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Bertrans-Tubau L, Martínez-Campos S, Lopez-Doval J, Abril M, Ponsá S, Salvadó V, Hidalgo M, Pico-Tomàs A, Balcazar JL, Proia L. Nature-based bioreactors: Tackling antibiotic resistance in urban wastewater treatment. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND ECOTECHNOLOGY 2024; 22:100445. [PMID: 39055482 PMCID: PMC11269294 DOI: 10.1016/j.ese.2024.100445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2024] [Revised: 06/24/2024] [Accepted: 06/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
The overuse and misuse of antibiotics have accelerated the selection of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, significantly impacting human, animal, and environmental health. As aquatic environments are vulnerable to antibiotic resistance, suitable management practices should be adopted to tackle this phenomenon. Here we show an effective, nature-based solution for reducing antibiotic resistance from actual wastewater. We utilize a bioreactor that relies on benthic (biofilms) and planktonic microbial communities to treat secondary effluent from a small urban wastewater treatment plant (<10,000 population equivalent). This treated effluent is eventually released into the local aquatic ecosystem. We observe high removal efficiency for genes that provide resistance to commonly used antibiotic families, as well as for mobile genetic elements that could potentially aid in their spread. Importantly, we notice a buildup of sulfonamide (sul1 and sul2) and tetracycline (tet(C), tet(G), and tetR) resistance genes specifically in biofilms. This advancement marks the initial step in considering this bioreactor as a nature-based, cost-effective tertiary treatment option for small UWWTPs facing antibiotic resistance challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lluís Bertrans-Tubau
- BETA Technological Centre- University of Vic- Central University of Catalunya (BETA- UVIC- UCC), Carretera de Roda 70, 08500, Vic, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sergio Martínez-Campos
- BETA Technological Centre- University of Vic- Central University of Catalunya (BETA- UVIC- UCC), Carretera de Roda 70, 08500, Vic, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Julio Lopez-Doval
- BETA Technological Centre- University of Vic- Central University of Catalunya (BETA- UVIC- UCC), Carretera de Roda 70, 08500, Vic, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Meritxell Abril
- BETA Technological Centre- University of Vic- Central University of Catalunya (BETA- UVIC- UCC), Carretera de Roda 70, 08500, Vic, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sergio Ponsá
- BETA Technological Centre- University of Vic- Central University of Catalunya (BETA- UVIC- UCC), Carretera de Roda 70, 08500, Vic, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Victoria Salvadó
- Chemistry Department, University of Girona. Campus Montilivi, 17005, Girona, Spain
| | - Manuela Hidalgo
- Chemistry Department, University of Girona. Campus Montilivi, 17005, Girona, Spain
| | - Anna Pico-Tomàs
- Catalan Institute Water Research (ICRA-CERCA), Emili Grahit 101, 17003, Girona, Spain
| | - Jose Luis Balcazar
- Catalan Institute Water Research (ICRA-CERCA), Emili Grahit 101, 17003, Girona, Spain
- University of Girona, 17004, Girona, Spain
| | - Lorenzo Proia
- BETA Technological Centre- University of Vic- Central University of Catalunya (BETA- UVIC- UCC), Carretera de Roda 70, 08500, Vic, Barcelona, Spain
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Tiwari A, Radu E, Kreuzinger N, Ahmed W, Pitkänen T. Key considerations for pathogen surveillance in wastewater. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 945:173862. [PMID: 38876348 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173862] [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: 04/09/2024] [Revised: 06/03/2024] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/16/2024]
Abstract
Wastewater surveillance (WWS) has received significant attention as a rapid, sensitive, and cost-effective tool for monitoring various pathogens in a community. WWS is employed to assess the spatial and temporal trends of diseases and identify their early appearances and reappearances, as well as to detect novel and mutated variants. However, the shedding rates of pathogens vary significantly depending on factors such as disease severity, the physiology of affected individuals, and the characteristics of pathogen. Furthermore, pathogens may exhibit differential fate and decay kinetics in the sewerage system. Variable shedding rates and decay kinetics may affect the detection of pathogens in wastewater. This may influence the interpretation of results and the conclusions of WWS studies. When selecting a pathogen for WWS, it is essential to consider it's specific characteristics. If data are not readily available, factors such as fate, decay, and shedding rates should be assessed before conducting surveillance. Alternatively, these factors can be compared to those of similar pathogens for which such data are available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ananda Tiwari
- Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Department of Health Security, Kuopio, Finland; University of Helsinki, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Elena Radu
- Institute for Water Quality and Resource Management, Vienna University of Technology, Karlsplatz 13/226, 1040 Vienna, Austria; Stefan S. Nicolau Institute of Virology, Department of Cellular and Molecular Pathology, 285 Mihai Bravu Avenue, 030304 Bucharest, Romania; University of Medicine and Pharmacy Carol Davila, Department of Virology, 37 Dionisie Lupu Street, 020021 Bucharest, Romania.
| | - Norbert Kreuzinger
- Institute for Water Quality and Resource Management, Vienna University of Technology, Karlsplatz 13/226, 1040 Vienna, Austria.
| | - Warish Ahmed
- CSIRO Environment, Ecosciences Precinct, 41 Boggo Road, Dutton Park, QLD 4102, Australia.
| | - Tarja Pitkänen
- Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Department of Health Security, Kuopio, Finland; University of Helsinki, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Helsinki, Finland.
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Kotzamanidis C, Malousi A, Paraskeva A, Vafeas G, Giantzi V, Hatzigiannakis E, Dalampakis P, Kinigopoulou V, Vrouhakis I, Zouboulis A, Yiangou M, Zdragas A. River waters in Greece: A reservoir for clinically relevant extended-spectrum-β-lactamases-producing Escherichia coli. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 941:173554. [PMID: 38823724 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173554] [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: 03/16/2024] [Revised: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/03/2024]
Abstract
In the current study, the genotypic characteristics such as antimicrobial resistance and virulence genes, and plasmid replicons and phenotypic characteristics such as biofilm formation and antimicrobial resistance of 87 extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing E. coli (ESBL-Ec) isolated from 7 water bodies in northern Greece were investigated. Our data show a high prevalence (60.0 %) of ESBL-Ec in surface waters that exhibit high genetic diversity, suggesting multiple sources of their transmission into the aquatic environment. When evaluating the antimicrobial resistance of isolates, wide variation in their resistance profiles has been detected, with all isolates being multi-drug resistant (MDR). Regarding biofilm formation capacity and phylogenetic groups, the majority (54.0 %, 47/87) of ESBL-Ec were classified as no biofilm producers mainly assigned to phylogroup A (35.6 %; 31/87), followed by B2 (26.5 %; 23/87). PCR screening showed that a high proportion of the isolates tested positive for the blaCTX-M-1 group genes (69 %, 60/87), followed by blaTEM (55.2 %, 48/87), blaOXA (25.3 %, 22/87) and blaCTX-M-9 (17.2 %, 15/87). A subset of 28 ESBL-Ec strains was further investigated by applying whole genome sequencing (WGS), and among them, certain clinically significant sequence types were identified, such as ST131 and ST10. The corresponding in silico analysis predicted all these isolates as human pathogens, while a significant proportion of WGS-ESBL-Ec were assigned to extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC; 32.1 %), and urinary pathogenic E. coli (UPEC; 28.6 %) pathotypes. Comparative phylogenetic analysis, showed that the genomes of the ST131-O25:H4-H30 isolates are genetically linked to the human clinical strains. Here, we report for the first time the detection of a plasmid-mediated mobile colistin resistance gene in ESBL-Ec in Greece isolated from an environmental source. Overall, this study underlines the role of surface waters as a reservoir for antibiotic resistance genes and for presumptive pathogenic ESBL-Ec.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charalampos Kotzamanidis
- Veterinary Research Institute of Thessaloniki, Hellenic Agricultural Organisation-DEMETER, Campus of Thermi, Thermi 570 01, Greece.
