida Gulf Coast University, Fort Myers, FL 33965, United States; School of Geosciences, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620, United States.
| | - Michael A Kratz
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Studies, Florida Gulf Coast University, Fort Myers, FL 33965, United States
| | - Taylor L Hancock
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Studies, Florida Gulf Coast University, Fort Myers, FL 33965, United States; School of Geosciences, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620, United States
| | - Rick A Armstrong
- Lee County Environmental Laboratory, Fort Myers, FL 33907, United States
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Shi B, Catsamas S, Deletic B, Wang M, Bach PM, Lintern A, Deletic A, McCarthy DT. Illicit discharge detection in stormwater drains using an Arduino-based low-cost sensor network. WATER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY : A JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION ON WATER POLLUTION RESEARCH 2022; 85:1372-1383. [PMID: 35290218 DOI: 10.2166/wst.2022.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Illicit discharges in urban stormwater drains are a major environmental concern that deteriorate downstream waterway health. Conventional detection methods such as stormwater drain visual inspection and dye testing have fundamental drawbacks and limitations which can prevent easy location and elimination of illegal discharges in a catchment. We deployed 22 novel low-cost level, temperature and conductivity sensors across an urban catchment in Melbourne for a year to monitor the distributed drainage network, thereby detecting likely illicit discharges ranging from a transitory flow with less than 10 minutes to persistent flows lasting longer than 20 hours. We discuss rapid deployment methods, real-time data collection and online processing. The ensemble analysis of all dry weather flow data across all sites indicates that: (i) large uncertainties are associated with discharge frequency, duration, and variation in water quality within industrial and residential land uses; (ii) most dry weather discharges are intermittent and transient flows which are difficult to detect and not simply due to cross-connections with the sewerage network; (iii) detectable diurnal discharge patterns can support mitigation efforts, including policies and regulatory measures (e.g., enforcement or education) to protect receiving waterways; and, (iv) that it is possible to cost effectively isolate sources of dry weather pollution using a distributed sensor network.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Shi
- BoSL Water Monitoring and Control, Department of Civil Engineering, Monash University, Wellington Rd, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia E-mail:
| | - S Catsamas
- BoSL Water Monitoring and Control, Department of Civil Engineering, Monash University, Wellington Rd, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia E-mail:
| | - B Deletic
- BoSL Water Monitoring and Control, Department of Civil Engineering, Monash University, Wellington Rd, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia E-mail:
| | - M Wang
- BoSL Water Monitoring and Control, Department of Civil Engineering, Monash University, Wellington Rd, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia E-mail:
| | - P M Bach
- Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science & Technology (Eawag), Überlandstrasse 133, Dübendorf 8600 ZH, Switzerland; Institute of Environmental Engineering, ETH Zürich, Zürich 8093, Switzerland
| | - A Lintern
- BoSL Water Monitoring and Control, Department of Civil Engineering, Monash University, Wellington Rd, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia E-mail:
| | - A Deletic
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Queensland University of Technology, GPO Box 2434, Brisbane, Queensland 4001, Australia
| | - D T McCarthy
- BoSL Water Monitoring and Control, Department of Civil Engineering, Monash University, Wellington Rd, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia E-mail:
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Cravo A, Barbosa AB, Correia C, Matos A, Caetano S, Lima MJ, Jacob J. Unravelling the effects of treated wastewater discharges on the water quality in a coastal lagoon system (Ria Formosa, South Portugal): Relevance of hydrodynamic conditions. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2022; 174:113296. [PMID: 34995889 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.113296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2021] [Revised: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to assess the influence of treated wastewater disposal on Ria Formosa coastal lagoon (South Portugal), the largest national producer of bivalve mollusks. Water quality was evaluated at two areas under different wastewater loads and hydrodynamic conditions, using physico-chemical variables, bacterial indicators of contamination, chlorophyll-a concentration, phytoplankton abundance and composition. Samples were collected monthly, between October 2018 and September 2019. Minor influence of effluent discharge was detected at the eastern Olhão area, exposed to stronger hydrodynamics and higher wastewater load than the northwestern Faro area (ca. 2-4-fold total nitrogen and phosphorus). The lower load weakly flushed area showed a poorer water quality, up to 500 m from the discharge point, more marked during the spring-summer period. The intensity, persistence, and spatial extent of the wastewater footprint, lower for the highest-loading area, reflected the role of local hydrodynamic conditions, modulating the influence of wastewater discharge on lagoonal water quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Cravo
- Centro de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental (CIMA), Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal.
