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Chibwe M, Odume ON, Nnadozie CF. Assessment of risk of exposure to Campylobacter species and their antibiotic-resistant genes from selected rivers in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 338:122625. [PMID: 37788798 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.122625] [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: 06/03/2023] [Revised: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
Contaminated rivers play a critical role in the transmission of Campylobacter and antibiotic-resistant genes (ARGs) in many parts of the world. South Africa is a water-scarce country which relies on its freshwater systems such as rivers for recreation, irrigation, and domestic activities. This study assesses the potential human exposure to Campylobacter and its ARGs from rivers through the ingestion route in two South African rivers. The concentration of viable Campylobacter and ARGs in selected rivers was determined using quantitative PCR. The concentrations were then used to estimate the number of gene copies a person could ingest after swimming in the contaminated water for 1 h (intake burden). The human intake burden of Campylobacter 16 S rRNA copies per 1-h swimming event ranged from 7.1 × 105-3.7 × 106 copies/h for the Bloukrans River, and 9.9 × 101-2.3 × 105 copies/h for the Swartkops River. The intake burden of Campylobacter ARGs ranged from 1.64 × 104-5.8 × 105 copies/h for cmeB; 1.0 × 103-5.7 × 104 copies/h for tetO for the Bloukrans River, and 3.6 × 102-1.551 × 105 copies/h (cmeB) and 9.98 × 102-5.7 × 104 copies/h (tetO) for the Swartkops River. Ingestion of water from contaminated rivers during recreation, cultural, or religious activities may lead to human exposure to ARGs, posing a health risk. In many communities in the world, rivers play an important role in the social and cultural lives of people, and so it is important to monitor the quality of river water. Studies such as these will help prevent the spread of antibiotic-resistant genes and waterborne diseases caused by pathogens such as Campylobacter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Chibwe
- Institute for Water Research (IWR), Rhodes University, Old Geology Building (off Artillery Road), P.O Box 94 Grahamstown 6140, South Africa
| | - Oghenekaro Nelson Odume
- Institute for Water Research (IWR), Rhodes University, Old Geology Building (off Artillery Road), P.O Box 94 Grahamstown 6140, South Africa
| | - Chika Felicitas Nnadozie
- Institute for Water Research (IWR), Rhodes University, Old Geology Building (off Artillery Road), P.O Box 94 Grahamstown 6140, South Africa.
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2
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Ibangha IAI, Digwo DC, Ozochi CA, Enebe MC, Ateba CN, Chigor VN. A meta-analysis on the distribution of pathogenic Vibrio species in water sources and wastewater in Africa. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 881:163332. [PMID: 37028683 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Revised: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 04/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Vibrio species are waterborne ubiquitous organisms capable of causing diseases in humans and animals and the occurrence of infections caused by pathogenic Vibrio species among humans have increased globally. This reemergence is attributed to environmental impacts such as global warming and pollution. Africa is most vulnerable to waterborne infections caused by these pathogens because of lack of good water stewardship and management. This study was carried out to provide an in-depth inquiry into the occurrence of pathogenic Vibrio species in water sources and wastewater across Africa. In this regard, a systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted by searching five databases: PubMed, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, Springer Search and African Journals Online (AJOL). The search yielded 70 articles on pathogenic Vibrio species presence in African aquatic environments that fit our inclusion criteria. Based on the random effects model, the pooled prevalence of pathogenic Vibrio species in various water sources in Africa was 37.6 % (95 % CI: 27.7-48.0). Eighteen countries were represented by the systematically assessed studies and their nationwide prevalence in descending order was: Nigeria (79.82 %), Egypt (47.5 %), Tanzania (45.8 %), Morocco (44.8), South Africa (40.6 %), Uganda (32.1 %), Cameroon (24.5 %), Burkina Faso (18.9 %) and Ghana (5.9 %). Furthermore, 8 pathogenic Vibrio species were identified across water bodies in Africa with the highest detection for V. cholerae (59.5 %), followed by V. parahaemolyticus (10.4 %), V.alginolyticus (9.8 %), V. vulnificus (8.5 %), V. fluvialis (6.6 %), V. mimicus (4.6 %), V. harveyi (0.5 %) and V. metschnikovii (0.1 %). Evidently, pathogenic Vibrio species occurrence in these water sources especially freshwater corroborates the continuous outbreaks observed in Africa. Therefore, there is an urgent need for proactive measures and continuous monitoring of water sources used for various purposes across Africa and proper treatment of wastewater before discharge into water bodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ini-Abasi I Ibangha
- Water and Public Health Research Group (WPHRG), Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria
| | - Daniel C Digwo
- Water and Public Health Research Group (WPHRG), Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria
| | - Chizoba A Ozochi
- Water and Public Health Research Group (WPHRG), Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria
| | - Matthew C Enebe
- Water and Public Health Research Group (WPHRG), Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria; Food Security and Safety Niche Area, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, North-West University, Private Bag X2046, Mmabatho 2735, South Africa
| | - Collins N Ateba
- Water and Public Health Research Group (WPHRG), Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria; Food Security and Safety Niche Area, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, North-West University, Private Bag X2046, Mmabatho 2735, South Africa
| | - Vincent N Chigor
- Water and Public Health Research Group (WPHRG), Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria.
