Taxonomical changes in intestinal (faecal) enterococci and streptococci: consequences on their use as indicators of faecal contamination in drinking water

Leclerc, H; Devriese, Luc; Mossel, D. À. A.

doi:10.1111/j.1365-2672.1996.tb01940.x

Cited by 37 publications

(57 citation statements)

References 74 publications

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“…Mundt (237) initially suggested that the occurrence of enterococci in plants was seasonal, with maximum recovery in late summer (September), and that these bacteria were transient populations most likely introduced by insects and wind (237). Shortly thereafter, Mundt et al demonstrated the ability of E. faecalis to grow on plants (238), and many other studies have argued for the existence of epiphytic enterococci (204,235,261). Furthermore, the finding that certain strains of Enterococcus spp.…”

Section: Environmental Reservoirs and Extraenteric Habitatsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…without sacrificing specificity to the genus (204,288), and the identification of isolates of enterococci from environmental matrices (e.g., plants, soil, sediments, sand, and water) remains challenging (14,43,89,151,235). Upon the initial introduction into an extraenteric environment, enterococci may become rapidly inactivated (see also "Responses to Environmental Stressors"), which could potentially result in false-negative results when enterococci are used as pathogen surrogates (226,281).…”

Section: Use Of Enterococci As Fecal Indicator Bacteriamentioning

confidence: 99%

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Enterococci in the Environment

Byappanahalli

Nevers

Korajkic

et al. 2012

Microbiol Mol Biol Rev

554

383

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SUMMARYEnterococci are common, commensal members of gut communities in mammals and birds, yet they are also opportunistic pathogens that cause millions of human and animal infections annually. Because they are shed in human and animal feces, are readily culturable, and predict human health risks from exposure to polluted recreational waters, they are used as surrogates for waterborne pathogens and as fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) in research and in water quality testing throughout the world. Evidence from several decades of research demonstrates, however, that enterococci may be present in high densities in the absence of obvious fecal sources and that environmental reservoirs of these FIB are important sources and sinks, with the potential to impact water quality. This review focuses on the distribution and microbial ecology of enterococci in environmental (secondary) habitats, including the effect of environmental stressors; an outline of their known and apparent sources, sinks, and fluxes; and an overview of the use of enterococci as FIB. Finally, the significance of emerging methodologies, such as microbial source tracking (MST) and empirical predictive models, as tools in water quality monitoring is addressed. The mounting evidence for widespread extraenteric sources and reservoirs of enterococci demonstrates the versatility of the genusEnterococcusand argues for the necessity of a better understanding of their ecology in natural environments, as well as their roles as opportunistic pathogens and indicators of human pathogens.

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Section: Environmental Reservoirs and Extraenteric Habitatsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Use Of Enterococci As Fecal Indicator Bacteriamentioning

confidence: 99%

Enterococci in the Environment

Byappanahalli

Nevers

Korajkic

et al. 2012

Microbiol Mol Biol Rev

554

383

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“…These authors noted that the E. faecium group contains species whose 16S rRNA sequence is 99.3-99.7% similar, and comprises E. faecium, Enterococcus durans, Enterococcus hirae and E. mundtii (Leclerc et al 1996).…”

Section: Distribution Of Enterococcus Species and E Coli In Water Anmentioning

confidence: 99%

Microbiological evaluation of fecal bacterial composition from surface water through aquifer sand material

Ibekwe

Lyon

2008

Journal of Water and Health

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When bacterial pathogens from livestock contaminate drinking water supplies, they can cause different forms of gastroenteritis. The objective of this study was to enumerate the concentrations of fecal indicator (Escherichia coli and enterococci) in surface water in order to determine removal efficiency by sand filtration. The concentrations of different indicator bacterial species were determined after running tertiary treated water through two tanks containing aquifer material. Enterococcus faecalis primers targeting the ddl gene and primers for Enterococcus faecium were used to identify the two species in the samples. A PCR assay based on the partial sequence of the b-D-glucoronidase gene (uidA) for specific detection and differentiation of E. coli populations was used to confirm the presence of E. coli after a biochemical test. The biochemical test overestimated the percentage of E. faecium in our samples, but the PCR assay with the ddl gene produced 100% specificity with Enterococcus faecalis. The biochemical test was 91.5% specific in identifying E. coli. The composition of indicator bacteria in Santa Ana River was dominated by intestinal microflora of humans and animals; filtration by aquifer sand material may reduce the transport of indicator bacteria from surface water to groundwater.