| | - A B Barbosa
- Centro de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental (CIMA), Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
| | - C Correia
- Centro de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental (CIMA), Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
| | - A Matos
- Centro de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental (CIMA), Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
| | - S Caetano
- Centro de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental (CIMA), Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
| | - M J Lima
- Centro de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental (CIMA), Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
| | - J Jacob
- Centro de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental (CIMA), Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
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Mashat BH, Attala OA, El-Khawas K, Kassem GMAE. Chitosan Edible Coating as Decontaminant During Water Thawing of Frozen Broiler Carcasses. BRAZILIAN JOURNAL OF POULTRY SCIENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.1590/1806-9061-2020-1440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- BH Mashat
- Umrah Research Umm Al- Qura University, Saudi Arabia
| | - OA Attala
- Umrah Research Umm Al- Qura University, Saudi Arabia; Cairo University, Egypt
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McCarthy DT, Shi B, Wang M, Catsamas S. BoSL FAL pump: A small, low-cost, easily constructed, 3D-printed peristaltic pump for sampling of waters. HARDWAREX 2021; 10:e00214. [PMID: 35607656 PMCID: PMC9123421 DOI: 10.1016/j.ohx.2021.e00214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2021] [Revised: 06/06/2021] [Accepted: 06/19/2021] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Water sampling is an essential undertaking for water utilities and agencies to protect and enhance our natural resources. The high variability in water quality, however, often necessitates a spatially distributed sampling program which is impeded by high-cost and large sampling devices. This paper presents the BoSL FAL Pump - a low-cost, easily constructed, 3D-printed peristaltic pump which can be made from commonly available components and is sized to suit even the most space constrained installations. The pump is 38 mm in height and 28 mm in diameter, its components cost $19 AUD and the construction time is just 12 min (excluding 3D printing times). The pump is driven by a direct current motor which is commonly available, cheap and allows for flexibility in the energy supply (5-12 V). Optionally, the pump has a Hall effect sensor and magnet to detect rotation rates and pumping volumes to improve the accuracy of pumping rates/volumes. The pump can be easily controlled by commonly available microcontrollers, as demonstrated by this paper which implements the ATmega328P on the Arduino Uno R3. This paper validates the pump for long-term deployments at flow rates of up to 13 mL per minute in 0.14 mL volume increments at accuracy levels of greater than 99%. The pump itself is scalable, allowing for a wider range of pumping rates when, for example, large volume samples are required for pathogen and micropollutant detection.
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A Low-Cost Water Depth and Electrical Conductivity Sensor for Detecting Inputs into Urban Stormwater Networks. SENSORS 2021; 21:s21093056. [PMID: 33925612 PMCID: PMC8123848 DOI: 10.3390/s21093056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2021] [Revised: 04/16/2021] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
High-resolution data collection of the urban stormwater network is crucial for future asset management and illicit discharge detection, but often too expensive as sensors and ongoing frequent maintenance works are not affordable. We developed an integrated water depth, electrical conductivity (EC), and temperature sensor that is inexpensive (USD 25), low power, and easily implemented in urban drainage networks. Our low-cost sensor reliably measures the rate-of-change of water level without any re-calibration by comparing with industry-standard instruments such as HACH and HORIBA’s probes. To overcome the observed drift of level sensors, we developed an automated re-calibration approach, which significantly improved its accuracy. For applications like monitoring stormwater drains, such an approach will make higher-resolution sensing feasible from the budget control considerations, since the regular sensor re-calibration will no longer be required. For other applications like monitoring wetlands or wastewater networks, a manual re-calibration every two weeks is required to limit the sensor’s inaccuracies to ±10 mm. Apart from only being used as a calibrator for the level sensor, the conductivity sensor in this study adequately monitored EC between 0 and 10 mS/cm with a 17% relative uncertainty, which is sufficient for stormwater monitoring, especially for real-time detection of poor stormwater quality inputs. Overall, our proposed sensor can be rapidly and densely deployed in the urban drainage network for revolutionised high-density monitoring that cannot be achieved before with high-end loggers and sensors.