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3
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Agboola TD, Nmema EE, Odetoyin BW. Distribution and antibiogram of Vibrio species from hospital wastewater in Southwest, Nigeria. Pan Afr Med J 2023; 45:80. [PMID: 37663624 PMCID: PMC10474800 DOI: 10.11604/pamj.2023.45.80.35773] [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: 06/04/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction the continuous generation of wastewater and its release into the environment with little or no treatment remains a threat to the environment and public health. We examined the prevalence and antibiotic susceptibility profiles of Vibrio species isolated from untreated wastewater samples from Ondo State Specialist Hospital Okitipupa, Nigeria, as part of the global efforts to provide information for containing the spread of resistant infections. Methods twelve hospital wastewater samples were collected aseptically and transported to the laboratory for analysis. The samples were processed on thiosulphate citrate bile salt sucrose agar and colonies typical of Vibrio species were selected for further identification. All isolates were confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using Vibrio-specific primers and the PCR products were sequenced for species identification. The susceptibility profiles of the isolates were determined by the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method. Results twenty-nine (58%) of 38 presumptive isolates were confirmed as Vibrio by PCR, while 23 (60.5%) isolates were screened up to species level by sequencing. Six different species following the trend: 26.1% V. fortis and V. algivorus, 17.4% V. cholerae, 13.0% V. panuliri, 8.7% V. stylophorae and V. parahaemolyticus were identified. The isolates were commonly resistant (73.9%-91.3%) to doxycycline, tetracycline, erythromycin and meropenem. The least resistance rate (17.4%) was observed against amikacin and cotrimoxazole. All isolates were multidrug-resistant, with multiple antibiotic resistance (MAR) indices exceeding the 0.2 recommended limit. Conclusion this study has shown that untreated hospital wastewater is a reservoir for diverse strains of multiply resistant Vibrio species. Therefore, it is essential to adequately treat hospital wastewater to eliminate these emerging pollutants and set up a monitoring scheme to evaluate the treatment plants' effectiveness to reduce the pollutants' impact on the environment and the population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Temitope Deborah Agboola
- Department of Biological Sciences, Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa, Ondo State, Nigeria
| | - Eucharia Ezenwanyi Nmema
- Department of Biological Sciences, Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa, Ondo State, Nigeria
| | - Babatunde Wumi Odetoyin
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Obafemi Awolowo University, Osun State, Nigeria
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Sahu PS, Verma RP, Tewari C, Sahoo NG, Saha B. Environmental application of amine functionalised magnetite nanoparticles grafted graphene oxide chelants. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:86485-86498. [PMID: 35708809 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-21407-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
This study proposed a two-step method involving hydrothermal and electrostatic self-assembly processes for synthesising an amine-functionalised magnetic ligand graphene oxide-based nanocomposite (EDTA@Fe3O4@GO). The amine groups were successfully attached to the surface of iron (II, III) oxide (Fe3O4), which were embedded on the surface of graphene oxide (GO) (Fe3O4@GO). This EDTA@ Fe3O4@GO nanocomposite was used as a chelating agent to bind the toxic heavy metal ions. EDTA@Fe3O4@GO demonstrated the synergistic effect between the large surface area and magnetic behaviour of Fe3O4@GO and the chelating effect of EDTA, and it showed higher efficiency than the individual GO and Fe3O4. The possible structural and compositional characteristics were proposed based on Fourier transform infrared spectra (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) and Raman spectroscopy analysis. The outcomes revealed the mechanism behind the excellent As(V) adsorption