Journal article
Public health implications of Acanthamoeba and multiple potential opportunistic pathogens in roof-harvested rainwater tanks
Environmental research, v 150, pp 320-327
01 Oct 2016
PMID: 27336236
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
A study of six potential opportunistic pathogens (Acanthamoeba spp., Legionella spp., Legionella longbeachae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Mycobacterium avium and Mycobacterium intracellulare) and an accidental human pathogen (Legionella pneumophila) in 134 roof-harvested rainwater (RHRW) tank samples was conducted using quantitative PCR (qPCR). All five opportunistic pathogens and accidental pathogen L. pneumophila were detected in rainwater tanks except Legionella longbeachae. Concentrations ranged up to 3.1 x 10(6) gene copies per L rainwater for Legionella spp., 9.6 x 10(5) gene copies per L for P. aeruginosa, 6.8 x 10(5) gene copies per L for M. intracellulare, 6.6 x 10(5) gene copies per L for Acanthamoeba spp., 1.1 x 10(5) gene copies per L for M. avium, and 9.8 x 10(3) gene copies per L for L pneumophila. Among the organisms tested, Legionella spp. (99% tanks) were the most prevalent followed by M. intracellulare (78%). A survey of tank-owners provided data on rainwater end-uses. Fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) Escherichia coil and Enterococcus spp. were enumerated using culture-based methods, and assessed for correlations with opportunistic pathogens and L pneumophila tested in this study. Opportunistic pathogens did not correlate well with FIB except E. colt vs. Legionella spp. (tau=0.151, P=0.009) and E. colt vs. M. intracellulare (tau-0.14, P=0.015). However, M. avium weakly correlated with both L pneumophila (Kendall's tau=0.017, P=0.006) and M. intracellulare (tau=0.088, P=0.027), and Legionella spp. also weakly correlated with M. intracellulare (tau=0.128, P=0.028). The presence of these potential opportunistic pathogens in tank water may present health risks from both the potable and non-potable uses documented from the current survey data. Crown Copyright (C) 2016 Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Details
- Title
- Public health implications of Acanthamoeba and multiple potential opportunistic pathogens in roof-harvested rainwater tanks
- Creators
- K. A. Hamilton - CSIRO Land and WaterW. Ahmed - CSIRO Land and WaterA. Palmer - CSIRO Land and WaterJ. P. S. Sidhu - CSIRO Land and WaterL. Hodgers - CSIRO Land and WaterS. Toze - CSIRO Land and WaterC. N. Haas - Drexel University
- Publication Details
- Environmental research, v 150, pp 320-327
- Publisher
- Elsevier
- Number of pages
- 8
- Grant note
- Fulbright-CSIRO Postgraduate Scholarship - CSIRO Land and Water Flagship
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000382903100039
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-84976413617
- Other Identifier
- 991019168563404721
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- International collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Environmental Sciences
- Public, Environmental & Occupational Health