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Laureano-Rosario AE, Symonds EM, González-Fernández A, Lizano R OG, Mora Alvarado D, Rivera Navarro P, Badilla-Aguilar A, Rueda-Roa D, Otis DB, Harwood VJ, Cairns MR, Muller-Karger FE. The relationship between environmental parameters and microbial water quality at two Costa Rican beaches from 2002 to 2017. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2021; 163:111957. [PMID: 33440264 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2020] [Revised: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Environmental conditions influence fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) levels, which are routinely used to characterize recreational water quality. This study examined 15 years of environmental and FIB data at Puntarenas and Jacó beach, Costa Rica. FIB relationships with sea level, wave height, precipitation, direct normal irradiance (DNI), wind, and turbidity were analyzed. Pearson's correlations identified lags between 24 and 96 h among environmental parameters and FIB. Multiple linear regression models composed of environmental parameters explained 24% and 27% of fecal coliforms and enterococci variability in Jacó, respectively. Puntarenas's models explained 17-26% of fecal coliforms and 12-18% enterococci variability. Precipitation, sea level anomalies, and wave height most frequently explained FIB variability. Hypothesis testing often identified significant differences in precipitation, wave height, daily sea level anomalies, and maximum sea level 24 h prior between days with and without FIB threshold exceedance. Unexpected FIB interactions with DNI, sea level, and turbidity highlight the importance of future investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Erin M Symonds
- College of Marine Science, University of South Florida, Saint Petersburg, FL 33701, USA
| | - Adriana González-Fernández
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, 4202 East Fowler Ave, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
| | - Omar G Lizano R
- Oceanographic Information Module, Research Center of Sciences of the Sea, University of Costa Rica (UCR), 2060 San José, Costa Rica
| | - Darner Mora Alvarado
- Laboratorio Nacional de Aguas, Instituto Costarricense de Acueductos y Alcantarillados, Tres Ríos, Cartago, Costa Rica
| | - Pablo Rivera Navarro
- Laboratorio Nacional de Aguas, Instituto Costarricense de Acueductos y Alcantarillados, Tres Ríos, Cartago, Costa Rica
| | - Andrei Badilla-Aguilar
- Laboratorio Nacional de Aguas, Instituto Costarricense de Acueductos y Alcantarillados, Tres Ríos, Cartago, Costa Rica
| | - Digna Rueda-Roa
- College of Marine Science, University of South Florida, Saint Petersburg, FL 33701, USA
| | - Daniel B Otis
- College of Marine Science, University of South Florida, Saint Petersburg, FL 33701, USA
| | - Valerie J Harwood
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, 4202 East Fowler Ave, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
| | - Maryann R Cairns
- Department of Anthropology, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX 75205, USA
| | - Frank E Muller-Karger
- College of Marine Science, University of South Florida, Saint Petersburg, FL 33701, USA
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Leder K, Openshaw JJ, Allotey P, Ansariadi A, Barker SF, Burge K, Clasen TF, Chown SL, Duffy GA, Faber PA, Fleming G, Forbes AB, French M, Greening C, Henry R, Higginson E, Johnston DW, Lappan R, Lin A, Luby SP, McCarthy D, O'Toole JE, Ramirez-Lovering D, Reidpath DD, Simpson JA, Sinharoy SS, Sweeney R, Taruc RR, Tela A, Turagabeci AR, Wardani J, Wong T, Brown R. Study design, rationale and methods of the Revitalising Informal Settlements and their Environments (RISE) study: a cluster randomised controlled trial to evaluate environmental and human health impacts of a water-sensitive intervention in informal settlements in Indonesia and Fiji. BMJ Open 2021; 11:e042850. [PMID: 33419917 PMCID: PMC7798802 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-042850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Increasing urban populations have led to the growth of informal settlements, with contaminated environments linked to poor human health through a range of interlinked pathways. Here, we describe the design and methods for the Revitalising Informal Settlements and their Environments (RISE) study, a transdisciplinary randomised trial evaluating impacts of an intervention to upgrade urban informal settlements in two Asia-Pacific countries. METHODS AND ANALYSIS RISE is a cluster randomised controlled trial among 12 settlements in Makassar, Indonesia, and 12 in Suva, Fiji. Six settlements in each country have been randomised to receive the intervention at the outset; the remainder will serve as controls and be offered intervention delivery after trial completion. The intervention involves a water-sensitive approach, delivering site-specific, modular, decentralised infrastructure primarily aimed at improving health by decreasing exposure to environmental faecal contamination. Consenting households within each informal settlement site have been enrolled, with longitudinal assessment to involve health and well-being surveys, and human and environmental sampling. Primary outcomes will be evaluated in children under 5 years of age and include prevalence and diversity of gastrointestinal pathogens, abundance and diversity of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes in gastrointestinal microorganisms and markers of gastrointestinal inflammation. Diverse secondary outcomes include changes in microbial contamination; abundance and diversity of pathogens and AMR genes in environmental samples; impacts on ecological biodiversity and microclimates; mosquito vector abundance; anthropometric assessments, nutrition markers and systemic inflammation in children; caregiver-reported and self-reported health symptoms and healthcare utilisation; and measures of individual and community psychological, emotional and economic well-being. The study aims to provide proof-of-concept evidence to inform policies on upgrading of informal settlements to improve environments and human health and well-being. ETHICS Study protocols have been approved by ethics boards at Monash University, Fiji National University and Hasanuddin University. