1. Amoeba-related health risk in drinking water systems: could monitoring of amoebae be a complementary approach to current quality control strategies?
- Author
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Francesc Codony, Bárbara Adrados, Jordi Morató, Mariana Fittipaldi, Gemma Agustí, Leonardo Martín Pérez, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. Departament d'Òptica i Optometria, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. SUMMLab - Sustainability Measurement and Modeling Lab, and Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. TMAS (T+) - Toxicologia i Microbiologia Ambiental i Sanitària
- Subjects
Aigua -- Qualitat ,Microbiology (medical) ,Indicator microorganisms ,Microorganism ,Biotecnología del Medio Ambiente ,Microbiologia ,Biotecnología Medioambiental ,INGENIERÍAS Y TECNOLOGÍAS ,Biology ,Bacterial Physiological Phenomena ,Microbiology ,Quantitative PCR ,Health risk assessment ,Feces ,Drinking water -- Health aspects ,Aigua -- Aspectes ambientals ,Humans ,Ciències de la salut::Impacte ambiental [Àrees temàtiques de la UPC] ,Health risk ,Amoeba ,Drinking water -- Microbiology ,Bacteria ,business.industry ,Drinking Water ,Water Pollution ,Bacterial pathogen ,Drinking water systems ,Aigua -- Microbiologia ,Bacterial Infections ,Contaminant candidate list ,Biotechnology ,Water -- Pollution ,Desenvolupament humà i sostenible::Degradació ambiental::Contaminació de l'aigua [Àrees temàtiques de la UPC] ,Standard protocol ,Aigua -- Control de qualitat ,Water Microbiology ,business ,Water -- Quality - Abstract
Culture-based methods for fecal indicator microorganisms are the standard protocol to assess potential health risk from drinking water systems. However, these traditional fecal indicators are inappropriate surrogates for disinfection-resistant fecal pathogens and the indigenous pathogens that grow in drinking water systems. There is now a range of molecular-based methods, such as quantitative PCR, which allow detection of a variety of pathogens and alternative indicators. Hence, in addition to targeting total Escherichia coli (i.e., dead and alive) for the detection of fecal pollution, various amoebae may be suitable to indicate the potential presence of pathogenic amoeba-resisting microorganisms, such as Legionellae. Therefore, monitoring amoeba levels by quantitative PCR could be a useful tool for directly and indirectly evaluating health risk and could also be a complementary approach to current microbial quality control strategies for drinking water systems. Fil: Codony, Francesc. Universidad Politécnica de Catalunya; España Fil: Perez, Leonardo Martin. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Química Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Química Rosario; Argentina Fil: Adrados, Bárbara. Universidad Politécnica de Catalunya; España Fil: Agustí, Gemma. Universidad Politécnica de Catalunya; España Fil: Fittipaldi, Mariana. Universidad Politécnica de Catalunya; España Fil: Morató Farreras, Jordi. Universidad Politécnica de Catalunya; España
- Published
- 2012
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