onto EDTA@Fe3O4@GO. The adsorption process was studied by fitting the experimental data obtained into various kinetic and isotherm models. The pseudo-second-order (PSO) kinetic model and the Freundlich isotherm model (FIM) were found to be the best fit models for the removal of As(V) by EDTA@Fe3O4@GO. EDTA@Fe3O4@GO has the utmost adsorption capacity of 178.4 mg/g. Furthermore, the EDTA@Fe3O4@GO nanocomposite is reusable, and it showed excellent adsorption capacity up to 5 cycles. This study has provided insight into the potential of EDTA@Fe3O4@GO and its applications in large-scale wastewater treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prateekshya Suman Sahu
- Department of Chemical Engineering, National Institute of Technology Rourkela (NIT Rourkela), Sector 1, Rourkela, Odisha, 768009, India
| | - Ravi Prakash Verma
- Department of Chemical Engineering, National Institute of Technology Rourkela (NIT Rourkela), Sector 1, Rourkela, Odisha, 768009, India
| | - Chetna Tewari
- PRS-Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Centre, Department of Chemistry, D.S.B. Campus, Kumaun University, Nainital, 263001, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Nanda Gopal Sahoo
- PRS-Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Centre, Department of Chemistry, D.S.B. Campus, Kumaun University, Nainital, 263001, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Biswajit Saha
- Department of Chemical Engineering, National Institute of Technology Rourkela (NIT Rourkela), Sector 1, Rourkela, Odisha, 768009, India.
- Centre for Nanomaterials, National Institute of Technology Rourkela (NIT Rourkela), Sector 1, Rourkela, Odisha, 769008, India.
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5
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Junaid M, Siddiqui JA, Sadaf M, Liu S, Wang J. Enrichment and dissemination of bacterial pathogens by microplastics in the aquatic environment. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 830:154720. [PMID: 35337880 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Revised: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Microplastic pollution and associated impacts in the aquatic environment are spreading at an alarming rate worldwide. Plastic waste is increasing in the environment, and microplastics (MPs) are becoming a growing issue because they serve as vectors for pathogen transmission. This is the first comprehensive review that specifically addresses MPs as a source and vector of pathogenic bacteria, mainly associated with genera Vibrio, Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, and so on, which are discovered to be more abundant on the aquatic plastisphere than that in the surrounding wastewater, freshwater, and marine water ecosystems. The horizontal gene transfer, chemotaxis, and co-selection and cross-selection could be the potential mechanism involved in the enrichment and dissemination of bacterial pathogens through the aquatic plastisphere. Further, bacterial pathogens through aquatic plastisphere can cause various ecological and human health impacts such as disrupted food chain, oxidative stress, tissue damages, disease transmission, microbial dysbiosis, metabolic disorders, among others. Last but not least, future research directions are also described to find answers to the challenging questions about bacterial pathogens in the aquatic plastisphere to ensure the integrity and safety of ecological and human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Junaid
- Joint Laboratory of Guangdong Province and Hong Kong Region on Marine Bioresource Conservation and Exploitation, College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510641, China
| | - Junaid Ali Siddiqui
- Department of Entomology, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Mamona Sadaf
- Knowledge Unit of Business, Economics, Accountancy and Commerce (KUBEAC), University of Management and Technology, Sialkot Campus, 51310, Pakistan
| | - Shulin Liu
- Department of Entomology, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Jun Wang
- Joint Laboratory of Guangdong Province and Hong Kong Region on Marine Bioresource Conservation and Exploitation, College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510641, China; Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.
