Increase in outbreaks of gastroenteritis linked to bathing water in Finland in 2014.

An increased number of suspected outbreaks of gastroenteritis linked to bathing water were reported to the Finnish food- and waterborne outbreak (FWO) registry in July and August 2014. The investigation reports were assessed by a national outbreak investigation panel. Eight confirmed outbreaks were identified among the 15 suspected outbreaks linked to bathing water that had been reported to the FWO registry. According to the outbreak investigation reports, 1,453 persons fell ill during these outbreaks. Epidemiological and microbiological data revealed noroviruses as the main causative agents. During the outbreaks, exceptionally warm weather had boosted the use of beaches. Six of eight outbreaks occurred at small lakes; for those, the investigation strongly suggested that the beach users were the source of contamination. In one of those eight outbreaks, an external source of contamination was identified and elevated levels of faecal indicator bacteria (FIB) were noted in water. In the remaining outbreaks, FIB analyses were insufficient to describe the hygienic quality of the water. Restrictions against bathing proved effective in controlling the outbreaks. In spring 2015, the National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) and the National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health (Valvira) published guidelines for outbreak control to prevent bathing water outbreaks.

On-line detection of Escherichia coli intrusion in a pilot-scale drinking water distribution system.

Improvements in microbial drinking water quality monitoring are needed for the better control of drinking water distribution systems and for public health protection. Conventional water quality monitoring programmes are not always able to detect a microbial contamination of drinking water. In the drinking water production chain, in addition to the vulnerability of source waters, the distribution networks are prone to contamination. In this study, a pilot-scale drinking-water distribution network with an on-line monitoring system was utilized for detecting bacterial intrusion. During the experimental Escherichia coli intrusions, the contaminant was measured by applying a set of on-line sensors for electric conductivity (EC), pH, temperature (T), turbidity, UV-absorbance at 254 nm (UVAS SC) and with a device for particle counting. Monitored parameters were compared with the measured E. coli counts using the integral calculations of the detected peaks. EC measurement gave the strongest signal compared with the measured baseline during the E. coli intrusion. Integral calculations showed that the peaks in the EC, pH, T, turbidity and UVAS SC data were detected corresponding to the time predicted. However, the pH and temperature peaks detected were barely above the measured baseline and could easily be mixed with the background noise. The results indicate that on-line monitoring can be utilized for the rapid detection of microbial contaminants in the drinking water distribution system although the peak interpretation has to be performed carefully to avoid being mixed up with normal variations in the measurement data.

Sand filters for removal of microbes and nutrients from wastewater during a one-year pilot study in a cold temperate climate.

Onsite wastewater treatment systems (OWTS) are recognised as potential threats to groundwater or other water environments subject to discharged effluents. In this study, the microbiological and nutrient removal properties of three different pilot-scale sand filters (SFs) were followed over a one-year period. Moreover, a separate phosphorus removal unit was tested for six months. For the best treatment system, the average log removals were 2.2-3.5 for pathogenic human noro- and adenoviruses and 4.3-5.2 and 4.6-5.4 for indicator viruses and bacteria, respectively. The system that effectively removed microbes was also efficient at removing nutrients. However, the poorest treatment system yielded substantially lower removals. The remarkable differences noted between the studied SFs highlights the importance of construction materials and the careful planning of the filters. Moreover, seasonal conditions appear to have a clear effect on purification efficiencies, emphasising the vulnerability of these systems especially in cold climates.

Composition of active bacterial communities and presence of opportunistic pathogens in disinfected and non-disinfected drinking water distribution systems in Finland.