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER ACTRN12618000633280; Pre-results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karin Leder
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - John J Openshaw
- Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine Division, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Pascale Allotey
- International Institute for Global Health, United Nations University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Ansariadi Ansariadi
- Public Health Faculty, Hasanuddin University, Makassar, Sulawesi Selatan, Indonesia
| | - S Fiona Barker
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Kerrie Burge
- CRC for Water Sensitive Cities, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Thomas F Clasen
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Steven L Chown
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Grant A Duffy
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Peter A Faber
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Genie Fleming
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Andrew B Forbes
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Matthew French
- Monash Sustainable Development Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Chris Greening
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Rebekah Henry
- Civil Engineering, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ellen Higginson
- Cambridge Institute for Therapeutic Immunology and Infectious Disease, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, UK
| | - David W Johnston
- Centre for Health Economics, Monash Business School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Rachael Lappan
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Audrie Lin
- Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Stephen P Luby
- Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine Division, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - David McCarthy
- Civil Engineering, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Joanne E O'Toole
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - Daniel D Reidpath
- Monash University - Malaysia Campus, Bandar Sunway, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Julie A Simpson
- Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Sheela S Sinharoy
- Hubert Department of Global Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Rohan Sweeney
- Centre for Health Economics, Monash Business School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ruzka R Taruc
- Public Health Faculty, Hasanuddin University, Makassar, Sulawesi Selatan, Indonesia
| | - Autiko Tela
- School of Public Health and Primary Care, Fiji National University, College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Tamavua Campus, Suva, Rewa, Fiji
| | - Amelia R Turagabeci
- School of Public Health and Primary Care, Fiji National University, College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Tamavua Campus, Suva, Rewa, Fiji
| | - Jane Wardani
- Monash Sustainable Development Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Tony Wong
- CRC for Water Sensitive Cities, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Rebekah Brown
- Monash Sustainable Development Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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Monitoring Approaches for Faecal Indicator Bacteria in Water: Visioning a Remote Real-Time Sensor for E. coli and Enterococci. WATER 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/w12092591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
A comprehensive review was conducted to assess the current state of monitoring approaches for primary faecal indicator bacteria (FIB) E. coli and enterococci. Approaches were identified and examined in relation to their accuracy, ability to provide continuous data and instantaneous detection results, cost, environmental awareness regarding necessary reagent release or other pollution sources, in situ monitoring capability, and portability. Findings showed that several methods are precise and sophisticated but cannot be performed in real-time or remotely. This is mainly due to their laboratory testing requirements, such as lengthy sample preparations, the requirement for expensive reagents, and fluorescent tags. This study determined that portable fluorescence sensing, combined with advanced modelling methods to compensate readings for environmental interferences and false positives, can lay the foundations for a hybrid FIB sensing approach, allowing remote field deployment of a fleet of networked FIB sensors that can collect high-frequency data in near real-time. Such sensors will support proactive responses to sudden harmful faecal contamination events. A method is proposed to enable the development of the visioned FIB monitoring tool.