| | - Andigoni Malousi
- School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki 54124, Greece; Genomics and Epigenomics Translational Research Group, Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Innovation, Thessaloniki 57001, Greece
| | - Anastasia Paraskeva
- Department of Genetics, Development & Molecular Biology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - George Vafeas
- Veterinary Research Institute of Thessaloniki, Hellenic Agricultural Organisation-DEMETER, Campus of Thermi, Thermi 570 01, Greece
| | - Virginia Giantzi
- Veterinary Research Institute of Thessaloniki, Hellenic Agricultural Organisation-DEMETER, Campus of Thermi, Thermi 570 01, Greece
| | - Evaggelos Hatzigiannakis
- Soil & Water Resources Institute, Hellenic Agricultural Organisation-DEMETER, Sindos, Central Macedonia 57400, Greece
| | - Paschalis Dalampakis
- Soil & Water Resources Institute, Hellenic Agricultural Organisation-DEMETER, Sindos, Central Macedonia 57400, Greece
| | - Vasiliki Kinigopoulou
- Soil & Water Resources Institute, Hellenic Agricultural Organisation-DEMETER, Sindos, Central Macedonia 57400, Greece
| | - Ioannis Vrouhakis
- Soil & Water Resources Institute, Hellenic Agricultural Organisation-DEMETER, Sindos, Central Macedonia 57400, Greece
| | - Anastasios Zouboulis
- Department of Chemistry, Division of Chemical & Industrial Technology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, 54124, Greece
| | - Minas Yiangou
- Department of Genetics, Development & Molecular Biology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Antonios Zdragas
- Veterinary Research Institute of Thessaloniki, Hellenic Agricultural Organisation-DEMETER, Campus of Thermi, Thermi 570 01, Greece
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Paracchini V, Petrillo M, Arcot Rajashekar A, Robuch P, Vincent U, Corbisier P, Tavazzi S, Raffael B, Suffredini E, La Rosa G, Gawlik BM, Marchini A. EU surveys insights: analytical tools, future directions, and the essential requirement for reference materials in wastewater monitoring of SARS-CoV-2, antimicrobial resistance and beyond. Hum Genomics 2024; 18:72. [PMID: 38937848 PMCID: PMC11210120 DOI: 10.1186/s40246-024-00641-5] [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: 03/13/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Wastewater surveillance (WWS) acts as a vigilant sentinel system for communities, analysing sewage to protect public health by detecting outbreaks and monitoring trends in pathogens and contaminants. To achieve a thorough comprehension of present and upcoming practices and to identify challenges and opportunities for standardisation and improvement in WWS methodologies, two EU surveys were conducted targeting over 750 WWS laboratories across Europe and other regions. The first survey explored a diverse range of activities currently undertaken or planned by laboratories. The second survey specifically targeted methods and quality controls utilised for SARS-CoV-2 surveillance. RESULTS The findings of the two surveys provide a comprehensive insight into the procedures and methodologies applied in WWS. In Europe, WWS primarily focuses on SARS-CoV-2 with 99% of the survey participants dedicated to this virus. However, the responses highlighted a lack of standardisation in the methodologies employed for monitoring SARS-CoV-2. The surveillance of other pathogens, including antimicrobial resistance, is currently fragmented and conducted by only a limited number of laboratories. Notably, these activities are anticipated to expand in the future. Survey replies emphasise the collective recognition of the need to enhance the accuracy of results in WWS practices, reflecting a shared commitment to advancing precision and effectiveness in WWS methodologies. CONCLUSIONS These surveys identified a lack of standardised common procedures in WWS practices and the need for quality standards and reference materials to enhance the accuracy and reliability of WWS methods in the future. In addition, it is important to broaden surveillance efforts beyond SARS-CoV-2 to include other emerging pathogens and antimicrobial resistance to ensure a comprehensive approach to protecting public health.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Piotr Robuch
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Geel, Belgium
| | - Ursula Vincent
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Geel, Belgium
| | | | - Simona Tavazzi
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Ispra, Italy
| | - Barbara Raffael
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Ispra, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Suffredini
- Department of Food Safety, Nutrition and Veterinary Public Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS), Rome, Italy
| | - Giuseppina La Rosa
- National Center for Water Safety (CeNSia), Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS), Rome, Italy
| | | | - Antonio Marchini
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Geel, Belgium.
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Cachetas D, Vaz-Moreira I, Pereira V, Manaia CM. Towards the definition of an antibiotic resistome signature in wastewater and downstream environments. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 357:124424. [PMID: 38909773 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.124424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2024] [Revised: 05/18/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/25/2024]
Abstract
Domestic wastewater is a significant reservoir of antibiotic resistance genes, which pose environmental and public health risks. We aimed to define an antibiotic resistome signature, represented by core genes, i.e., shared by ≥90% of the metagenomes of each of three conceptual environmental compartments - wastewater (influent, sludge, effluent), freshwater, and agricultural soil. The definition of resistome signatures would support the proposal of a framework for monitoring treatment efficacy and assessing the impact of treated wastewater discharge into the environment, such as freshwater and agricultural soil. Metagenomic data from 163 samples originating from wastewater (n=81), freshwater (n=58), and agricultural soils (n=24) across different regions (29 countries, 5 continents), were analysed regarding antibiotic resistance diversity, based on annotation against a database that merged CARD and ResFinder databases. The relative abundance of the total antibiotic resistance genes (corresponding to the ratio between the antibiotic resistance genes and total reads number) was not statistically different between raw and treated wastewater, being significantly higher than in freshwater or agricultural soils. The latter had the significantly lowest relative abundance of antibiotic resistance genes. Genes conferring resistance to aminoglycosides, beta-lactams, and tetracyclines were among the most abundant in wastewater environments, while multidrug resistance was equally distributed across all environments. The wastewater resistome signature included 27 antibiotic resistance genes that were detected in at least 90% of the wastewater resistomes, and that were not frequent in freshwater or agricultural soil resistomes. Among these were genes responsible for resistance to tetracyclines (n=8), macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin B (n=7), aminoglycosides (n=4), beta-lactams (n=3), multidrug (n=2), sulphonamides (n=2), and polypeptides (n=1). This comprehensive assessment provides valuable insights into the dynamics of antibiotic resistance in urban wastewater systems and their potential ecological implications in diverse environmental settings. Furthermore, provides guidance for the implementation of One Health monitoring approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diogo Cachetas
- Universidade Católica Portuguesa, CBQF - Centro de Biotecnologia e Química Fina - Laboratório Associado, Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, Rua de Diogo Botelho 1327, 4169-005 Porto, Portugal
| | - Ivone Vaz-Moreira
- Universidade Católica Portuguesa, CBQF - Centro de Biotecnologia e Química Fina - Laboratório Associado, Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, Rua de Diogo Botelho 1327, 4169-005 Porto, Portugal.