Many factors, including microbiome structure and activity in the drinking water distribution system (DWDS), affect the colonization potential of opportunistic pathogens. The present study aims to describe the dynamics of active bacterial communities in DWDS and identify the factors that shape the community structures and activity in the selected DWDSs. Large-volume drinking water and hot water, biofilm, and water meter deposit samples were collected from five DWDSs. Total nucleic acids were extracted, and RNA was further purified and transcribed into its cDNA from a total of 181 water and biofilm samples originating from the DWDS of two surface water supplies (disinfected with UV and chlorine), two artificially recharged groundwater supplies (non-disinfected), and a groundwater supply (disinfected with UV and chlorine). In chlorinated DWDSs, concentrations of <0.02-0.97 mg/l free chlorine were measured. Bacterial communities in the RNA and DNA fractions were analysed using Illumina MiSeq sequencing with primer pair 341F-785R targeted to the 16S rRNA gene. The sequence libraries were analysed using QIIME pipeline, Program R, and MicrobiomeAnalyst. Not all bacterial cells were active based on their 16S rRNA content, and species richness was lower in the RNA fraction (Chao1 mean value 490) than in the DNA fraction (710). Species richness was higher in the two DWDSs distributing non-disinfected artificial groundwater (Chao1 mean values of 990 and 1 000) as compared to the two disinfected DWDSs using surface water (Chao1 mean values 190 and 460) and disinfected DWDS using ground water as source water (170). The difference in community structures between non-disinfected and disinfected water was clear in the beta-diversity analysis. Distance from the waterworks also affected the beta diversity of community structures, especially in disinfected distribution systems. The two most abundant bacteria in the active part of the community (RNA) and total bacterial community (DNA) belonged to the classes Alphaproteobacteria (RNA 28 %, DNA 44 %) and Gammaproteobacteria (RNA 32 %, DNA 30 %). The third most abundant and active bacteria class was Vampirovibrionia (RNA 15 %), whereas in the total community it was Paceibacteria (DNA 11 %). Class Nitrospiria was more abundant and active in both cold and hot water in DWDS that used chloramine disinfection compared to non-chlorinated or chlorine-using DWDSs. Thirty-eight operational taxonomic units (OTU) of Legionella, 30 of Mycobacterium, and 10 of Pseudomonas were detected among the sequences. The (RT)-qPCR confirmed the presence of opportunistic pathogens in the DWDSs studied as Legionella spp. was detected in 85 % (mean value 4.5 × 104 gene copies/100 ml), Mycobacterium spp. in 95 % (mean value 8.3 × 106 gene copies/100 ml), and Pseudomonas spp. in 78 % (mean value 1.6 × 105 gene copies/100 ml) of the water and biofilm samples. Sampling point inside the system (distance from the waterworks and cold/hot system) affected the active bacterial community composition. Chloramine as a chlorination method resulted in a recognizable community composition, with high abundance of bacteria that benefit from the excess presence of nitrogen. The results presented here confirm that each DWDS is unique and that opportunistic pathogens are present even in conditions when water quality is considered excellent.

Comparison of culture and qPCR methods in detection of mycobacteria from drinking waters.

Environmental mycobacteria are common bacteria in man-made water systems and may cause infections and hypersensitivity pneumonitis via exposure to water. We compared a generally used cultivation method and a quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) method to detect mycobacteria in 3 types of drinking waters: surface water, ozone-treated surface water, and groundwater. There was a correlation between the numbers of mycobacteria obtained by cultivation and qPCR methods, but the ratio of the counts obtained by the 2 methods varied among the types of water. The qPCR counts in the drinking waters produced from surface or groundwater were 5 to 34 times higher than culturable counts. In ozone-treated surface waters, both methods gave similar counts. The ozone-treated drinking waters had the highest concentration of assimilable organic carbon, which may explain the good culturability. In warm tap waters, qPCR gave 43 times higher counts than cultivation, but both qPCR counts and culturable counts were lower than those in the drinking waters collected from the same sites. The TaqMan qPCR method is a rapid and sensitive tool for total quantitation of mycobacteria in different types of clean waters. The raw water source and treatments affect both culturability and total numbers of mycobacteria in drinking waters.

Manual faucets induce more biofilms than electronic faucets.