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Siddiqee MH, Henry R, Deletic A, Bulach DM, Coleman RA, McCarthy DT. Salmonella from a Microtidal Estuary Are Capable of Invading Human Intestinal Cell Lines. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2020; 79:259-270. [PMID: 31384980 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-019-01419-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2019] [Accepted: 07/24/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Faecal contamination poses health risks for the recreational users of urban estuaries. However, our understanding of the potential pathogenicity of faecal microbes in these environments is limited. To this end, a study was conducted to understand the spatial and seasonal distribution of Salmonella in water and sediments of the Yarra River estuary, Melbourne, Australia. Among 210 samples in total, culturable Salmonella were recovered from 27%, 17%, and 19% of water, bank, and bed sediment samples, respectively. The combined detection increased from 15% in winter to 32% in summer (p < 0.05) indicating seasonal variation as potential part of public health risk assessments. Further, pathogenic potential of the Salmonella isolates was characterised via the quantification of attachment and invasion capacity using human epithelial colorectal cell line Caco-2 on a subset of isolates (n = 62). While all of these isolates could attach and invade Caco-2 cells, 52% and 13% of these showed greater attachment and invasiveness, respectively, than the corresponding mean values for S. Typhimurium ATCC14028 control. Isolates from winter were on average more invasive (seven out of eight isolates with the highest invasiveness recovered from the colder sampling period) than the isolates from summer, and Salmonella collected during summer showed lower invasion (p < 0.05) compared with the control. Similar low invasion compared with the same control was observed for isolates recovered from bank sediment (p < 0.05). While the higher prevalence in summer may imply higher risks during these peak recreational periods, it is essential that this information is used in combination with quantitative microbial risk assessments to fully understand the health risks posed by Salmonella in microtidal estuaries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahbubul H Siddiqee
- Environmental and Public Health Microbiology Laboratory (EPHM LAB), Department of Civil Engineering, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Molecular and Environmental Microbiology Laboratory (MEM LAB), Department of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, BRAC University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Rebekah Henry
- Environmental and Public Health Microbiology Laboratory (EPHM LAB), Department of Civil Engineering, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Ana Deletic
- Environmental and Public Health Microbiology Laboratory (EPHM LAB), Department of Civil Engineering, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Dieter M Bulach
- The Doherty Institute and Melbourne Bioinformatics, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Rhys A Coleman
- Melbourne Water Corporation, Docklands, VIC, 3008, Australia
| | - David T McCarthy
- Environmental and Public Health Microbiology Laboratory (EPHM LAB), Department of Civil Engineering, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
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A comparative assessment of conventional and molecular methods, including MinION nanopore sequencing, for surveying water quality. Sci Rep 2019; 9:15726. [PMID: 31673047 PMCID: PMC6823499 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-51997-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2019] [Accepted: 10/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Nucleic acid based techniques, such as quantitative PCR (qPCR) and next generation sequencing (NGS), provide new insights into microbial water quality, but considerable uncertainty remains around their correct interpretation. We demonstrate, for different water sources in informal settlements in the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal, significant Spearman rank correlations between conventional and molecular microbiology methods that indicate faecal contamination. At family and genera level, 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing results obtained with the low-cost, portable next generation sequencer MinION from Oxford Nanopore Technologies had significant Spearman rank correlations with Illumina MiSeq sequencing results. However, method validation by amplicon sequencing of a MOCK microbial community revealed the need to ascertain MinION sequencing results for putative pathogens at species level with complementary qPCR assays. Vibrio cholerae hazards were poorly associated with plate count faecal coliforms, but flagged up by the MinION screening method, and confirmed by a qPCR assay. Plate counting methods remain important to assess viability of faecal coliforms in disinfected water sources. We outline a systematic approach for data collection and interpretation of such complementary results. In the Kathmandu Valley, there is high variability of water quality from different sources, including for treated water samples, illustrating the importance of disinfection at the point of use.
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13
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Acharya K, Khanal S, Pantha K, Amatya N, Davenport RJ, Werner D. A comparative assessment of conventional and molecular methods, including MinION nanopore sequencing, for surveying water quality. Sci Rep 2019. [PMID: 31673047 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-01951997-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Nucleic acid based techniques, such as quantitative PCR (qPCR) and next generation sequencing (NGS), provide new insights into microbial water quality, but considerable uncertainty remains around their correct interpretation. We demonstrate, for different water sources in informal settlements in the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal, significant Spearman rank correlations between conventional and molecular microbiology methods that indicate faecal contamination. At family and genera level, 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing results obtained with the low-cost, portable next generation sequencer MinION from Oxford Nanopore Technologies had significant Spearman rank correlations with Illumina MiSeq sequencing results. However, method validation by amplicon sequencing of a MOCK microbial community revealed the need to ascertain MinION sequencing results for putative pathogens at species level with complementary qPCR assays. Vibrio cholerae hazards were poorly associated with plate count faecal coliforms, but flagged up by the MinION screening method, and confirmed by a qPCR assay. Plate counting methods remain important to assess viability of faecal coliforms in disinfected water sources. We outline a systematic approach for data collection and interpretation of such complementary results. In the Kathmandu Valley, there is high variability of water quality from different sources, including for treated water samples, illustrating the importance of disinfection at the point of use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kishor Acharya
- School of Engineering, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU, United Kingdom
| | - Santosh Khanal
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado, Aurora, Colorado, 80045, USA
| | - Kalyan Pantha
- Group for Rural Infrastructure Development, Wise use House, Jwagal, Lalitpur, Nepal
- Faculty of Chemistry, University Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstr. 5, D-45141, Essen, Germany
| | - Niroj Amatya
- Faculty of Chemistry, University Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstr. 5, D-45141, Essen, Germany
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Nobel College, Pokhara University, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Russell J Davenport
- School of Engineering, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU, United Kingdom
| | - David Werner
- School of Engineering, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU, United Kingdom.