| | - Vítor Pereira
- Centre of Biological Engineering University of Minho, Braga, Portugal; LABBELS -Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Célia M Manaia
- Universidade Católica Portuguesa, CBQF - Centro de Biotecnologia e Química Fina - Laboratório Associado, Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, Rua de Diogo Botelho 1327, 4169-005 Porto, Portugal
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6
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Shrestha S, Malla B, Haramoto E. Group A Streptococcus pyogenes in wastewater: Applicability of wastewater-based epidemiology for monitoring the prevalence of GAS pharyngitis during the late COVID-19 pandemic phase. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 928:172447. [PMID: 38621526 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172447] [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: 03/09/2024] [Revised: 04/05/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
Streptococcus pyogenes, Group A Streptococcus (GAS), is a human pathogen that causes a spectrum of diseases from mild to severe, including GAS pharyngitis, a common acute respiratory disease in developed countries. Although wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) has been extensively used to monitor viral pathogens such as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, its applicability to S. pyogenes remains unexplored. This study was conducted to investigate the feasibility of detecting and quantifying S. pyogenes in wastewater by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and evaluate the applicability of WBE for monitoring the prevalence of GAS pharyngitis. A total of 52 grab influent samples were collected from a wastewater treatment plant in Japan once a week between March 2023 and February 2024. The samples were centrifuged, followed by nucleic acid extraction and qPCR for the S. pyogenes-specific genes speB and spy1258. Of the 52 samples, 90 % and 81 % were positive for speB and spy1258 genes, respectively, indicating the feasibility of S. pyogenes for wastewater surveillance. However, the percentage of quantifiable samples for speB gene was significantly higher in winter than in spring and summer. Similarly, the concentrations of both genes in wastewater samples were significantly higher in winter (speB, 4.1 ± 0.27 log10 copies/L; spy1258, 4.1 ± 0.28 log10 copies/L; One-way ANOVA, p < 0.01) than in spring and summer. Higher concentrations and detection ratios of S. pyogenes genes were observed during increased GAS pharyngitis cases in the catchment. Significant moderate correlations were observed between target gene concentrations and reported GAS pharyngitis cases. This study enhances the understanding role of WBE in monitoring and managing infectious diseases within communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sadhana Shrestha
- Interdisciplinary Center for River Basin Environment, University of Yamanashi, 4-3-11 Takeda, Kofu, Yamanashi 400-8511, Japan
| | - Bikash Malla
- Interdisciplinary Center for River Basin Environment, University of Yamanashi, 4-3-11 Takeda, Kofu, Yamanashi 400-8511, Japan
| | - Eiji Haramoto
- Interdisciplinary Center for River Basin Environment, University of Yamanashi, 4-3-11 Takeda, Kofu, Yamanashi 400-8511, Japan.
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Tiwari A, Lehto KM, Paspaliari DK, Al-Mustapha AI, Sarekoski A, Hokajärvi AM, Länsivaara A, Hyder R, Luomala O, Lipponen A, Oikarinen S, Heikinheimo A, Pitkänen T. Developing wastewater-based surveillance schemes for multiple pathogens: The WastPan project in Finland. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 926:171401. [PMID: 38467259 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171401] [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: 12/02/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Wastewater comprises multiple pathogens and offers a potential for wastewater-based surveillance (WBS) to track the prevalence of communicable diseases. The Finnish WastPan project aimed to establish wastewater-based pandemic preparedness for multiple pathogens (viruses, bacteria, parasites, fungi), including antimicrobial resistance (AMR). This article outlines WastPan's experiences in this project, including the criteria for target selection, sampling locations, frequency, analysis methods, and results communication. Target selection relied on epidemiological and microbiological evidence and practical feasibility. Within the WastPan framework, wastewater samples were collected between 2021 and 2023 from 10 wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) covering 40 % of Finland's population. WWTP selection was validated for reported cases of Extended Spectrum Beta-lactamase-producing bacterial pathogens (Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae) from the National Infectious Disease Register. The workflow included 24-h composite influent samples, with one fraction for culture-based analysis (bacteria and fungi) and the rest of the sample was reserved for molecular analysis (viruses, bacteria, antibiotic resistance genes, and parasites). The reproducibility of the monitoring workflow was assessed for SARS-CoV-2 through inter-laboratory comparisons using the N2 and N1 assays. Identical protocols were applied to same-day samples, yielding similar positivity trends in the two laboratories, but the N2 assay achieved a significantly higher detection rate (Laboratory 1: 91.5 %; Laboratory 2: 87.4 %) than the N1 assay (76.6 %) monitored only in Laboratory 2 (McNemar, p < 0.001 Lab 1, = 0.006 Lab 2). This result indicates that the selection of monitoring primers and assays may impact monitoring sensitivity in WBS. Overall, the current study recommends that the selection of sampling frequencies and population coverage of the monitoring should be based on pathogen-specific epidemiological characteristics. For example, pathogens that are stable over time may need less frequent annual sampling, while those that are occurring across regions may require reduced sample coverage. Here, WastPan successfully piloted WBS for monitoring multiple pathogens, highlighting the significance of one-litre community composite wastewater samples for assessing community health. The infrastructure established for COVID-19 WBS is valuable for monitoring various pathogens. The prioritization of the monitoring targets optimizes resource utilization. In the future legislative support in target selection, coverage determination, and sustained funding for WBS is recomended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ananda Tiwari
- Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Department of Health Security, Kuopio and Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Kirsi-Maarit Lehto
- Tampere University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere, Finland.
| | - Dafni K Paspaliari
- Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Department of Health Security, Kuopio and Helsinki, Finland; ECDC Fellowship Programme, Public Health Microbiology path (EUPHEM), European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), Solna, Sweden
| | - Ahmad I Al-Mustapha
- University of Helsinki, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Helsinki, Finland; Department of Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.
| | - Anniina Sarekoski
- Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Department of Health Security, Kuopio and Helsinki, Finland; University of Helsinki, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Anna-Maria Hokajärvi
- Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Department of Health Security, Kuopio and Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Annika Länsivaara
- Tampere University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere, Finland.
| | - Rafiqul Hyder
- Tampere University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere, Finland.
| | - Oskari Luomala
- Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Department of Health Security, Kuopio and Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Anssi Lipponen
- Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Department of Health Security, Kuopio and Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Sami Oikarinen
- Tampere University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere, Finland.
| | - Annamari Heikinheimo
- University of Helsinki, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Helsinki, Finland; Finnish Food Authority, Seinäjoki, Finland.
| | - Tarja Pitkänen
- Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Department of Health Security, Kuopio and Helsinki, Finland; University of Helsinki, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Helsinki, Finland.