Electronic faucets (types E1 and E2) and manual (M) faucets were studied for microbial quality, i.e., biomass and pathogenic microbes of biofilms in the faucet aerator, the water, and the outer surface of faucet in a hospital in Finland. Heterotrophic plate count content reflecting culturable microbial biomass and adenosine triphosphate content representing viable microbial biomass were smaller in the biofilms of E1-type electronic faucets than E2-type electronic faucets or M faucets. The likely explanation is the mixing point of cold and hot water (E1 and M: in the faucet; E2: in a separate box 50 cm before the actual faucet part). The highest amounts of Legionella (serogroups 2-15 of Legionella pneumophila) in a water sample (5000 cfu/L) and in biofilm samples (May-June 2008 sampling: 240 cfu/mL; November 2008: 1100 cfu/mL) were found in one E1-type faucet, which was lacking a back pressure valve due to faulty installation. This study reveals that certain types of electronic faucets seem to promote hospital hygiene, as they were associated with less microbial growth in biofilms in the faucet aerator, than some other types of electronic faucets or manual faucets, likely owing to the mixing point of cold and hot water. However, the faucet type had no direct effect on the presence of Legionella spp. Also correct installation is crucial.

Occurrence of thermotolerant Campylobacter spp. and adenoviruses in Finnish bathing waters and purified sewage effluents.

A total of 50 Finnish bathing water samples and 34 sewage effluent samples originating from 17 locations were studied in the summers of 2006 and 2007. Campylobacter were present in 58% and adenoviruses in 12% of all bathing water samples; 53% of all sewage effluent samples were positive for Campylobacter spp. and 59% for adenoviruses. C. jejuni was the most common Campylobacter species found and human adenovirus serotype 41 was the most common identified adenovirus type. Bathing water temperature displayed a significant negative relationship with the occurrence of Campylobacter. One location had identical pulsed-field gel electrophoresis patterns of C. coli isolates in the bathing water and in sewage effluent, suggesting that sewage effluent was the source of C. coli at this bathing site. The counts of faecal indicator bacteria were not able to predict the presence of Campylobacter spp. or adenoviruses in the bathing waters. Thus the observed common presence of these pathogens in Finnish sewage effluents and bathing waters may represent a public health risk. The low water temperature in Finland may enhance the prevalence of Campylobacter in bathing waters. More attention needs to be paid to minimizing the concentrations of intestinal pathogens in bathing waters.

Microbial reduction in wastewater treatment using Fe(3+) and Al(3+) coagulants and PAA disinfectant.

Wastewater is an important source of pathogenic enteric microorganisms in surface water and a major contaminating agent of drinking water. Although primary and secondary wastewater treatments reduce the numbers of microorganisms in wastewater, significant numbers of microbes can still be present in the effluent. The aim of this study was to test the feasibility of tertiary treatment for municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) using PIX (FeCl3) or PAX (AlCl3) coagulants and peracetic acid (PAA) the disinfectant to reduce microbial load in effluent. Our study showed that both PIX and PAX efficiently reduced microbial numbers. PAA disinfection greatly reduced the numbers of culturable indicator microorganisms (Escherichia coli, intestinal enterococci, F-specific RNA coliphages and somatic DNA coliphages). In addition, pathogenic microorganisms, thermotolerant Campylobacter, Salmonella and norovirus GI, were successfully reduced using the tertiary treatments. In contrast, clostridia, Legionella, rotavirus, norovirus GII and adenovirus showed better resistance against PAA compared to the other microorganisms. However, interpretation of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis results will need further studies to clarify the infectivity of the pathogenic microbes. In conclusion, PIX and PAX flocculants followed by PAA disinfectant can be used as a tertiary treatment for municipal WWTP effluents to reduce the numbers of indicator and pathogenic microorganisms.

Clostridium difficile contamination of public tap water distribution system during a waterborne outbreak in Finland.

AIMS: In November through December 2007, the drinking water distribution system in the town of Nokia, Finland, was contaminated with treated sewage effluent that resulted in a large gastroenteritis outbreak in the community. The aim of the present study was to investigate if the contaminated water in this outbreak was also a potential source of Clostridium difficile infections. METHODS: Samples from the contaminated tap water and treated sewage effluent were collected. Stool samples from a portion of patients that fell ill during the outbreak were examined for C. difficile. PCR ribotyping was performed on toxin positive C. difficile isolates and the genetic profiles of the water and patient isolates were compared. RESULTS: Twelve toxin-positive C. difficile isolates were found in water samples: five from contaminated tap water and seven from treated sewage effluent. Among these, four and five distinct PCR ribotype profiles were identified, respectively. Four PCR ribotype profiles were found among nine human faecal C. difficile isolates. Two isolates, one from tap water and one from a patient, had an indistinguishable PCR ribotype profile. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrate for the first time C. difficile contamination of a tap water distribution system and waterborne transmission of toxigenic C. difficile seems possible.