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14
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Shrestha A, Dorevitch S. Evaluation of rapid qPCR method for quantification of E. coli at non-point source impacted Lake Michigan beaches. WATER RESEARCH 2019; 156:395-403. [PMID: 30933697 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2019.03.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2018] [Revised: 03/06/2019] [Accepted: 03/18/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Most Great Lakes communities rely on culture-based E. coli methods for monitoring fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) at recreational beaches. These cultivation methods require 18 or more hours to generate results. As a consequence, public notifications about beach action value (BAV) exceedance are based on prior-day water quality. Rapid qPCR monitoring of bacteria in beach water solves the 24-h delay problem, though the USEPA-approved qPCR method targets enterococci bacteria, while Great Lakes communities are familiar with E. coli monitoring. For an E. coli qPCR method to be useful for water quality management, it is important to systematically characterize method performance, and establish BAVs for public notification purposes. In this study, we 1) evaluated a draft USEPA E. coli qPCR method, 2) compared E. coli qPCR measurements with two established FIB (E. coli culture and enterococci qPCR) results, and explored potential strategies to establish E. coli qPCR BAV criteria in the absence of an epidemiological study. Based on analyses of 288 water samples collected from eight of Chicago's Lake Michigan beaches, the E. coli qPCR method demonstrates acceptable performance characteristics. The method is prone to low level DNA contamination, possibly originating from assay reagents derived from E. coli bacteria. Both E. coli and enterococci BAVs were exceeded in approximately 18% of the samples. E. coli qPCR values were correlated with both E. coli culture (r = 0.83; p < 0.0001) and enterococci qPCR (r = 0.67; p < 0.0001) values. The approach recommended by the USEPA in its Technical Support Material (TSM) was used to generate candidate E. coli qPCR BAVs, as was receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Potential BAV thresholds differed substantially, ranging from 200.9 calibrator cell equivalents (CCE)/100 mL (ROC analysis, enterococci qPCR BAV as the reference) to 1000 CCE/100 mL (TSM analysis, enterococci qPCR BAV as the reference). Because we found that different approaches to establishing potential BAVs generate quite different values, guidance from USEPA about approaches to defining comparable BAVs would be useful.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhilasha Shrestha
- Division of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health, USA.
| | - Samuel Dorevitch
- Division of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health, USA
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15
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Burnet JB, Dinh QT, Imbeault S, Servais P, Dorner S, Prévost M. Autonomous online measurement of β-D-glucuronidase activity in surface water: is it suitable for rapid E. coli monitoring? WATER RESEARCH 2019; 152:241-250. [PMID: 30677635 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2018.12.060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2018] [Revised: 12/21/2018] [Accepted: 12/22/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Microbiological water quality is traditionally assessed using culture-based enumeration of faecal indicator bacteria such as Escherichia coli. Despite their relative ease of use, these methods require a minimal 18-24 h-incubation step before the results are obtained. This study aimed to assess the suitability of an autonomous online fluorescence-based technology measuring β-glucuronidase (GLUC) activity for rapid near-real time monitoring of E. coli in water. The analytical precision was determined and compared to an automated microbial detection system, two culture-based assays and quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). Using replicate measurements of grab samples containing E. coli concentrations between 50 and 2330 CFU.100 mL-1, the autonomous GLUC activity measurement technology displayed an average coefficient of variation (CV) of less than 5% that was 4-8-fold lower than other methods tested. Comparable precision was observed during online in situ monitoring of GLUC activity at a drinking water intake using three independent instruments. GLUC activity measurements were not affected by sewage or sediments at concentrations likely to be encountered during long-term monitoring. Furthermore, significant (p < 0.05) correlations were obtained between GLUC activity and the other assays including defined substrate technology (r = 0.77), membrane filtration (r = 0.73), qPCR (r = 0.55) and the automated microbial detection system (r = 0.50). This study is the first to thoroughly compare the analytical performance of rapid automated detection technologies to established culture and molecular-based methods. Results show that further research is required to correlate GLUC activity to the presence of viable E. coli as measured in terms of CFU.100 mL-1. This would allow the use of autonomous online GLUC activity measurements for rapid E. coli monitoring in water supplies used for drinking water production and recreation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Baptiste Burnet
- NSERC Industrial Chair on Drinking Water, Department of Civil, Geological, and Mining Engineering, Polytechnique Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, H3C 3A7, Canada; Canada Research Chair in Source Water Protection, Department of Civil, Geological, and Mining Engineering, Polytechnique Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, H3C 3A7, Canada.