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6
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A Review on SARS-CoV-2 Genome in the Aquatic Environment of Africa: Prevalence, Persistence and the Future Prospects. WATER 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/w14132020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic (Coronavirus disease 2019) remains problematic in all its manifestations on the global stage where countless events of human-to-human exposure have led to fatal cases; thus, the aftermath being an unprecedented public health concern, with inaccessible health care and the instability of economies and financial institutions. These pose massive obstacles that can insatiably devour existing human resources causing negative impacts, especially in developing countries. Tracking the origin, dissemination and mutating strains of the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) on population-wide scales is a somewhat overwhelming task, with the urgent need to map the dissemination and magnitude of SARS-CoV-2 in near real-time. This review paper focuses on the poor sanitation of some waterbodies and wastewater management policies in low-income African countries, highlighting how these contribute to the COVID-19 pandemic on the continent. Since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus pandemic, there has been an upsurge in scientific literature and studies concerning SARS-CoV-2 with different opinions and findings. The current paper highlights the challenges and also summarizes the environmental aspects related to the monitoring and fate of the SARS-CoV-2 genomes in the aquatic milieu of Sub-Saharan Africa.
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7
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Upconversion fluorescence-based paper disc for multiplex point-of-care testing in water quality monitoring. Anal Chim Acta 2022; 1192:339388. [DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2021.339388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2021] [Revised: 12/02/2021] [Accepted: 12/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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8
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Zaafrane S, Maatouk K, Alibi S, Ben Mansour H. Occurrence and antibiotic resistance of Vibrio parahaemolyticus isolated from the Tunisian coastal seawater. JOURNAL OF WATER AND HEALTH 2022; 20:369-384. [PMID: 36366993 DOI: 10.2166/wh.2022.243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a gram-negative bacterium ubiquitous in seawater or estuarine water throughout the world. It is a major cause of seafood gastroenteritis complications. In this study, the presence of V. parahaemolyticus was investigated in 66 seawater samples collected during 2018 from 15 stations spread along the Tunisian coast using selective media including CHROMagar Vibrio media. The results show that only eight samples contained V. parahaemolyticus. However, while Vibrio alginolyticus was detected in all samples; both Vibrio cholerae and Vibrio vulnificus were not found. Nine of the presumed V. parahaemolyticus colonies were purified on tryptic soy agar from eight positive samples then identified by the API 20E biochemical test and confirmed by the presence of a specific target toxR gene. The detection of virulence genes, thermostable direct haemolysin (tdh) and thermostable-related haemolysin (trh), by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) showed the presence of only two trh-positive isolates. The assessment of antibiotic susceptibility of the V. parahaemolyticus isolated revealed a complete resistance to colistin, amikacin, penicillin and cefotaxime and a total sensitivity to chloramphenicol, nitrofurantoin and sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim with a multiple antibiotic resistance index (MAR) ranging from 0.4 to 0.5.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sami Zaafrane
- Aquaculture Laboratory, National Institute of Marine Sciences and Technology, Khniss Street, Monastir 5000, Tunisia
| | - Kaouthar Maatouk
- Aquaculture Laboratory, National Institute of Marine Sciences and Technology, Khniss Street, Monastir 5000, Tunisia
| | - Sana Alibi
- UR - Analysis and Process Applied to the Environment (UR17ES32), Higher Institute of Applied Sciences and Technology, University of Monastir Tunisia, Mahdia, Tunisia E-mail:
| | - Hedi Ben Mansour
- UR - Analysis and Process Applied to the Environment (UR17ES32), Higher Institute of Applied Sciences and Technology, University of Monastir Tunisia, Mahdia, Tunisia E-mail:
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Dowling WB, Van der Westhuyzen M, Haumann M, Reddy K. Non-toxigenic Vibrio cholerae non-O1/non-O139 pseudo-bacteraemia in a neonate: A case report. S Afr J Infect Dis 2021. [DOI: 10.4102/sajid.v36i1.263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022] Open
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10