Effects of temperature and light exposure on the decay characteristics of fecal indicators, norovirus, and Legionella in mesocosms simulating subarctic river water.

Knowledge of the decay characteristics of health-related microbes in surface waters is important for modeling the transportation of waterborne pathogens and for assessing their public health risks. Although water temperature and light exposure are major factors determining the decay characteristics of enteric microbes in surface waters, such effects have not been well studied in subarctic surface waters. This study comprehensively evaluated the effect of temperature and light on the decay characteristics of health-related microbes [Escherichia coli, enterococci, microbial source tracking markers (GenBac3 & HF183 assays), coliphages (F-specific and somatic), noroviruses GII and Legionella spp.] under simulated subarctic river water conditions. The experiments were conducted in four different laboratory settings (4 °C/dark, 15 °C/dark, 15 °C/light, and 22 °C/light). The T90 values (time required for a 90 % reduction in the population of a target) of all targets were higher under cold and dark (2.6-51.3 days depending upon targets) than under warm and light conditions (0.6-3.5 days). Under 4 °C/dark (simulated winter) water conditions, F-specific coliphages had 27.2 times higher, and coliform bacteria had 3.3 times higher T90 value than under 22 °C/light (simulated summer) water conditions. Bacterial molecular markers also displayed high variation in T90 values, with the greatest difference between 4 °C/dark and 22 °C/light recorded for HF183 DNA (20.6 times) and the lowest difference for EC23S857 RNA (6.6 times). E. coli, intestinal enterococci, and somatic coliphages were relatively more sensitive to light than water temperature, but F-specific coliphages, norovirus, and all bacterial rDNA and rRNA markers were relatively more sensitive to temperature than light exposure. Due to the slow microbial decay in winter under subarctic conditions, the microbial quality of river water might remain low for a long time after a sewage spill. This increased risk associated with fecal pollution during winter may deserve more attention, especially when river waters are used for drinking water production.

Monitoring groundwater quality with real-time data, stable water isotopes, and microbial community analysis: A comparison with conventional methods.

Groundwater provides much of the world's potable water. Nevertheless, groundwater quality monitoring programmes often rely on a sporadic, slow, and narrowly focused combination of periodic manual sampling and laboratory analyses, such that some water quality deficiencies go undetected, or are detected too late to prevent adverse consequences. In an effort to address this shortcoming, we conducted enhanced monitoring of untreated groundwater quality over 12 months (February 2019-February 2020) in four shallow wells supplying potable water in Finland. We supplemented periodic manual sampling and laboratory analyses with (i) real-time online monitoring of physicochemical and hydrological parameters, (ii) analysis of stable water isotopes from groundwater and nearby surface waters, and (iii) microbial community analysis of groundwater via amplicon sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene and 16S rRNA. We also developed an early warning system (EWS) for detecting water quality anomalies by automating real-time online monitoring data collection, transfer, and analysis - using electrical conductivity (EC) and turbidity as indirect water quality indicators. Real-time online monitoring measurements were largely in fair agreement with periodic manual measurements, demonstrating their usefulness for monitoring water quality; and the findings of conventional monitoring, stable water isotopes, and microbial community analysis revealed indications of surface water intrusion and faecal contamination at some of the studied sites. With further advances in technology and affordability expected into the future, the supplementary methods used here could be more widely implemented to enhance groundwater quality monitoring - by contributing new insights and/or corroborating the findings of conventional analyses.

A comparative analysis employing a gene- and genome-centric metagenomic approach reveals changes in composition, function, and activity in waterworks with different treatment processes and source water in Finland.