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8
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Lipsitch M, Grad Y. Diagnostics for Public Health - Infectious Disease Surveillance and Control. NEJM EVIDENCE 2024; 3:EVIDra2300271. [PMID: 38815175 DOI: 10.1056/evidra2300271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
AbstractAccurate diagnostics are critical in public health to ensure successful disease tracking, prevention, and control. Many of the same characteristics are desirable for diagnostic procedures in both medicine and public health: for example, low cost, high speed, low invasiveness, ease of use and interpretation, day-to-day consistency, and high accuracy. This review lays out five principles that are salient when the goal of diagnosis is to improve the overall health of a population rather than that of a particular patient, and it applies them in two important use cases: pandemic infectious disease and antimicrobial resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc Lipsitch
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston
| | - Yonatan Grad
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston
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9
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Tiwari A, Krolicka A, Tran TT, Räisänen K, Ásmundsdóttir ÁM, Wikmark OG, Lood R, Pitkänen T. Antibiotic resistance monitoring in wastewater in the Nordic countries: A systematic review. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 246:118052. [PMID: 38163547 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.118052] [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: 10/20/2023] [Revised: 12/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
The Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden) have effectively kept lower antibiotic-resistant bacterial (ARB) pathogen rates than many other countries. However, in recent years, these five countries have encountered a rise in ARB cases and challenges in treating infections due to the growing prevalence of ARB pathogens. Wastewater-based surveillance (WBS) is a valuable supplement to clinical methods for ARB surveillance, but there is a lack of comprehensive understanding of WBS application for ARB in the Nordic countries. This review aims to compile the latest state-of-the-art developments in WBS for ARB monitoring in the Nordic countries and compare them with clinical surveillance practices. After reviewing 1480 papers from the primary search, 54 were found relevant, and 15 additional WBS-related papers were included. Among 69 studies analyzed, 42 dedicated clinical epidemiology, while 27 focused on wastewater monitoring. The PRISMA review of the literature revealed that Nordic countries focus on four major WBS objectives of ARB: assessing ARB in the human population, identifying ARB evading wastewater treatment, quantifying removal rates, and evaluating potential ARB evolution during the treatment process. In both clinical and wastewater contexts, the most studied targets were pathogens producing carbapenemase and extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL), primarily Escherichia coli and Klebsiella spp. However, vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) have received more attention in clinical epidemiology than in wastewater studies, probably due to their lower detection rates in wastewater. Clinical surveillance has mostly used culturing, antibiotic susceptibility testing, and genotyping, but WBS employed PCR-based and metagenomics alongside culture-based techniques. Imported cases resulting from international travel and hospitalization abroad appear to have frequently contributed to the rise in ARB pathogen cases in these countries. The many similarities between the Nordic countries (e.g., knowledge exchange practices, antibiotic usage patterns, and the current ARB landscape) could facilitate collaborative efforts in developing and implementing WBS for ARB in population-level screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ananda Tiwari
- Expert Microbiology Unit, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, 70701, Kuopio, Finland.
| | - Adriana Krolicka
- Norwegian Research Centre AS (NORCE), Nygårdstangen, 5838, Bergen, Norway
| | - Tam T Tran
- Norwegian Research Centre AS (NORCE), Nygårdstangen, 5838, Bergen, Norway
| | - Kati Räisänen
- Expert Microbiology Unit, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland
| | | | - Odd-Gunnar Wikmark
- Norwegian Research Centre AS (NORCE), Nygårdstangen, 5838, Bergen, Norway; Unit for Environmental Science and Management, North West University, Potchefstroom Campus, Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa
| | - Rolf Lood
- Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Division of Infection Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Tarja Pitkänen
- Expert Microbiology Unit, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, 70701, Kuopio, Finland; Department of Food Hygiene and Environmental Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland.
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10
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Parkins MD, Lee BE, Acosta N, Bautista M, Hubert CRJ, Hrudey SE, Frankowski K, Pang XL. Wastewater-based surveillance as a tool for public health action: SARS-CoV-2 and beyond. Clin Microbiol Rev 2024; 37:e0010322. [PMID: 38095438 PMCID: PMC10938902 DOI: 10.1128/cmr.00103-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Wastewater-based surveillance (WBS) has undergone dramatic advancement in the context of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The power and potential of this platform technology were rapidly realized when it became evident that not only did WBS-measured SARS-CoV-2 RNA correlate strongly with COVID-19 clinical disease within monitored populations but also, in fact, it functioned as a leading indicator. Teams from across the globe rapidly innovated novel approaches by which wastewater could be collected from diverse sewersheds ranging from wastewater treatment plants (enabling community-level surveillance) to more granular locations including individual neighborhoods and high-risk buildings such as long-term care facilities (LTCF). Efficient processes enabled SARS-CoV-2 RNA extraction and concentration from the highly dilute wastewater matrix. Molecular and genomic tools to identify, quantify, and characterize SARS-CoV-2 and its various variants were adapted from clinical programs and applied to these mixed environmental systems. Novel data-sharing tools allowed this information to be mobilized and made immediately available to public health and government decision-makers and even the public, enabling evidence-informed decision-making based on local disease dynamics. WBS has since been recognized as a tool of transformative potential, providing near-real-time cost-effective, objective, comprehensive, and inclusive data on the changing prevalence of measured analytes across space and time in populations. However, as a consequence of rapid innovation from hundreds of teams simultaneously, tremendous heterogeneity currently exists in the SARS-CoV-2 WBS literature. This manuscript provides a state-of-the-art review of WBS as established with SARS-CoV-2 and details the current work underway expanding its scope to other infectious disease targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael D. Parkins
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- O’Brien Institute of Public Health, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Bonita E. Lee
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Nicole Acosta
- Department of Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Maria Bautista
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Casey R. J. Hubert
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Steve E. Hrudey
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Kevin Frankowski
- Advancing Canadian Water Assets, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Xiao-Li Pang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Provincial Health Laboratory, Alberta Health Services, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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11
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Puljko A, Barišić I, Dekić Rozman S, Križanović S, Babić I, Jelić M, Maravić A, Udiković-Kolić N. Molecular epidemiology and mechanisms of carbapenem and colistin resistance in Klebsiella and other Enterobacterales from treated wastewater in Croatia. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2024; 185:108554. [PMID: 38479059 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2024.108554] [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: 12/19/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 03/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024]
Abstract
Among the most problematic bacteria with clinical relevance are the carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE), as there are very limited options for their treatment. Treated wastewater can be a route for the release of these bacteria into the environment and the population. The aim of this study was to isolate CRE from treated wastewater from the Zagreb wastewater treatment plant and to determine their phenotypic and genomic characteristics. A total of 200 suspected CRE were isolated, 148 of which were confirmed as Enterobacterales by MALDI-TOF MS. The predominant species was Klebsiella spp. (n = 47), followed by Citrobacter spp. (n = 40) and Enterobacter cloacae complex (cplx.) (n = 35). All 148 isolates were carbapenemase producers with a multidrug-resistant phenotype. Using multi-locus sequence typing and whole-genome sequencing (WGS), 18 different sequence types were identified among these isolates, 14 of which were associated with human-associated clones. The virulence gene analysis of the sequenced Klebsiella isolates (n = 7) revealed their potential pathogenicity. PCR and WGS showed that the most frequent carbapenemase genes in K. pneumoniae were blaOXA-48 and blaNDM-1, which frequently occurred together, while blaKPC-2 together with blaNDM-1 was mainly detected in K. oxytoca, E. cloacae cplx. and Citrobacter spp. Colistin resistance was observed in 40% of Klebsiella and 57% of Enterobacter isolates. Underlying mechanisms identified by WGS include known and potentially novel intrinsic mechanisms (point mutations in the pmrA/B, phoP/Q, mgrB and crrB genes) and acquired mechanisms (mcr-4.3 gene). The mcr-4.3 gene was identified for the first time in K. pneumoniae and is probably located on the conjugative IncHI1B plasmid. In addition, WGS analysis of 13 isolates revealed various virulence genes and resistance genes to other clinically relevant antibiotics as well as different plasmids possibly associated with carbapenemase genes. Our study demonstrates the important role that treated municipal wastewater plays in harboring and spreading enterobacterial pathogens that are resistant to last-resort antibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Puljko
- Division for Marine and Environmental Research, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Bijenička 54, P.O. Box 180, 10 002 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Ivan Barišić
- Molecular Diagnostics, Austrian Institute of Technology, Giefinggasse 4, 1210 Vienna, Austria
| | - Svjetlana Dekić Rozman
- Division for Marine and Environmental Research, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Bijenička 54, P.O. Box 180, 10 002 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Stela Križanović
- Division for Marine and Environmental Research, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Bijenička 54, P.O. Box 180, 10 002 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Ivana Babić
- Division for Marine and Environmental Research, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Bijenička 54, P.O. Box 180, 10 002 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Marko Jelić
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, University Hospital for Infectious Diseases, Mirogojska 8, 10 000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Ana Maravić
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Split, Ruđera Boškovića 33, 21 000 Split, Croatia
| | - Nikolina Udiković-Kolić
- Division for Marine and Environmental Research, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Bijenička 54, P.O. Box 180, 10 002 Zagreb, Croatia.
