scholarly journals Impact of haze events on airborne bacterial consortia–a case study

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
S. M. N. K. Thilakarathne ◽  
A. Ekanayake ◽  
P. S. Madamarandawala ◽  
W. B. C. P. Weerarathne ◽  
C. A. Thotawatthage ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Pathogenic Bacteria ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Anthropogenic Activities ◽  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Bacterial Load ◽  
Common Species ◽  
Burkholderia Multivorans ◽  
Bacterial Consortia ◽  
Haze Event

AbstractTransboundary haze events received a noticeable attention recently, due to their frequent occurrences. They are mainly, consequences of anthropogenic activities. Sri Lanka experienced a haze event parallel to India in November 2019, the first air pollution event in Sri Lanka linked to a haze event in India. Due to the limited availability of information on haze-related microorganisms, we conducted this study in Kandy, Sri Lanka, aiming to explore the airborne bacterial consortia during a haze event. The natural sedimentation method was used for air sampling. Bacterial identification and the total bacterial load were determined using Sanger sequencing and qPCR. Notably, the total bacterial load was elevated by ~ 40% with the haze and decreased with decreasing haze intensity. The highest bacterial load was reported during the day time of the most intense hazy day (1.89 × 106 cells/µl) compared to non-hazy days (lowest; 1.12 × 105 cells/µl). Twelve bacterial species were identified and the most abundant phylum was Proteobacteria. The most common species observed during haze was Acinetobacter modestus. The percentage of culturable bacterial species was also high during the haze event (75% during day time of the most intense hazy day compared to 25% on the control). Two human pathogenic bacteria Burkholderia multivorans and Chryseobacterium gleum were found only during the haze event. Therefore, haze events could be hazardous to humans by means of the presence and fluctuating amounts of pathogenic bacteria. Thus, these findings are important in developing policies and guidelines to monitor and minimize the negative impact of haze events.

Bacterial Contamination of Hospital Physicians' Stethoscopes

1999 ◽  
Vol 20 (9) ◽  
pp. 626-628 ◽  
Author(s):  
Louis Bernard ◽  
Anne Kereveur ◽  
Dominique Durand ◽  
Jeanne Gonot ◽  
Fred Goldstein ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
General Hospital ◽  
Nosocomial Infections ◽  
Pathogenic Bacteria ◽  
Bacterial Contamination ◽  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Bacterial Load ◽  
Clinical Use ◽  
Bacterial Survival ◽  
Liquid Soap ◽  
Kinetics Of

AbstractBecause stethoscopes might be potential vectors of nosocomial infections, this study, conducted in a 450-bed general hospital, was devised to evaluate the bacterial contamination of stethoscopes; bacterial survival on stethoscope membranes; the kinetics of the bacterial load on stethoscope membranes during clinical use; and the efficacy of 70% alcohol or liquid soap for membrane disinfection. Among the 355 stethoscopes tested, 234 carried ≥2 different bacterial species; 31 carried potentially pathogenic bacteria. Although some bacteria deposited onto membranes could survive 6 to 18 hours, none survived after disinfection.

scholarly journals Wastewater Collection and Transportation through Drainage Network- a Potential Threat to Biodiversity & Local Eco-system in Zanzibar Stone-town & Surroundings

2018 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Z. M. Abubakar ◽  
A. R. Rabia ◽  
A. M. Ussi ◽  
M. A. Bakar ◽  
R. A. Ali
Keyword(s):  
Waste Water ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Pathogenic Bacteria ◽  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Bacterial Load ◽  
Waste Water Treatment ◽  
Potential Threat ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
High Turbidity