The emergence and development of next-generation sequencing technologies (NGS) has made the analysis of the water microbiome in drinking water distribution systems (DWDSs) more accessible and opened new perspectives in microbial ecology studies. The current study focused on the characterization of the water microbiome employing a gene- and genome-centric metagenomic approach to five waterworks in Finland with different raw water sources, treatment methods, and disinfectant. The microbial communities exhibit a distribution pattern of a few dominant taxa and a large representation of low-abundance bacterial species. Changes in the community structure may correspond to the presence or absence and type of disinfectant residual which indicates that these conditions exert selective pressure on the microbial community. The Archaea domain represented a small fraction (up to 2.5%) and seemed to be effectively controlled by the disinfection of water. Their role particularly in non-disinfected DWDS may be more important than previously considered. In general, non-disinfected DWDSs harbor higher microbial richness and maintaining disinfectant residual is significantly important for ensuring low microbial numbers and diversity. Metagenomic binning recovered 139 (138 bacterial and 1 archaeal) metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) that had a >50% completeness and <10% contamination consisting of 20 class representatives in 12 phyla. The presence and occurrence of nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB)-like microorganisms have significant implications for nitrogen biotransformation in drinking water systems. The metabolic and functional complexity of the microbiome is evident in DWDSs ecosystems. A comparative analysis found a set of differentially abundant taxonomic groups and functional traits in the active community. The broader set of transcribed genes may indicate an active and diverse community regardless of the treatment methods applied to water. The results indicate a highly dynamic and diverse microbial community and confirm that every DWDS is unique, and the community reflects the selection pressures exerted at the community structure, but also at the levels of functional properties and metabolic potential.

Decontamination of a drinking water pipeline system contaminated with adenovirus and Escherichia coli utilizing peracetic acid and chlorine.

A contaminated drinking water distribution network can be responsible for major outbreaks of infections. In this study, two chemical decontaminants, peracetic acid (PAA) and chlorine, were used to test how a laboratory-scale pipeline system can be cleaned after simultaneous contamination with human adenovirus 40 (AdV40) and Escherichia coli. In addition, the effect of the decontaminants on biofilms was followed as heterotrophic plate counts (HPC) and total cell counts (TCC). Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was used to determine AdV40 and plate counting was used to enumerate E. coli. PAA and chlorine proved to be effective decontaminants since they decreased the levels of AdV40 and E. coli to below method detection limits in both water and biofilms. However, without decontamination, AdV40 remained present in the pipelines for up to 4 days. In contrast, the concentration of cultivable E. coli decreased rapidly in the control pipelines, implying that E. coli may be an inadequate indicator for the presence of viral pathogens. Biofilms responded to the decontaminants by decreased HPCs while TCC remained stable. This indicates that the mechanism of pipeline decontamination by chlorine and PAA is inactivation rather than physical removal of microbes.

Detection and quantification of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater influent in relation to reported COVID-19 incidence in Finland.

Wastewater-based surveillance is a cost-effective concept for monitoring COVID-19 pandemics at a population level. Here, SARS-CoV-2 RNA was monitored from a total of 693 wastewater (WW) influent samples from 28 wastewater treatment plants (WWTP, N = 21-42 samples per WWTP) in Finland from August 2020 to May 2021, covering WW of ca. 3.3 million inhabitants (∼ 60% of the Finnish population). Quantity of SARS-CoV-2 RNA fragments in 24 h-composite samples was determined by using the ultrafiltration method followed by nucleic acid extraction and CDC N2 RT-qPCR assay. SARS-CoV-2 RNA signals at each WWTP were compared over time to the numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases (14-day case incidence rate) in the sewer network area. Over the 10-month surveillance period with an extensive total number of samples, the detection rate of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in WW was 79% (including 6% uncertain results, i.e., amplified only in one out of four, two original and two ten-fold diluted replicates), while only 24% of all samples exhibited gene copy numbers above the quantification limit. The range of the SARS-CoV-2 detection rate in WW varied from 33% (including 10% uncertain results) in Pietarsaari to 100% in Espoo. Only six out of 693 WW samples were positive with SARS-COV-2 RNA when the reported COVID-19 case number from the preceding 14 days was zero. Overall, the 14-day COVID-19 incidence was 7.0, 18, and 36 cases per 100 000 persons within the sewer network area when the probability to detect SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater samples was 50%, 75% and 95%, respectively. The quantification of SARS-CoV-2 RNA required significantly more COVID-19 cases: the quantification rate was 50%, 75%, and 95% when the 14-day incidence was 110, 152, and 223 COVID-19 cases, respectively, per 100 000 persons. Multiple linear regression confirmed the relationship between the COVID-19 incidence and the SARS-CoV-2 RNA quantified in WW at 15 out of 28 WWTPs (overall R2 = 0.36, p < 0.001). At four of the 13 WWTPs where a significant relationship was not found, the SARS-CoV-2 RNA remained below the quantification limit during the whole study period. In the five other WWTPs, the sewer coverage was less than 80% of the total population in the area and thus the COVID-19 cases may have been inhabitants from the areas not covered. Based on the results obtained, WW-based surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 could be used as an indicator for local and national COVID-19 incidence trends. Importantly, the determination of SARS-CoV-2 RNA fragments from WW is a powerful and non-invasive public health surveillance measure, independent of possible changes in the clinical testing strategies or in the willingness of individuals to be tested for COVID-19.