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12
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Olejarz JW, Roster KIO, Kissler SM, Lipsitch M, Grad YH. Optimal environmental testing frequency for outbreak surveillance. Epidemics 2024; 46:100750. [PMID: 38394927 PMCID: PMC10979539 DOI: 10.1016/j.epidem.2024.100750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Public health surveillance for pathogens presents an optimization problem: we require enough sampling to identify intervention-triggering shifts in pathogen epidemiology, such as new introductions or sudden increases in prevalence, but not so much that costs due to surveillance itself outweigh those from pathogen-associated illness. To determine this optimal sampling frequency, we developed a general mathematical model for the introduction of a new pathogen that, once introduced, increases in prevalence exponentially. Given the relative cost of infection vs. sampling, we derived equations for the expected combined cost per unit time of disease burden and surveillance for a specified sampling frequency, and thus the sampling frequency for which the expected total cost per unit time is lowest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason W Olejarz
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Kirstin I Oliveira Roster
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Stephen M Kissler
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Computer Science, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - Marc Lipsitch
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Yonatan H Grad
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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13
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Nasser-Ali M, Aja-Macaya P, Conde-Pérez K, Trigo-Tasende N, Rumbo-Feal S, Fernández-González A, Bou G, Poza M, Vallejo JA. Emergence of Carbapenemase Genes in Gram-Negative Bacteria Isolated from the Wastewater Treatment Plant in A Coruña, Spain. Antibiotics (Basel) 2024; 13:194. [PMID: 38391580 PMCID: PMC10886265 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics13020194] [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: 01/11/2024] [Revised: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are recognized as important niches of antibiotic-resistant bacteria that can be easily spread to the environment. In this study, we collected wastewater samples from the WWTP of A Coruña (NW Spain) from April 2020 to February 2022 to evaluate the presence of Gram-negative bacteria harboring carbapenemase genes. Bacteria isolated from wastewater were classified and their antimicrobial profiles were determined. In total, 252 Gram-negative bacteria carrying various carbapenemase genes were described. Whole-genome sequencing was conducted on 55 selected carbapenemase producing isolates using Oxford Nanopore technology. This study revealed the presence of a significant population of bacteria carrying carbapenemase genes in WWTP, which constitutes a public health problem due to their risk of dissemination to the environment. This emphasizes the usefulness of WWTP monitoring for combating antibiotic resistance. Data revealed the presence of different types of sequences harboring carbapenemase genes, such as blaKPC-2, blaGES-5, blaGES-6, blaIMP-11, blaIMP-28, blaOXA-24, blaOXA-48, blaOXA-58, blaOXA-217, and blaVIM-2. Importantly, the presence of the blaKPC-2 gene in wastewater, several months before any clinical case was detected in University Hospital of A Coruña, suggests that wastewater-based epidemiology can be used as an early warning system for the surveillance of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammed Nasser-Ali
- Microbiology Research Group, Institute of Biomedical Research (INIBIC)-University Hospital of A Coruña (CHUAC)-Interdisciplinary Center for Chemistry and Biology (CICA)-University of A Coruña (UDC)-CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC, ISCIII). Servicio de Microbiología, 3° planta, Edificio Sur, Hospital Universitario, As Xubias, 15006 A Coruna, Spain
| | - Pablo Aja-Macaya
- Microbiology Research Group, Institute of Biomedical Research (INIBIC)-University Hospital of A Coruña (CHUAC)-Interdisciplinary Center for Chemistry and Biology (CICA)-University of A Coruña (UDC)-CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC, ISCIII). Servicio de Microbiología, 3° planta, Edificio Sur, Hospital Universitario, As Xubias, 15006 A Coruna, Spain
| | - Kelly Conde-Pérez
- Microbiology Research Group, Institute of Biomedical Research (INIBIC)-University Hospital of A Coruña (CHUAC)-Interdisciplinary Center for Chemistry and Biology (CICA)-University of A Coruña (UDC)-CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC, ISCIII). Servicio de Microbiología, 3° planta, Edificio Sur, Hospital Universitario, As Xubias, 15006 A Coruna, Spain
| | - Noelia Trigo-Tasende
- Microbiology Research Group, Institute of Biomedical Research (INIBIC)-University Hospital of A Coruña (CHUAC)-Interdisciplinary Center for Chemistry and Biology (CICA)-University of A Coruña (UDC)-CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC, ISCIII). Servicio de Microbiología, 3° planta, Edificio Sur, Hospital Universitario, As Xubias, 15006 A Coruna, Spain
| | - Soraya Rumbo-Feal
- Microbiology Research Group, Institute of Biomedical Research (INIBIC)-University Hospital of A Coruña (CHUAC)-Interdisciplinary Center for Chemistry and Biology (CICA)-University of A Coruña (UDC)-CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC, ISCIII). Servicio de Microbiología, 3° planta, Edificio Sur, Hospital Universitario, As Xubias, 15006 A Coruna, Spain
| | - Ana Fernández-González
- Microbiology Research Group, Institute of Biomedical Research (INIBIC)-University Hospital of A Coruña (CHUAC)-Interdisciplinary Center for Chemistry and Biology (CICA)-University of A Coruña (UDC)-CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC, ISCIII). Servicio de Microbiología, 3° planta, Edificio Sur, Hospital Universitario, As Xubias, 15006 A Coruna, Spain
| | - Germán Bou
- Microbiology Research Group, Institute of Biomedical Research (INIBIC)-University Hospital of A Coruña (CHUAC)-Interdisciplinary Center for Chemistry and Biology (CICA)-University of A Coruña (UDC)-CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC, ISCIII). Servicio de Microbiología, 3° planta, Edificio Sur, Hospital Universitario, As Xubias, 15006 A Coruna, Spain
| | - Margarita Poza
- Microbiology Research Group, Institute of Biomedical Research (INIBIC)-University Hospital of A Coruña (CHUAC)-Interdisciplinary Center for Chemistry and Biology (CICA)-University of A Coruña (UDC)-CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC, ISCIII). Servicio de Microbiología, 3° planta, Edificio Sur, Hospital Universitario, As Xubias, 15006 A Coruna, Spain
- Microbiome and Health Group, Faculty of Sciences, Campus da Zapateira, 15071 A Coruna, Spain
| | - Juan A Vallejo
- Microbiology Research Group, Institute of Biomedical Research (INIBIC)-University Hospital of A Coruña (CHUAC)-Interdisciplinary Center for Chemistry and Biology (CICA)-University of A Coruña (UDC)-CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC, ISCIII). Servicio de Microbiología, 3° planta, Edificio Sur, Hospital Universitario, As Xubias, 15006 A Coruna, Spain
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14