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Abioye OE, Osunla AC, Okoh AI. Molecular Detection and Distribution of Six Medically Important Vibrio spp. in Selected Freshwater and Brackish Water Resources in Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:617703. [PMID: 34149632 PMCID: PMC8208477 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.617703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Water resources contaminated with pathogenic Vibrio species are usually a source of devastating infection outbreaks that have been a public health concern in both developed and developing countries over the decades. The present study assessed the prevalence of six medically significant Vibrio species in some water resources in Eastern Cape Province, South Africa for 12 months. We detected vibrios in all the 194 water samples analyzed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The prevalence of Vibrio cholerae, Vibrio mimicus, Vibrio fluvialis, Vibrio vulnificus, Vibrio alginolyticus, and Vibrio parahaemolyticus in freshwater samples was 34, 19, 9, 2, 3, and 2%, and that in brackish water samples was 44, 28, 10, 7, 46, and 51%, respectively. The population of the presumptive Vibrio spp. isolated from freshwater (628) and brackish water (342) samples that were confirmed by PCR was 79% (497/628) and 85% (291/342), respectively. Twenty-two percent of the PCR-confirmed Vibrio isolates from freshwater (n = 497) samples and 41% of the PCR-confirmed Vibrio isolates from brackish water samples (n = 291) fall among the Vibrio species of interest. The incidences of V. cholerae, V. mimicus, V. fluvialis, V. vulnificus, V. alginolyticus, and V. parahaemolyticus amidst these Vibrio spp. of interest that were recovered from freshwater samples were 75, 14, 4, 6, 1, and 1%, whereas those from brackish water samples were 24, 7, 3, 3, 47, and 18%, respectively. Our observation during the study suggests pollution as the reason for the unusual isolation of medically important vibrios in winter. Correlation analysis revealed that temperature drives the frequency of isolation, whereas salinity drives the composition of the targeted Vibrio species at our sampling sites. The finding of the study is of public health importance going by the usefulness of the water resources investigated. Although controlling and preventing most of the factors that contribute to the prevalence of medically important bacteria, such as Vibrio species, at the sampling points might be difficult, regular monitoring for creating health risk awareness will go a long way to prevent possible Vibrio-related infection outbreaks at the sampling sites and their immediate environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oluwatayo E Abioye
- SAMRC Microbial Water Quality Monitoring Centre, University of Fort Hare, Alice, South Africa.,Applied and Environmental Microbiology Research Group, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Fort Hare, Alice, South Africa.,Department of Microbiology, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ife, Nigeria
| | - Ayodeji Charles Osunla
- SAMRC Microbial Water Quality Monitoring Centre, University of Fort Hare, Alice, South Africa.,Applied and Environmental Microbiology Research Group, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Fort Hare, Alice, South Africa.,Department of Microbiology, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Nigeria
| | - Anthony I Okoh
- SAMRC Microbial Water Quality Monitoring Centre, University of Fort Hare, Alice, South Africa.,Applied and Environmental Microbiology Research Group, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Fort Hare, Alice, South Africa.,Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
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11
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Montagna MT, De Giglio O, Calia C, Pousis C, Triggiano F, Murgolo S, De Ceglie C, Bagordo F, Apollonio F, Diella G, Narracci M, Acquaviva MI, Ferraro GB, Mancini P, Veneri C, Brigida S, Grassi T, De Donno A, Di Iaconi C, Caputo MC, Cavallo RA, La Rosa G, Mascolo G. Microbiological and Chemical Assessment of Wastewater Discharged by Infiltration Trenches in Fractured and Karstified Limestone (SCA.Re.S. Project 2019-2020). Pathogens 2020; 9:pathogens9121010. [PMID: 33266323 PMCID: PMC7759865 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens9121010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2020] [Revised: 11/28/2020] [Accepted: 11/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
This study investigated the environmental contamination of groundwater as a consequence of the discharge of treated wastewater into the soil. The investigation focused on a wastewater treatment plant located in an area fractured by karst in the Salento peninsula (Apulia, Italy). Water samples were collected at four sites (raw wastewater, treated wastewater, infiltration trench, and monitoring well), monthly from May to December 2019 (with the exception of August), and were tested for (1) panel of bacteria; (2) enteric viruses; and (3) chemical substances. A gradual reduction in the concentration of bacteria, viruses and contaminants of emerging concern was observed across the profile of soil fissured by karst. All monitored bacteria were absent from the monitoring well, except for Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Pepper mild mottle virus and adenovirus were detected at all sampling sites. Personal care products and X-ray contrast media showed the greatest decrease in concentration from infiltration trench to the monitoring well, while the highest residual concentrations in the monitoring well were found for anticonvulsants (78.5%), antimicrobials (41.3%), and antipsychotic drugs (38.6%). Our results show that parameters provided by current law may not always be sufficient to evaluate the sanitary risk relating to the discharge of treated wastewater to the soil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Teresa Montagna
- Department of Biomedical Science and Human Oncology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Piazza G. Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy; (M.T.M.); (C.C.); (C.P.); (F.T.); (F.A.); (G.D.)