Food-Grade Bacteria Combat Pathogens by Blocking AHL-Mediated Quorum Sensing and Biofilm Formation.

Disrupting bacterial quorum sensing (QS) signaling is a promising strategy to combat pathogenic biofilms without the development of antibiotic resistance. Here, we report that food-associated bacteria can interfere with the biofilm formation of a Gram-negative pathogenic bacterium by targeting its AHL (acyl-homoserine lactone) QS system. This was demonstrated by screening metabolic end-products of different lactobacilli and propionibacteria using Gram-negative and biofilm-forming Chromobacterium violaceum as the QS reporter and our anti-QS microscale screening platform with necessary modifications. The method was optimized in terms of the inoculation technique and the concentrations of D-glucose and L-tryptophan, two key factors controlling the synthesis of violacein, a purple pigment indicating the activation of the QS system in C. violaceum. These improvements resulted in ca. 16-times higher violacein yields and enabled revealing anti-QS effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lentilactobacillus kefiri, Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus and Propionibacterium freudenreichii, including new cheese-associated strains. Our findings also suggest that acetate and propionate excreted by these species are the main factors that interrupt the QS-mediated signaling and subsequent biofilm growth without affecting the cell viability of the C. violaceum reporter. Thus, the present study reports a revised anti-QS screening method to accurately define new bacteria with an ability to combat pathogens in a safe and sustainable way.

Increased information on waterborne outbreaks through efficient notification system enforces actions towards safe drinking water.

In 1997, a compulsory notification system for waterborne outbreaks was introduced in Finland. The main aim of this notification is to obtain immediate information on suspected waterborne outbreaks in order to restrict and manage the outbreak promptly. During the past ten years, there have been 67 waterborne outbreaks in Finland, mainly associated with small groundwater supplies or private wells. The number of reported waterborne outbreaks has increased since the launch of the notification system indicating that the threshold limit of outbreak detection has most probably decreased. The number of cases of illness has fulfilled the national health target, which is below 0.01% of the population, but more action is still needed to ensure the production of safe drinking water under all circumstances. Ten years accumulation of knowledge on outbreaks has revealed that a compulsory notification system is an effective tool to gather information on waterborne outbreaks. The system has also increased awareness of possible problems related to the quality of drinking water. This article summarises management and legislative actions and policy measures taken so far in Finland to reduce the number of outbreaks and cases of illness related to them.

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O100:H⁻: stx2e in drinking water contaminated by waste water in Finland.

In November 2007, 450 m(3) of treated wastewater leaked into the drinking water distribution system contaminating the drinking water of over 10,000 inhabitants of Nokia, Southern Finland. Nearly 1,000 people visited the health centre because of gastroenteritis during the following 5 weeks. A wide range of enteric pathogens was found in the patients. The authors used the 16-plex PCR to investigate whether the five major diarrheagenic Escherichia coli pathotypes (EPEC, ETEC, STEC, EIEC or EAEC) were present in the contaminated drinking water and in the patients' stool samples. The contaminated drinking water was positive for genes characteristic of various E. coli pathotypes: pic, invE, hlyA, ent, escV, eae, aggR, stx(2) , estIa and astA. These genes, except stx(2), hlyA and invE, were also detected in the stool samples of the patients linked to this outbreak. A sorbitol positive, streptomycin resistant STEC strain was isolated from the drinking water, and belonged to the serotype O100:H(-), produced Stx2 toxin (titre 1:8 by reversed-passive latex agglutination method), and carried the genes stx(2e), estIa and irp2.