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Haberl Meglič S, Slokar D, Miklavčič D. Inactivation of antibiotic-resistant bacteria Escherichia coli by electroporation. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1347000. [PMID: 38333581 PMCID: PMC10850576 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1347000] [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: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction In modern times, bacterial infections have become a growing problem in the medical community due to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. In fact, the overuse and improper disposal of antibiotics have led to bacterial resistance and the presence of such bacteria in wastewater. Therefore, it is critical to develop effective strategies for dealing with antibiotic-resistant bacteria in wastewater. Electroporation has been found to be one of the most promising complementary techniques for bacterial inactivation because it is effective against a wide range of bacteria, is non-chemical and is highly optimizable. Many studies have demonstrated electroporation-assisted inactivation of bacteria, but rarely have clinical antibiotics or bacteria resistant to these antibiotics been used in the study. Therefore, the motivation for our study was to use a treatment regimen that combines antibiotics and electroporation to inactivate antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Methods We separately combined two antibiotics (tetracycline and chloramphenicol) to which the bacteria are resistant (with a different resistance mode) and electric pulses. We used three different concentrations of antibiotics (40, 80 and 150 µg/ml for tetracycline and 100, 500 and 2000 µg/ml for chloramphenicol, respectively) and four different electric field strengths (5, 10, 15 and 20 kV/cm) for electroporation. Results and discussion Our results show that electroporation effectively enhances the effect of antibiotics and inactivates antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The inactivation rate for tetracycline or chloramphenicol was found to be different and to increase with the strength of the pulsed electric field and/or the concentration of the antibiotic. In addition, we show that electroporation has a longer lasting effect (up to 24 hours), making bacteria vulnerable for a considerable time. The present work provides new insights into the use of electroporation to inactivate antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the aquatic environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saša Haberl Meglič
- Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Dejan Slokar
- Centre of Excellence for Biosensors, Instrumentation and Process Control, Ajdovščina, Slovenia
| | - Damijan Miklavčič
- Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
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15
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Gholipour S, Shamsizadeh Z, Halabowski D, Gwenzi W, Nikaeen M. Combating antibiotic resistance using wastewater surveillance: Significance, applications, challenges, and future directions. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 908:168056. [PMID: 37914125 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
The global increase of antibiotic resistance (AR) and resistant infections call for effective surveillance methods for understanding and mitigating (re)-emerging public health risks. Wastewater surveillance (WS) of antibiotic resistance is an emerging, but currently under-utilized decision-support tool in public health systems. Recent years have witnessed an increase in evidence linking antibiotic resistance in wastewaters to that of the community. To date, very few comprehensive reviews exist on the application of WS to understand AR and resistant infections in population. Current and emerging AR detection methods, and their merits and limitations are discussed. Wastewater surveillance has several merits relative to individual testing, including; (1) low per capita testing cost, (2) high spatial coverage, (3) low requirement for diagnostic equipment, and (4) detection of health threats ahead of real outbreaks. The applications of WS as an early warning system and decision support tool to understand and mitigate AR are discussed. Wastewater surveillance could be a tool of choice in low-income settings lacking resources and diagnostic facilities for individual testing. To demonstrate the utility of WS, empirical evidence from field case studies is presented. However, constraints still exist, including; (1) lack of standardized protocols, (2) the clinical utility and sensitivity of WS-based data, (3) uncertainties in relating WS data to pathogenic and virulent bacteria, and (4) whether or not AR in stools and ultimately wastewater represent the complete human resistome. Finally, further prospects are presented, include knowledge gaps on; (1) development of low-cost biosensors for AR, (2) development of WS protocols (sampling, processing, interpretation), (3) further pilot scale studies to understand the opportunities and limits of WS, and (4) development of computer-based analytical tools to facilitate rapid data collection, visualization and interpretation. Therefore, the present paper discusses the principles, opportunities, and constraints of wastewater surveillance applications to understand AR and safeguard public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sahar Gholipour
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Health, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Zahra Shamsizadeh
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Health, Larestan University of Medical Sciences, Larestan, Iran
| | - Dariusz Halabowski
- University of Lodz, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, Department of Ecology and Vertebrate Zoology, Lodz, Poland
| | - Willis Gwenzi
- Universität Kassel, Fachbereich Ökologische Agrarwissenschaften Fachgebiet Grünlandwissenschaft und Nachwachsende Rohstoffe, Steinstr. 19, 37249 Witzenhausen, Germany; Leibniz-Institut für Agrartechnik und Bioökonomie e.V. Max-Eyth-Allee 100, D-14469 Potsdam, Germany.
| | - Mahnaz Nikaeen
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Health, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran; Environment Research Center, Research Institute for Primordial Prevention of Non-Communicable Diseases, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
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16
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Geissler M, Schröttner P, Oertel R, Dumke R. Enterococci, Van Gene-Carrying Enterococci, and Vancomycin Concentrations in the Influent of a Wastewater Treatment Plant in Southeast Germany. Microorganisms 2024; 12:149. [PMID: 38257976 PMCID: PMC10819932 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12010149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2023] [Revised: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Vancomycin-resistant (VR) Enterococcus spp. can be detected in high concentrations in wastewaters and pose a risk to public health. During a one-year study (September 2022-August 2023), 24 h composite raw wastewater samples (n = 192) of a municipal wastewater treatment plant were investigated for cultivable enterococci. After growth on Slanetz-Bartley agar (SBA), a mean concentration of 29,736 ± 9919 cfu/mL was calculated. Using MALDI-TOF MS to characterize randomly picked colonies (n = 576), the most common species were found to be Enterococcus faecium (72.6%), E. hirae (13.7%), and E. faecalis (8.0%). Parallel incubation of wastewater samples on SBA and VRESelect agar resulted in a mean rate of VR enterococci of 2.0 ± 1.5%. All the tested strains grown on the VRESelect agar (n = 172) were E. faecium and carried the vanA (54.6%) or vanB gene (45.4%) with limited sequence differences. In susceptibility experiments, these isolates showed a high-level resistance to vancomycin (>256 µg/mL). Concentration of vancomycin was determined in 93.7% of 112 wastewater samples (mean: 123.1 ± 64.0 ng/L) and varied between below 100 ng/L (the detection limit) and 246.6 ng/L. A correlation between the concentration of vancomycin and the rate of VR strains among the total enterococci could not be found. The combination of incubation of samples on SBA and a commercial vancomycin-containing agar applied in clinical microbiology with a multiplex PCR for detection of van genes is an easy-to-use tool to quantify and characterize VR Enterococcus spp. in water samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Geissler
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Virology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany; (M.G.)
| | - Percy Schröttner
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Virology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany; (M.G.)
- Institute for Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Reinhard Oertel
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Roger Dumke
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Virology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany; (M.G.)
