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Survival of Mycobacterium avium, Legionella pneumophila, Escherichia coli, and caliciviruses in drinking water-associated biofilms grown under high-shear turbulent flow

Survival of Mycobacterium avium, Legionella pneumophila, Escherichia coli, and caliciviruses in drinking water-associated biofilms grown under high-shear turbulent flow
Survival of Mycobacterium avium, Legionella pneumophila, Escherichia coli, and caliciviruses in drinking water-associated biofilms grown under high-shear turbulent flow
Most of the bacteria in drinking water distribution systems are associated with biofilms. In biofilms, their nutrient supply is better than in water, and biofilms can provide shelter against disinfection. We used a Propella biofilm reactor for studying the survival of Mycobacterium avium, Legionella pneumophila, Escherichia coli, and canine calicivirus (CaCV) (as a surrogate for human norovirus) in drinking water biofilms grown under high-shear turbulent-flow conditions. The numbers of M. avium and L. pneumophila were analyzed with both culture methods and with peptide nucleic acid fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) methods. Even though the numbers of pathogens in biofilms decreased during the experiments, M. avium and L. pneumophila survived in biofilms for more than 2 to 4 weeks in culturable forms. CaCV was detectable with a reverse transcription-PCR method in biofilms for more than 3 weeks. E. coli was detectable by culture for only 4 days in biofilms and 8 days in water, suggesting that it is a poor indicator of the presence of certain waterborne pathogens. With L. pneumophila and M. avium, culture methods underestimated the numbers of bacteria present compared to the FISH results. This study clearly proved that pathogenic bacteria entering water distribution systems can survive in biofilms for at least several weeks, even under conditions of high-shear turbulent flow, and may be a risk to water consumers. Also, considering the low number of virus particles needed to result in an infection, their extended survival in biofilms must be taken into account as a risk for the consumer.
0099-2240
2854-2859
Lehtola, M.J.
98730f79-b778-4191-b280-78a69914e1f9
Torvinen, E.
ce416813-8f6c-40eb-9d50-d3b3114e2f7d
Kusnetsov, J.
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Pitkanen, T.
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Maunula, L.
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Bonsdorff, C.H.
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Martikainen, P.J.
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Wilks, S.A.
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Keevil, C.W.
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Miettinen, I.T.
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Lehtola, M.J.
98730f79-b778-4191-b280-78a69914e1f9
Torvinen, E.
ce416813-8f6c-40eb-9d50-d3b3114e2f7d
Kusnetsov, J.
3ca4d3a7-edd9-4b29-b2a4-284bd6292656
Pitkanen, T.
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Maunula, L.
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Bonsdorff, C.H.
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Martikainen, P.J.
8a8a2b81-b6bd-4565-983e-a3bae1ceeb24
Wilks, S.A.
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Keevil, C.W.
cb7de0a7-ce33-4cfa-af52-07f99e5650eb
Miettinen, I.T.
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Lehtola, M.J., Torvinen, E., Kusnetsov, J., Pitkanen, T., Maunula, L., Bonsdorff, C.H., Martikainen, P.J., Wilks, S.A., Keevil, C.W. and Miettinen, I.T. (2007) Survival of Mycobacterium avium, Legionella pneumophila, Escherichia coli, and caliciviruses in drinking water-associated biofilms grown under high-shear turbulent flow. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 73 (9), 2854-2859. (doi:10.1128/AEM.02916-06).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Most of the bacteria in drinking water distribution systems are associated with biofilms. In biofilms, their nutrient supply is better than in water, and biofilms can provide shelter against disinfection. We used a Propella biofilm reactor for studying the survival of Mycobacterium avium, Legionella pneumophila, Escherichia coli, and canine calicivirus (CaCV) (as a surrogate for human norovirus) in drinking water biofilms grown under high-shear turbulent-flow conditions. The numbers of M. avium and L. pneumophila were analyzed with both culture methods and with peptide nucleic acid fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) methods. Even though the numbers of pathogens in biofilms decreased during the experiments, M. avium and L. pneumophila survived in biofilms for more than 2 to 4 weeks in culturable forms. CaCV was detectable with a reverse transcription-PCR method in biofilms for more than 3 weeks. E. coli was detectable by culture for only 4 days in biofilms and 8 days in water, suggesting that it is a poor indicator of the presence of certain waterborne pathogens. With L. pneumophila and M. avium, culture methods underestimated the numbers of bacteria present compared to the FISH results. This study clearly proved that pathogenic bacteria entering water distribution systems can survive in biofilms for at least several weeks, even under conditions of high-shear turbulent flow, and may be a risk to water consumers. Also, considering the low number of virus particles needed to result in an infection, their extended survival in biofilms must be taken into account as a risk for the consumer.

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Published date: 1 May 2007

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 55873
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/55873
ISSN: 0099-2240
PURE UUID: 66fa064d-76aa-47c5-bb31-ef3b96127b89
ORCID for S.A. Wilks: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-4134-9415
ORCID for C.W. Keevil: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-1917-7706

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Date deposited: 06 Aug 2008
Last modified: 16 Mar 2024 03:24

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Contributors

Author: M.J. Lehtola
Author: E. Torvinen
Author: J. Kusnetsov
Author: T. Pitkanen
Author: L. Maunula
Author: C.H. Bonsdorff
Author: P.J. Martikainen
Author: S.A. Wilks ORCID iD
Author: C.W. Keevil ORCID iD
Author: I.T. Miettinen

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