Waste water effluents voided in the coastal areas of Zanzibar are highly polluted posing a public health crisis. This cross-sectional study, carried out in September 2017, investigated bacterial load and physicochemical characteristics of the effluents discharged into coastal marine waters of the Zanzibar stone town and peri-urban areas. Ten drains, seven of which were impervious and three pervious, were sampled twice per day in mornings and afternoons. Each drain was sampled at three sites; the out-pour site close to the sea and two sites upstream 100 meters apart. Physicochemical parameters including Dissolved Oxygen (DO), pH and turbidity were determined immediately after arrival in the laboratory. Colony forming units/ ml were also determined.  Bacterial counts were higher in impervious drains, in out-pour sites and in the afternoons. Conversely counts were lower in the out-pour sites compared to upstream sites in the pervious drains. DO was significantly higher in the pervious compared to impervious drains (p = 0.004). Turbidity was high in the mornings, but one drain had significantly high turbidity (p=0.0009). In all drains pH was high in the afternoon than mornings. Thirteen bacterial species, mostly gram-negative Enterobacteriaceae were isolated. Vibrio cholerae was isolated from 5 drains. Ground water close to pervious drains had coliforms beyond WHO guidelines. Waste water drains in Zanzibar urban and peri-urban areas are vastly contaminated with organic matter and pathogenic bacteria leading to high turbidity and oxygen depletion. It is recommended to increase awareness to the public and introduce waste water treatment strategies both physically and chemically.

scholarly journals Study on Air Bacteria at Different Altitudinal Locations in Tezpur to Tawang Axis

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 93-102
Author(s):  
Soumya Chatterjee ◽  
Sibnarayan Datta ◽  
Leeza Banu ◽  
Mohan G. Vairale ◽  
Sonika Sharma
Keyword(s):  
16S Rrna ◽  
Human Health ◽  
Pathogenic Bacteria ◽  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Bacterial Load ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Molecular Techniques ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Public Health Perspective ◽  
Pathogenic Potential

Microflora plays an important role in modulating environmental quality. Among microflora, bacteria are omnipresent in the environment. Pathogenic bacteria, present in air, are known to affect significantly the health and well-being of human, animal or plant populations. Air bacteria monitoring is thus essential for surveillance of pathogenic microorganisms from public health perspective besides its significant implications in detection and mitigation of biothreat related issues. Despite the geo-politically strategic importance of northeast India, there is scarcity of data on human health and disease surveillance. Considering these facts, we, for the first time studied the bacterial diversity of air at six important sites adjacent to the international border in the northeast region of India, having an altitude range of 73 m (Tezpur) to 4170 m (Sela Pass) above sea level. Standard microbiological techniques, such as Tryptone Soya Agar, Mannitol salt and McConkey agar strips and plates were used for air bacterial load assessment and culture for subsequent analysis using biochemical and molecular techniques. Following RFLP study, twenty six different bacterial colonies were isolated. Subsequently, bacteria identification was carried out by examining the substrate utilisation patterns, sequencing 16S rRNA gene and phylogenetic analysis. Results of the study reveal that the isolates mostly belong to two genera Bacillus and Staphylococcus (eleven in each genus), along with Micrococcus, Pseduomonas and Acinetobacter. Based on significant match of our sequences with that of medically important bacterial 16S rRNA sequences available at 16SpathDB 2.0 and review of available literature, we found that a number of these bacterial species have the pathogenic potential. In this manuscript we report our results and discuss the importance of air bacterial surveillance from the perspective of human health, hygiene and biothreat mitigation.

scholarly journals Bacterial diversity of river Kshipra with relation to human health

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (1&2) ◽  
pp. 63-74
Author(s):  
Shivi Bhasin ◽  
Arvind Shukla N. ◽  
Sharad Shrivastava
Keyword(s):  
Bacterial Diversity ◽  
Fecal Coliform ◽  
Pathogenic Bacteria ◽  
Anthropogenic Activities ◽  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Oxygen Demand ◽  
Central India ◽  
Gastrointestinal Diseases ◽  
Biological Oxygen Demand ◽  
Skin Infections