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“…Sequencing analysis of PCR amplicons and evolutionary modeling showed that a subset of the transferable tet(M) genes belonged to four sequence homology groups (SHGs) showing an internal homology of >99.6%. Two of these SHGs contained tet(M) mosaic structures previously found in Tn916 elements and on Lactobacillus and Neisseria plasmids, respectively, whereas the other two SHGs probably represent new phylogenetic lineages of this gene.As lactic acid bacteria, enterococci are natural inhabitants of the gastrointestinal systems of mammals, but they are also known to occur in soil and fecally polluted surface waters and on plants and vegetables (26,31,35). Because of their high prevalence in the gastrointestinal tracts of many food animals, it is often unavoidable that these organisms enter the human food chain via contamination of raw milk or raw meat.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Prevalence and Molecular Characterization of Tetracycline Resistance in Enterococcus Isolates from Food

Huys

D'Haene

Collard

et al. 2004

Appl Environ Microbiol

193

112

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In the present study, a collection of 187 Enterococcus food isolates mainly originating from European cheeses were studied for the phenotypic and genotypic assessment of tetracycline (TC) resistance. A total of 45 isolates (24%) encompassing the species Enterococcus faecalis (n ‫؍‬ 33), E. durans (n ‫؍‬ 7), E. faecium (n ‫؍‬ 3), E. casseliflavus (n ‫؍‬ 1), and E. gallinarum (n ‫؍‬ 1) displayed phenotypic resistance to TC with MIC ranges of 16 to 256 g/ml. Eight of these strains exhibited multiresistance to TC, erythromycin, and chloramphenicol. By PCR detection, TC resistance could be linked to the presence of the tet(M) (n ‫؍‬ 43), tet(L) (n ‫؍‬ 16), and tet(S) (n ‫؍‬ 1) genes. In 15 isolates, including all of those for which the MIC was 256 g/ml, both tet(M) and tet(L) were found. Furthermore, all tet(M)-containing enterococci also harbored a member of the Tn916-Tn1545 conjugative transposon family, of which 12 erythromycin-resistant isolates also contained the erm(B) gene. Filter mating experiments revealed that 10 E. faecalis isolates, 3 E. durans isolates, and 1 E. faecium isolate could transfer either tet(M), tet(L), or both of these genes to E. faecalis recipient strain JH2-2. In most cases in which only tet(M) was transferred, no detectable plasmids were acquired by JH2-2 but instead all transconjugants contained a member of the Tn916-Tn1545 family. Sequencing analysis of PCR amplicons and evolutionary modeling showed that a subset of the transferable tet(M) genes belonged to four sequence homology groups (SHGs) showing an internal homology of >99.6%. Two of these SHGs contained tet(M) mosaic structures previously found in Tn916 elements and on Lactobacillus and Neisseria plasmids, respectively, whereas the other two SHGs probably represent new phylogenetic lineages of this gene.As lactic acid bacteria, enterococci are natural inhabitants of the gastrointestinal systems of mammals, but they are also known to occur in soil and fecally polluted surface waters and on plants and vegetables (26,31,35). Because of their high prevalence in the gastrointestinal tracts of many food animals, it is often unavoidable that these organisms enter the human food chain via contamination of raw milk or raw meat. For many years, the presence of enterococci in foods has been highly controversial. On the one hand, Enterococcus strains can harbor specific biochemical traits that are essential in the manufacturing of various fermented milk products, and some strains are technologically exploited as functional starters or probiotics (12, 17). On the other hand, enterococci have also been implicated in the spoilage of processed meats (14, 51) and include strains that have been recognized as emerging human pathogens mostly in nosocomial but also in community-acquired infections (for a review, see reference 29).Triggered by the apparent duality between their beneficial and harmful properties, a lot of research has focused on the potential role of food enterococci as reservoirs and/or vehicles of antibiotic resistance (AR) and viru...

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Taxonomical changes in intestinal (faecal) enterococci and streptococci: consequences on their use as indicators of faecal contamination in drinking water

Cited by 37 publications

References 74 publications

Enterococci in the Environment

Enterococci in the Environment

Microbiological evaluation of fecal bacterial composition from surface water through aquifer sand material

Prevalence and Molecular Characterization of Tetracycline Resistance in Enterococcus Isolates from Food

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