| | - Quoc Tuc Dinh
- Canada Research Chair in Source Water Protection, Department of Civil, Geological, and Mining Engineering, Polytechnique Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, H3C 3A7, Canada
| | - Sandra Imbeault
- Service de l'Environnement, Ville de Laval, QC, H7L 2R3, Canada
| | - Pierre Servais
- Écologie des Systèmes Aquatiques, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Campus de la Plaine, CP 221, Boulevard du Triomphe, B-1050, Bruxelles, Belgium
| | - Sarah Dorner
- Canada Research Chair in Source Water Protection, Department of Civil, Geological, and Mining Engineering, Polytechnique Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, H3C 3A7, Canada
| | - Michèle Prévost
- NSERC Industrial Chair on Drinking Water, Department of Civil, Geological, and Mining Engineering, Polytechnique Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, H3C 3A7, Canada
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16
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Roca MA, Brown RS, Solo-Gabriele HM. Fecal indicator bacteria levels at beaches in the Florida Keys after Hurricane Irma. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2019; 138:266-273. [PMID: 30660273 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.09.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2018] [Revised: 09/15/2018] [Accepted: 09/18/2018] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Hurricanes cause infrastructure failures which can lead to contamination of impacted areas. The objective of the current study was to evaluate whether Hurricane Irma contributed towards sewage contamination of coastal beaches. Through this study we evaluated indicators of fecal pollution (fecal indicator bacteria [FIB], enterococci and fecal coliform) and physico-chemical parameters (salinity, pH, turbidity, and temperature) in coastal waters of the Florida Keys shortly after the hurricane. To augment available county sampling data, two sets of sampling efforts were conducted; one focused on collecting samples spatially throughout the Keys to assess whether areas closer to hurricane landfall were more highly impacted. The second was to collect temporally intensive samples at one location during falling tide to evaluate the hypothesis of groundwater contamination. Samples were analyzed for FIB using a new method called timed appearance of culture signal (TACS), which was subsequently calibrated using traditional membrane filter and chromogenic substrate methods. Results showed that coastal beach waters were characterized by elevated but sporadic levels of fecal indicator bacteria up to two months after the hurricane. Spikes were not correlated with physico-chemical characteristics of the water. Our temporally intensive sampling effort did not support the hypothesis that groundwater was a source of elevated FIB. Competing factors could have played a role in the sporadic nature of the FIB levels after the hurricane. We suggest that beach erosion may have flushed out sediments at beaches closer to the hurricane landfall location thereby improving water quality during dry conditions. We also suggest that during wet conditions a source of FIB could include runoff from debris staging areas. Preemptive beach closures immediately after the hurricane were justified due to the sporadic nature of FIB contamination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew A Roca
- Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA
| | - R Stephen Brown
- School of Environmental Studies & Department of Chemistry, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | - Helena M Solo-Gabriele
- Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA; Center for Oceans and Human Health, Rosenstiel School for Marine and Atmospheric Science, Key Biscayne, FL, USA.
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Stationary and portable sequencing-based approaches for tracing wastewater contamination in urban stormwater systems. Sci Rep 2018; 8:11907. [PMID: 30093614 PMCID: PMC6085348 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-29920-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2017] [Accepted: 07/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Urban sewer systems consist of wastewater and stormwater sewers, of which only wastewater is processed before being discharged. Occasionally, misconnections or damages in the network occur, resulting in untreated wastewater entering natural water bodies via the stormwater system. Cultivation of faecal indicator bacteria (e.g. Escherichia coli; E. coli) is the current standard for tracing wastewater contamination. This method is cheap but has limited specificity and mobility. Here, we compared the E. coli culturing approach with two sequencing-based methodologies (Illumina MiSeq 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and Oxford Nanopore MinION shotgun metagenomic sequencing), analysing 73 stormwater samples collected in Stockholm. High correlations were obtained between E. coli culturing counts and frequencies of human gut microbiome amplicon sequences, indicating E. coli is indeed a good indicator of faecal contamination. However, the amplicon data further holds information on contamination source or alternatively how much time has elapsed since the faecal matter has entered the system. Shotgun metagenomic sequencing on a subset of the samples using a portable real-time sequencer, MinION, correlated well with the amplicon sequencing data. This study demonstrates the use of DNA sequencing to detect human faecal contamination in stormwater systems and the potential of tracing faecal contamination directly in the field.
