Survival of selected pathogens in diluted sludge of a thermophilic waste treatment plant and in NaCl-solution under aerobic and anaerobic conditions

Wagner, Andreas Otto; Malin, Cornelia; Gstraunthaler, Gudrun; Illmer, Paul

doi:10.1016/j.wasman.2008.03.003

Cited by 33 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…coli PI7 observed under the anaerobic condition coincides with earlier microcosm studies comparing the differential anaerobic/aerobic survival of E. coli in diluted fermenter sludge (27), manure, manure slurry (28, 29), drinking water (30), and activated sludge (31). These studies provide evidence that oxygen is a key factor driving decay of E.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 88%

Fate and Persistence of a Pathogenic NDM-1-Positive Escherichia coli Strain in Anaerobic and Aerobic Sludge Microcosms

Mantilla‐Calderon

Hong

2017

Appl Environ Microbiol

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The presence of emerging biological pollutants in treated wastewater effluents has gained attention due to increased interest in water reuse. To evaluate the effectiveness of the removal of such contaminants by the conventional wastewater treatment process, the fate and decay kinetics of NDM-1-positive Escherichia coli strain PI7 and its plasmid-encoded antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) were assessed in microcosms of anaerobic and aerobic sludge. Results showed that E. coli PI7 decayed at a significantly lower rate under anaerobic conditions. Approximate half-lives were 32.4 ± 1.4 h and 5.9 ± 0.9 h in the anaerobic and aerobic microcosms, respectively. In the aerobic microcosms, after 72 h of operation, E. coli PI7 remained detectable, but no further decay was observed. Instead, 1 in every 10,000 E. coli cells was identified to be recalcitrant to decay and persist indefinitely in the sludge. ARGs associated with the E. coli PI7 strain were detected to have transferred to other native microorganisms in the sludge or were released to the liquid fraction upon host decay. Extracellular DNA quickly degraded in the liquid fraction of the aerobic sludge. In contrast, no DNA decay was detected in the anaerobic sludge water matrix throughout the 24-h sampling period. This study suggests an increased likelihood of environmental dispersion of ARGs associated with anaerobically treated wastewater effluents and highlights the potential importance of persister cells in the dissemination of E. coli in the environment during reuse events of treated wastewater.IMPORTANCE This study examines the decay kinetics of a pathogenic and antibiotic resistant strain of Escherichia coli in microcosms simulating biological treatment units of aerobic and anaerobic sludge. The results of this study point at a significantly prolonged persistence of the E. coli and the associated antibiotic resistance gene in the anaerobic sludge. However, horizontal transfer of the plasmid encoding the antibiotic resistance gene was detected in the aerobic sludge by a cultivation method. A subpopulation of persister E. coli cells was also detected in the aerobic sludge. The findings of this study suggest potential areas of concern arising from pathogenic and antibiotic-resistant E. coli during both anaerobic and aerobic sludge treatment processes.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 88%

Fate and Persistence of a Pathogenic NDM-1-Positive Escherichia coli Strain in Anaerobic and Aerobic Sludge Microcosms

Mantilla‐Calderon

Hong

2017

Appl Environ Microbiol

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“…Nevertheless, we did isolate 95 Campylobacter isolates from compost, including at later stages of the composting process (i.e., days 15 to 126). Using culture-based enumeration methods, previous studies concluded that campylobacters (primarily C. jejuni bacteria) do not persist well in solid manure (7,11,12,26,32,39) or in thermophilic anaerobic manure digesters (35,36) but can survive for prolonged periods in mesophilic anaerobic digesters (18,19).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prolonged Survival ofCampylobacterSpecies in Bovine Manure Compost

Inglis

McAllister

Larney

et al. 2010

Appl Environ Microbiol

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The persistence of naturally occurring campylobacteria in aerobic compost constructed of manure from beef cattle that were administered chlortetracycline and sulfamethazine (AS700) or from cattle not administered antibiotics (control) was examined. Although there were no differences in population sizes of heterotrophic bacteria, the temperature of AS700 compost was more variable and did not become as high as that of control compost. There were significant differences in water content, total carbon (C), total nitrogen (N), and electrical conductivity but not in the C/N ratio or pH between the two compost treatments. Campylobacteria were readily isolated from pen manure, for up to day 15 from control compost, and throughout the active phase of AS700 compost. Campylobacter DNA (including Campylobacter coli, Campylobacter fetus, Campylobacter hyointestinalis, and Campylobacter jejuni) was detected over the ca. 10-month composting period, and no reductions in quantities of C. jejuni DNA were observed over the duration of the active phase. The utilization of centrifugation in combination with ethidium monoazide (EMA) significantly reduced (>90%) the amplification of C. jejuni DNA that did not originate from cells with intact cell membranes. No differences were observed in the frequency of Campylobacter DNA detection between EMA-and non-EMA-treated samples, suggesting that Campylobacter DNA amplified from compost was extracted from cells with intact cell membranes (i.e., from viable cells). The findings of this study indicate that campylobacteria excreted in cattle feces persist for long periods in compost and call into question the common belief that these bacteria do not persist in manure.

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“…viability yet be missed if culture-based methods are used. However, the decimal reduction of C. jejuni HipO gene has been shown to be significantly faster in aerobic conditions as compared to anaerobic conditions in studies of thermophilic bio-waste sludge treatment in Austria (Wagner et al, 2009). …”

Section: Aerated Lagoonsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Members of the family Campylobacteraceae: Campylobacter jejuni, Campylobacter coli

Pitkänen¹,

Hänninen²

2019

Water and Sanitation for the 21st Century: Health and Microbiological Aspects of Excreta and Wastewater Management (Global Wate

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Survival of selected pathogens in diluted sludge of a thermophilic waste treatment plant and in NaCl-solution under aerobic and anaerobic conditions

Cited by 33 publications

References 28 publications

Fate and Persistence of a Pathogenic NDM-1-Positive Escherichia coli Strain in Anaerobic and Aerobic Sludge Microcosms

Fate and Persistence of a Pathogenic NDM-1-Positive Escherichia coli Strain in Anaerobic and Aerobic Sludge Microcosms

Prolonged Survival ofCampylobacterSpecies in Bovine Manure Compost

Members of the family Campylobacteraceae: Campylobacter jejuni, Campylobacter coli

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