Microbial contamination of groundwater at small community water supplies in Finland.

The raw water quality and associations between the factors considered as threats to water safety were studied in 20 groundwater supplies in central Finland in 2002-2004. Faecal contaminations indicated by the appearance of Escherichia coli or intestinal enterococci were present in five small community water supplies, all these managed by local water cooperatives. Elevated concentrations of nutrients in raw water were linked with the presence of faecal bacteria. The presence of on-site technical hazards to water safety, such as inadequate well construction and maintenance enabling surface water to enter into the well and the insufficient depth of protective soil layers above the groundwater table, showed the vulnerability of the quality of groundwater used for drinking purposes. To minimize the risk of waterborne illnesses, the vulnerable water supplies need to be identified and appropriate prevention measures such as disinfection should be applied.

Phage Biocontrol of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in Water.

Bacteriophage control of harmful or pathogenic bacteria has aroused growing interest, largely due to the rise of antibiotic resistance. The objective of this study was to test phages as potential agents for the biocontrol of an opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa in water. Two P. aeruginosa bacteriophages (vB_PaeM_V523 and vB_PaeM_V524) were isolated from wastewater and characterized physically and functionally. Genomic and morphological characterization showed that both were myoviruses within the Pbunavirus genus. Both had a similar latent period (50-55 min) and burst size (124-134 PFU/infected cell), whereas there was variation in the host range. In addition to these environmental phages, a commercial Pseudomonas phage, JG003 (DSM 19870), was also used in the biocontrol experiments. The biocontrol potential of the three phages in water was tested separately and together as a cocktail against two P. aeruginosa strains; PAO1 and the environmental strain 17V1507. With PAO1, all phages initially reduced the numbers of the bacterial host, with phage V523 being the most efficient (>2.4 log10 reduction). For the environmental P. aeruginosa strain (17V1507), only the phage JG003 caused a reduction (1.2 log10) compared to the control. The cocktail of three phages showed a slightly higher decrease in the level of the hosts compared to the use of individual phages. Although no synergistic effect was observed in the host reduction with the use of the phage cocktail, the cocktail-treated hosts did not appear to acquire resistance as rapidly as hosts treated with a single phage. The results of this study provide a significant step in the development of bacteriophage preparations for the control of pathogens and harmful microbes in water environments.

Bacterial Genes Encoding Resistance Against Antibiotics and Metals in Well-Maintained Drinking Water Distribution Systems in Finland.

Information on the co-occurrence of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and metal resistance genes (MRGs) among bacterial communities in drinking water distribution systems (DWDSs) is scarce. This study characterized ARGs and MRGs in five well-maintained DWDSs in Finland. The studied DWDSs had different raw water sources and treatment methods. Two of the waterworks employed artificially recharged groundwater (ARGW) and used no disinfection in the treatment process. The other three waterworks (two surface and one groundwater source) used UV light and chlorine during the treatment process. Ten bulk water samples (two from each DWDS) were collected, and environmental DNA was extracted and then sequenced using the Illumina HiSeq platform for high-throughput shotgun metagenome sequencing. A total of 430 ARGs were characterized among all samples with the highest diversity of ARGs identified from samples collected from non-disinfected DWDSs. Furthermore, non-disinfected DWDSs contained the highest diversity of bacterial communities. However, samples from DWDSs using disinfectants contained over double the ratio of ARG reads to 16S rRNA gene reads and most of the MRG (namely mercury and arsenic resistance genes). The total reads and types of ARGs conferring genes associated with antibiotic groups namely multidrug resistance, and bacitracin, beta-lactam, and aminoglycoside and mercury resistance genes increased in waterworks treating surface water with disinfection. The findings of this study contribute toward a comprehensive understanding of ARGs and MRGs in DWDSs. The occurrence of bacteria carrying antibiotic or metal resistance genes in drinking water causes direct exposure to people, and thus, more systematic investigation is needed to decipher the potential effect of these resistomes on human health.