| | - Osvalda De Giglio
- Department of Biomedical Science and Human Oncology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Piazza G. Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy; (M.T.M.); (C.C.); (C.P.); (F.T.); (F.A.); (G.D.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-080-5478476
| | - Carla Calia
- Department of Biomedical Science and Human Oncology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Piazza G. Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy; (M.T.M.); (C.C.); (C.P.); (F.T.); (F.A.); (G.D.)
| | - Chrysovalentinos Pousis
- Department of Biomedical Science and Human Oncology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Piazza G. Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy; (M.T.M.); (C.C.); (C.P.); (F.T.); (F.A.); (G.D.)
| | - Francesco Triggiano
- Department of Biomedical Science and Human Oncology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Piazza G. Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy; (M.T.M.); (C.C.); (C.P.); (F.T.); (F.A.); (G.D.)
| | - Sapia Murgolo
- National Research Council (CNR), Water Research Institute (IRSA), via F. De Blasio, 5, 70132 Bari, Italy; (S.M.); (C.D.C.); (S.B.); (C.D.I.); (M.C.C.); (G.M.)
| | - Cristina De Ceglie
- National Research Council (CNR), Water Research Institute (IRSA), via F. De Blasio, 5, 70132 Bari, Italy; (S.M.); (C.D.C.); (S.B.); (C.D.I.); (M.C.C.); (G.M.)
| | - Francesco Bagordo
- Laboratory of Hygiene, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, University of Salento, via Monteroni, 165, 73100 Lecce, Italy; (F.B.); (T.G.); (A.D.D.)
| | - Francesca Apollonio
- Department of Biomedical Science and Human Oncology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Piazza G. Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy; (M.T.M.); (C.C.); (C.P.); (F.T.); (F.A.); (G.D.)
| | - Giusy Diella
- Department of Biomedical Science and Human Oncology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Piazza G. Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy; (M.T.M.); (C.C.); (C.P.); (F.T.); (F.A.); (G.D.)
| | - Marcella Narracci
- National Research Council (CNR), Water Research Institute (IRSA), S.S. di Taranto, via Roma 3, 74123 Taranto, Italy; (M.N.); (M.I.A.); (R.A.C.)
| | - Maria Immacolata Acquaviva
- National Research Council (CNR), Water Research Institute (IRSA), S.S. di Taranto, via Roma 3, 74123 Taranto, Italy; (M.N.); (M.I.A.); (R.A.C.)
| | - Giusy Bonanno Ferraro
- Department of Environment and Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy; (G.B.F.); (P.M.); (C.V.); (G.L.R.)
| | - Pamela Mancini
- Department of Environment and Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy; (G.B.F.); (P.M.); (C.V.); (G.L.R.)
| | - Carolina Veneri
- Department of Environment and Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy; (G.B.F.); (P.M.); (C.V.); (G.L.R.)
| | - Silvia Brigida
- National Research Council (CNR), Water Research Institute (IRSA), via F. De Blasio, 5, 70132 Bari, Italy; (S.M.); (C.D.C.); (S.B.); (C.D.I.); (M.C.C.); (G.M.)
| | - Tiziana Grassi
- Laboratory of Hygiene, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, University of Salento, via Monteroni, 165, 73100 Lecce, Italy; (F.B.); (T.G.); (A.D.D.)
| | - Antonella De Donno
- Laboratory of Hygiene, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, University of Salento, via Monteroni, 165, 73100 Lecce, Italy; (F.B.); (T.G.); (A.D.D.)
| | - Claudio Di Iaconi
- National Research Council (CNR), Water Research Institute (IRSA), via F. De Blasio, 5, 70132 Bari, Italy; (S.M.); (C.D.C.); (S.B.); (C.D.I.); (M.C.C.); (G.M.)