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17
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Mehdipour M, Gholipour S, Mohammadi F, Hatamzadeh M, Nikaeen M. Incidence of co-resistance to antibiotics and chlorine in bacterial biofilm of hospital water systems: Insights into the risk of nosocomial infections. J Infect Public Health 2023; 16 Suppl 1:210-216. [PMID: 37951730 DOI: 10.1016/j.jiph.2023.10.032] [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: 09/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The presence of biofilms in drinking water distribution systems (DWDS) in healthcare settings poses a considerable risk to the biological security of water, particularly when the biofilm bacteria demonstrate antimicrobial resistance characteristics. This study aimed to investigate the occurrence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) in biofilms within DWDS of hospitals. The chlorine resistance of the isolated ARB was analyzed, and then chlorine-resistant bacteria (CRB) were identified using molecular methods. Additionally, the presence of several antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) was monitored in the isolated ARB. Out of the 41 biofilm samples collected from hospitals, ARB were detected in 32 (78%) of the samples. A total of 109 colonies of ARB were isolated from DWDS of hospitals, with β-lactam resistant bacteria, including ceftazidime-resistant and ampicillin-resistant bacteria, being the most frequently isolated ARB. Analyzing of ARGs revealed the highest detection of aac6, followed by sul1 gene. However, the β-lactamase genes blaCTX-M and blaTEM were not identified in the ARB, suggesting the presence of other β-lactamase genes not included in the tested panel. Exposure of ARB to free chlorine at a concentration of 0.5 mg/l showed that 64% of the isolates were CRB. However, increasing the chlorine concentration to 4 mg/l decreased the high fraction of ARB (91%). The dominant CRB identified were Sphingomonas, Brevundimonas, Stenotrophomonas, Bacillus and Staphylococcus with Bacillus exhibiting the highest frequency. The results highlight the potential risk of biofilm formation in the DWDS of hospitals, leading to the dissemination of ARB in hospital environments, which is a great concern for the health of hospitalized patients, especially vulnerable individuals. Surveillance of antimicrobial resistance in DWDS of hospitals can provide valuable insights for shaping antimicrobial use policies and practices that ensure their efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammadmehdi Mehdipour
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Health, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran; Student Research Committee, School of Health, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Sahar Gholipour
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Health, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Farzaneh Mohammadi
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Health, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Maryam Hatamzadeh
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Health, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Mahnaz Nikaeen
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Health, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran; Environment Research Center, Research Institute for Primordial Prevention of Non-Communicable Diseases, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
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18
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Babler K, Sharkey M, Arenas S, Amirali A, Beaver C, Comerford S, Goodman K, Grills G, Holung M, Kobetz E, Laine J, Lamar W, Mason C, Pronty D, Reding B, Schürer S, Schaefer Solle N, Stevenson M, Vidović D, Solo-Gabriele H, Shukla B. Detection of the clinically persistent, pathogenic yeast spp. Candida auris from hospital and municipal wastewater in Miami-Dade County, Florida. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 898:165459. [PMID: 37442462 PMCID: PMC10543605 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2023] [Revised: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/08/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023]
Abstract
The use of wastewater-based surveillance (WBS) for detecting pathogens within communities has been growing since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic with early efforts investigating severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA in wastewater. Recent efforts have shed light on the utilization of WBS for alternative targets, such as fungal pathogens, like Candida auris, in efforts to expand the technology to assess non-viral targets. The objective of this study was to extend workflows developed for SARS-CoV-2 quantification to evaluate whether C. auris can be recovered from wastewater, inclusive of effluent from a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) and from a hospital with known numbers of patients colonized with C. auris. Measurements of C. auris in wastewater focused on culture-based methods and quantitative PCR (qPCR). Results showed that C. auris can be cultured from wastewater and that levels detected by qPCR were higher in the hospital wastewater compared to the wastewater from the WWTP, suggesting either dilution or degradation of this pathogenic yeast at downstream collection points. The results from this study illustrate that WBS can extend beyond SARS-CoV-2 monitoring to evaluate additional non-viral pathogenic targets and demonstrates that C. auris isolated from wastewater is competent to replicate in vitro using fungal-specific culture media.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina Babler
- Department of Chemical, Environmental, and Materials Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL 33146, USA
| | - Mark Sharkey
- Department of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Sebastian Arenas
- Department of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Ayaaz Amirali
- Department of Chemical, Environmental, and Materials Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL 33146, USA
| | - Cynthia Beaver
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Samuel Comerford
- Department of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Kenneth Goodman
- Department of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA; Institute for Data Science & Computing, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA
| | - George Grills
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Michelle Holung
- Department of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Erin Kobetz
- Department of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA; Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Jennifer Laine
- Environmental Health and Safety, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Walter Lamar
- Division of Occupational Health, Safety & Compliance, University of Miami Health System, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Christopher Mason
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York City, NY 10021, USA; The HRH Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud Institute for Computational Biomedicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA; The WorldQuant Initiative for Quantitative Prediction, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Darryl Pronty
- Department of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Brian Reding
- Environmental Health and Safety, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Stephan Schürer
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA; Department of Molecular & Cellular Pharmacology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA; Institute for Data Science & Computing, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA
| | - Natasha Schaefer Solle
- Department of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA; Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Mario Stevenson
- Department of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Dusica Vidović
- Department of Molecular & Cellular Pharmacology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Helena Solo-Gabriele
- Department of Chemical, Environmental, and Materials Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL 33146, USA
| | - Bhavarth Shukla
- Department of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA.
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19
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Maréchal V, Maday Y, Wallet C, Cluzel N, Borde C. Wastewater-based epidemiology: Retrospective, current status, and future prospects. Anaesth Crit Care Pain Med 2023; 42:101251. [PMID: 37236316 DOI: 10.1016/j.accpm.2023.101251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Maréchal
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Centre de Recherche Saint-Antoine, F-75012 Paris, France; Groupement d'Intérêt Scientifique OBEPINE.
| | - Yvon Maday
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Université de Paris Cité, Laboratoire Jacques-Louis Lions (LJLL), F-75005 Paris, France; Groupement d'Intérêt Scientifique OBEPINE
| | - Clémentine Wallet
- Université de Strasbourg, Unit 7292, DHPI, IUT Louis Pasteur, Schiltigheim, France; Groupement d'Intérêt Scientifique OBEPINE
| | - Nicolas Cluzel
- Sorbonne Université, Maison des Modélisations Ingénieries et Technologies (SUMMIT), 75005 Paris, France; Groupement d'Intérêt Scientifique OBEPINE
| | - Chloé Borde
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Centre de Recherche Saint-Antoine, F-75012 Paris, France; Groupement d'Intérêt Scientifique OBEPINE
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20
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Náfrádi M, Alapi T, Veres B, Farkas L, Bencsik G, Janáky C. Comparison of TiO 2 and ZnO for Heterogeneous Photocatalytic Activation of the Peroxydisulfate Ion in Trimethoprim Degradation. MATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 16:5920. [PMID: 37687613 PMCID: PMC10489049 DOI: 10.3390/ma16175920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Revised: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/26/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023]
Abstract
The persulfate-based advanced oxidation process is a promising method for degrading organic pollutants. Herein, TiO2 and ZnO photocatalysts were combined with the peroxydisulfate ion (PDS) to enhance the efficiency. ZnO was significantly more efficient in PDS conversion and SO4•- generation than TiO2. For ZnO, the PDS increased the transformation rate of the trimethoprim antibiotic from 1.58 × 10-7 M s-1 to 6.83 × 10-7 M s-1. However, in the case of TiO2, the moderated positive effect was manifested mainly in O2-free suspensions. The impact of dissolved O2 and trimethoprim on PDS transformation was also studied. The results reflected that the interaction of O2, PDS, and TRIM with the surface of the photocatalyst and their competition for photogenerated charges must be considered. The effect of radical scavengers confirmed that in addition to SO4•-, •OH plays an essential role even in O2-free suspensions, and the contribution of SO4•- to the transformation is much more significant for ZnO than for TiO2. The negative impact of biologically treated domestic wastewater as a matrix was manifested, most probably because of the radical scavenging capacity of Cl- and HCO3-. Nevertheless, in the case of ZnO, the positive effect of PDS successfully overcompensates that, due to the efficient SO4•- generation. Reusability tests were performed in Milli-Q water and biologically treated domestic wastewater, and only a slight decrease in the reactivity of ZnO photocatalysts was observed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Máté Náfrádi
- Department of Inorganic, Organic and Analytical Chemistry, University of Szeged, Dóm Square 7-8, H-6720 Szeged, Hungary; (M.N.); (B.V.); (L.F.)