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Henry R, Galbraith P, Coutts S, Prosser T, Boyce J, McCarthy DT. What's the risk? Identifying potential human pathogens within grey-headed flying foxes faeces. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0191301. [PMID: 29360880 PMCID: PMC5779653 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0191301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2017] [Accepted: 01/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Pteropus poliocephalus (grey-headed flying foxes) are recognised vectors for a range of potentially fatal human pathogens. However, to date research has primarily focused on viral disease carriage, overlooking bacterial pathogens, which also represent a significant human disease risk. The current study applied 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing, community analysis and a multi-tiered database OTU picking approach to identify faecal-derived zoonotic bacteria within two colonies of P. poliocephalus from Victoria, Australia. Our data show that sequences associated with Enterobacteriaceae (62.8% ± 24.7%), Pasteurellaceae (19.9% ± 25.7%) and Moraxellaceae (9.4% ± 11.8%) dominate flying fox faeces. Further colony specific differences in bacterial faecal colonisation patterns were also identified. In total, 34 potential pathogens, representing 15 genera, were identified. However, species level definition was only possible for Clostridium perfringens, which likely represents a low infectious risk due to the low proportion observed within the faeces and high infectious dose required for transmission. In contrast, sequences associated with other pathogenic species clusters such as Haemophilus haemolyticus-H. influenzae and Salmonella bongori-S. enterica, were present at high proportions in the faeces, and due to their relatively low infectious doses and modes of transmissions, represent a greater potential human disease risk. These analyses of the microbial community composition of Pteropus poliocephalus have significantly advanced our understanding of the potential bacterial disease risk associated with flying foxes and should direct future epidemiological and quantitative microbial risk assessments to further define the health risks presented by these animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebekah Henry
- Environmental and Public Health Microbiology Laboratory (EPHM Lab), Department of Civil Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Penelope Galbraith
- Environmental and Public Health Microbiology Laboratory (EPHM Lab), Department of Civil Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Scott Coutts
- Micromon, Dept. of Microbiology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - John Boyce
- Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - David T. McCarthy
- Environmental and Public Health Microbiology Laboratory (EPHM Lab), Department of Civil Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
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Environmental Factors Correlated with Culturable Enterococci Concentrations in Tropical Recreational Waters: A Case Study in Escambron Beach, San Juan, Puerto Rico. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2017; 14:ijerph14121602. [PMID: 29257092 PMCID: PMC5751019 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph14121602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2017] [Revised: 12/12/2017] [Accepted: 12/16/2017] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Enterococci concentration variability at Escambron Beach, San Juan, Puerto Rico, was examined in the context of environmental conditions observed during 2005–2015. Satellite-derived sea surface temperature (SST), turbidity, direct normal irradiance, and dew point were combined with local precipitation, winds, and mean sea level (MSL) observations in a stepwise multiple regression analyses (Akaike Information Criteria model selection). Precipitation, MSL, irradiance, SST, and turbidity explained 20% of the variation in observed enterococci concentrations based upon these analyses. Changes in these parameters preceded increases in enterococci concentrations by 24 h up to 11 days, particularly during positive anomalies of turbidity, SST, and 480–960 mm of accumulated (4 days) precipitation, which relates to bacterial ecology. Weaker, yet still significant, increases in enterococci concentrations were also observed during positive dew point anomalies. Enterococci concentrations decreased with elevated irradiance and MSL anomalies. Unsafe enterococci concentrations per US EPA recreational water quality guidelines occurred when 4-day cumulative precipitation ranged 481–960 mm; irradiance < 667 W·m−2; daily average turbidity anomaly >0.005 sr−1; SST anomaly >0.8 °C; and 3-day average MSL anomaly <−18.8 cm. This case study shows that satellite-derived environmental data can be used to inform future water quality studies and protect human health.
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