| | - Maria Clementina Caputo
- National Research Council (CNR), Water Research Institute (IRSA), via F. De Blasio, 5, 70132 Bari, Italy; (S.M.); (C.D.C.); (S.B.); (C.D.I.); (M.C.C.); (G.M.)
| | - Rosa Anna Cavallo
- National Research Council (CNR), Water Research Institute (IRSA), S.S. di Taranto, via Roma 3, 74123 Taranto, Italy; (M.N.); (M.I.A.); (R.A.C.)
| | - Giuseppina La Rosa
- Department of Environment and Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy; (G.B.F.); (P.M.); (C.V.); (G.L.R.)
| | - Giuseppe Mascolo
- National Research Council (CNR), Water Research Institute (IRSA), via F. De Blasio, 5, 70132 Bari, Italy; (S.M.); (C.D.C.); (S.B.); (C.D.I.); (M.C.C.); (G.M.)
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Aghalari Z, Dahms HU, Sillanpää M, Sosa-Hernandez JE, Parra-Saldívar R. Effectiveness of wastewater treatment systems in removing microbial agents: a systematic review. Global Health 2020; 16:13. [PMID: 32013988 PMCID: PMC6998187 DOI: 10.1186/s12992-020-0546-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2019] [Accepted: 01/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Due to unrestricted entry of wastewater into the environment and the transportation of microbial contaminants to humans and organisms, environmental protection requires the use of appropriate purification systems with high removal efficiency for microbial agents are needed. The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of current wastewater treatment systems in removing microbes and their contaminants. Methods A systematic review was conducted for all articles published in 5 Iranian environmental health journals in 11 years. The data were collected according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria and by searching the relevant keywords in the articles published during the years (2008–2018), with emphasis on the efficacy of wastewater treatment systems in removing microbial agents. Qualitative data were collected using a preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyzes (PRISMA) standard checklist. After confirming the quality of the articles, information such as the name of the first author and the year of publication of the research, the type of study, the number of samples, the type of purification, the type of microbial agents and the rate of removal of microbial agents were entered into the checklist. Also the removal rates of the microbial agents mentioned in the studies were compared with united states environmental protection agency (US-EPA) standards. Results In this study, 1468 articles retrieved from 118 issues of 5 environmental health journals were reviewed. After reviewing the quality of the articles in accordance with the research objectives, 14 articles were included in the study that were published between 2010 and 2018. In most studies, two main indicators Total coliforms and Fecal coliforms in wastewater were investigated. Removing fungi and viral contamination from wastewater was not found in any of the 14 studies. Different systems (activated sludge, stabilization ponds, wetlands, and low and medium pressure UV disinfection systems were used to remove microbial agents in these studies. Most articles used active sludge systems to remove Total coliforms and Fecal coliforms, which in some cases were not within the US-EPA standard. The removal of Cysts and Parasitic eggs was only reporte from stabilization pond systems (SPS) where removal efficiency was found in accordance with US-EPA standards. Conclusions Different types of activated sludge systems have higher efficacy to remove microbial agents and are more effective than other mentioned systems in removing the main indicators of sewage contamination including Total coliforms and Fecal coliforms. However, inappropriate operation, maintenance and inadequate handling of activated sludge can also reduce its efficiency and reduce the removal of microbial agents, which was reported in some studies. Therefore, it is recommended to conduct research on how to improve the operation, maintenance, and proper management of activated sludge systems to transfer knowledge to users of sludge systems and prevent further health issues related to microbial agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Aghalari
- Faculty of Public Health, Gonabad University of Medical Sciences, Gonabad, Iran.
| | - Hans-Uwe Dahms
- Department of Biomedical Science and Environmental Biology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, 80708, Taiwan, Republic of China.,Research Center for Environmental Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, 80708, Taiwan, Republic of China.,Department of Marine Biotechnology and Resources, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, 80424, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Mika Sillanpää
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Juan Eduardo Sosa-Hernandez
- Tecnologico de Monterrey, School of Engineering and Sciences, Campus Monterrey, Ave. Eugenio Garza Sada 2501, CP 64849, Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico
| | - Roberto Parra-Saldívar
- Tecnologico de Monterrey, School of Engineering and Sciences, Campus Monterrey, Ave. Eugenio Garza Sada 2501, CP 64849, Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico
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