| | - Tünde Alapi
- Department of Inorganic, Organic and Analytical Chemistry, University of Szeged, Dóm Square 7-8, H-6720 Szeged, Hungary; (M.N.); (B.V.); (L.F.)
| | - Bence Veres
- Department of Inorganic, Organic and Analytical Chemistry, University of Szeged, Dóm Square 7-8, H-6720 Szeged, Hungary; (M.N.); (B.V.); (L.F.)
| | - Luca Farkas
- Department of Inorganic, Organic and Analytical Chemistry, University of Szeged, Dóm Square 7-8, H-6720 Szeged, Hungary; (M.N.); (B.V.); (L.F.)
| | - Gábor Bencsik
- Department of Physical Chemistry and Materials Science, University of Szeged, Aradi Square 1, H-6720 Szeged, Hungary; (G.B.); (C.J.)
| | - Csaba Janáky
- Department of Physical Chemistry and Materials Science, University of Szeged, Aradi Square 1, H-6720 Szeged, Hungary; (G.B.); (C.J.)
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21
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Guryanova SV. Immunomodulation, Bioavailability and Safety of Bacteriocins. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:1521. [PMID: 37511896 PMCID: PMC10381439 DOI: 10.3390/life13071521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Revised: 07/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and the emergence of new pathogens have created a need for new strategies to fight against infectious diseases. One promising approach is the use of antimicrobial peptides produced by a certain species of bacteria, known as bacteriocins, which are active against other strains of the same or related species. Bacteriocins can help in the treatment and prevention of infectious diseases. Moreover, bacteriocins can be obtained in prokaryotic organisms, and contribute s to their widespread use. While the use of bacteriocins is currently limited to the food industry (for example, nisin is used as a preservative, E234), a large number of studies on their microbicidal properties suggest that their use in medicine may increase in the foreseeable future. However, for the successful use of bacteriocins in medicine, it is necessary to understand their effect on the immune system, especially in cases where immunity is weakened due to infectious processes, oncological, allergic, or autoimmune diseases. Studies on the immuno-modulatory activity of bacteriocins in animal models and human cells have revealed their ability to induce both pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory factors involved in the implementation of innate immunity. The influence of bacteriocins on acquired immunity is revealed by an increase in the number of T-lymphocytes with a simultaneous decrease in B-lymphocyte levels, which makes them attractive substances for reducing inflammation. The widespread use of bacteriocins in the food industry, their low toxicity, and their broad and narrow specificity are reasons for researchers to pay attention to their immunomodulatory properties and explore their medical applications. Inflammation regulation by bacteriocins can be used in the treatment of various pathologies. The aim of the review was to analyze scientific publications on the immunomodulatory activity, bioavailability, and safety of bacteriocins in order to use the data obtained to organize preclinical and clinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Svetlana V Guryanova
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia
- Medical Institute, Peoples' Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University) of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, 117198 Moscow, Russia
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22
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Huijbers PMC, Bobis Camacho J, Hutinel M, Larsson DGJ, Flach CF. Sampling Considerations for Wastewater Surveillance of Antibiotic Resistance in Fecal Bacteria. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:4555. [PMID: 36901565 PMCID: PMC10002399 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20054555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Wastewaters can be analyzed to generate population-level data for public health surveillance, such as antibiotic resistance monitoring. To provide representative data for the contributing population, bacterial isolates collected from wastewater should originate from different individuals and not be distorted by a selection pressure in the wastewater. Here we use Escherichia coli diversity as a proxy for representativeness when comparing grab and composite sampling at a major municipal wastewater treatment plant influent and an untreated hospital effluent in Gothenburg, Sweden. All municipal samples showed high E. coli diversity irrespective of the sampling method. In contrast, a marked increase in diversity was seen for composite compared to grab samples from the hospital effluent. Virtual resampling also showed the value of collecting fewer isolates on multiple occasions rather than many isolates from a single sample. Time-kill tests where individual E. coli strains were exposed to sterile-filtered hospital wastewater showed rapid killing of antibiotic-susceptible strains and significant selection of multi-resistant strains when incubated at 20 °C, an effect which could be avoided at 4 °C. In conclusion, depending on the wastewater collection site, both sampling method and collection/storage temperature could significantly impact the representativeness of the wastewater sample.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia M. C. Huijbers
- Centre for Antibiotic Resistance Research in Gothenburg (CARe), University of Gothenburg, 40530 Gothenburg, Sweden
- Institute of Biomedicine, Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Gothenburg, Guldhedsgatan 10A, 40530 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Julián Bobis Camacho
- Centre for Antibiotic Resistance Research in Gothenburg (CARe), University of Gothenburg, 40530 Gothenburg, Sweden
- Institute of Biomedicine, Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Gothenburg, Guldhedsgatan 10A, 40530 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Marion Hutinel
- Centre for Antibiotic Resistance Research in Gothenburg (CARe), University of Gothenburg, 40530 Gothenburg, Sweden
- Institute of Biomedicine, Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Gothenburg, Guldhedsgatan 10A, 40530 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - D. G. Joakim Larsson
- Centre for Antibiotic Resistance Research in Gothenburg (CARe), University of Gothenburg, 40530 Gothenburg, Sweden
- Institute of Biomedicine, Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Gothenburg, Guldhedsgatan 10A, 40530 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Carl-Fredrik Flach
- Centre for Antibiotic Resistance Research in Gothenburg (CARe), University of Gothenburg, 40530 Gothenburg, Sweden
- Institute of Biomedicine, Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Gothenburg, Guldhedsgatan 10A, 40530 Gothenburg, Sweden
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23
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Ertapenem Supplemented Selective Media as a New Strategy to Distinguish β-Lactam-Resistant Enterobacterales: Application to Clinical and Wastewater Samples. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 12:antibiotics12020392. [PMID: 36830303 PMCID: PMC9952050 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12020392] [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: 01/05/2023] [Revised: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The increase in carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) is mostly driven by the spread of carbapenemase-producing (CP) strains. In New Caledonia, the majority of carbapenemases found are IMP-type carbapenemases that are difficult to detect on routine selective media. In this study, a culture-based method with ertapenem selection is proposed to distinguish non-CRE, non-CP-CRE, and CP-CRE from samples with very high bacterial loads. Firstly, assays were carried out with phenotypically well-characterized β-lactam-resistant Enterobacterales isolates. Then, this approach was applied to clinical and environmental samples. Presumptive CP-CRE isolates were finally identified, and the presence of a carbapenemase was assessed. In a collection of 27 phenotypically well-characterized β-lactam-resistant Enterobacterales, an ertapenem concentration of 0.5 µg·mL-1 allowed distinguishing CRE from non-CRE. A concentration of 4 µg·mL-1 allowed distinguishing CP-CRE from non-CP-CRE after nine hours of incubation. These methods allowed isolating 18 CP-CRE from hospital effluents, including the first detection of a KPC in New Caledonia. All these elements show that this cost-effective strategy to distinguish β-lactam-resistant Enterobacterales provides fast and reliable results. This could be applied in the Pacific islands or other resource-limited settings, where limited data are available.
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