Bacterial community has always been an essential component of aquatic ecosystem because of the important role played by it in maintaining continuity of ecosystem. Aquatic bacterial diversity has been an interesting, popular and wide area of research as it is well correlated with the level of pollution in the ecosystem. Addition of pollutants is one of the major factor which disturbs bacterial diversity and density in river. The aim of the present work is to investigate the presence of bacteria and analyze its correlation with pollution status in river Kshipra which is considered to be a holy river of central India. The study also records the occurrence of different bacterial species including fecal coliform, total coliforms and many other pathogenic bacteria. Presence of pathogenic bacteria like Salmonella sps., Pseudomonas sps. ,Shigella sps., Vibrio sps. and FC/FS ratio between 1.1-1.5 indicates that the river is contaminated by domestic and city sewage as well as by both animal and human excreta. The current investigation reports the occurrence of different water borne diseases like typhoid, cholera, gastrointestinal diseases and skin infections etc in people residing nearby river who consume river water for fulfilling their daily need.  A strong correlation has been established between bacterial density and physicochemical parameters like temperature, Dissolved Oxygen, Biological Oxygen Demand and Chemical Oxygen Demand. Urgent measures should be taken by eminent authorities to minimize the anthropogenic activities like dumping of flower, oil, body ashes, coconut shell in order to restore this sacred river.

scholarly journals Diversity of midgut bacteria in larvae and females of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus from Gampaha District, Sri Lanka

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Koshila Ranasinghe ◽  
Nayana Gunathilaka ◽  
Deepika Amarasinghe ◽  
Wasana Rodrigo ◽  
Lahiru Udayanga
Keyword(s):  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Aedes Aegypti ◽  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Medical Officer ◽  
Pcr Amplification ◽  
Common Species ◽  
Lysinibacillus Sphaericus ◽  
Immune Priming ◽  
Pantoea Dispersa ◽  
Significant Difference

Abstract Background The midgut microbiota of mosquitoes maintain basal immune activity and immune priming. In recent years, scientists have focused on the use of microbial communities for vector control interventions. In the present study, the midgut bacteria of larvae and adults of Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus were assessed using both field-collected and laboratory-reared mosquitoes from Sri Lanka. Methods Adults and larvae of Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus were collected from three selected areas in Gampaha Medical Officer of Health area, Gampaha District, Western Province, Sri Lanka. Bacterial colonies isolated from mosquito midgut dissections were identified by PCR amplification and sequencing of partial 16S rRNA gene fragments. Results Adults and larvae of Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus harbored 25 bacterial species. Bacillus endophyticus and Pantoea dispersa were found more frequently in field-collected Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus adults, respectively. The midgut bacteria of Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus adults (X2 = 556.167, df = 72, P < 0.001) and larvae (X2 = 633.11, df = 66, P < 0.001) were significantly different. There was a significant difference among the bacterial communities between field-collected adults (X2 = 48.974, df = 10, P < 0.001) and larvae (X2 = 84.981, df = 10, P < 0.001). Lysinibacillus sphaericus was a common species in adults and larvae of laboratory-reared Ae. aegypti. Only P. dispersa occurred in the field-collected adults of Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus. Species belonging to genera Terribacillus, Lysinibacillus, Agromyces and Kocuria were recorded from Aedes mosquitoes, in accordance with previously reported results. Conclusions This study generated a comprehensive database on the culturable bacterial community found in the midgut of field-collected (Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus) and laboratory-reared (Ae. aegypti) mosquito larvae and adults from Sri Lanka. Data confirm that the midgut bacterial diversity in the studied mosquitoes varies according to species, developmental stage and strain (field vs laboratory). Graphical abstract

scholarly journals Investigation of Bacteriological Quality of Meat from Abattoir and Butcher Shops in Bishoftu, Central Ethiopia

2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abebe Bersisa ◽  
Dereje Tulu ◽  
Chaluma Negera
Keyword(s):  
Questionnaire Survey ◽  
Pathogenic Bacteria ◽  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Bacterial Load ◽  
Simple Random Sampling ◽  
Plate Count ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Cutting Knife ◽  
Butcher Shops

The study was conducted from November 2015 to November 2016 to determine bacterial load and identify pathogenic bacteria (S. aureus,E. coli, andSalmonellaespecies) in meat from abattoir and butcher shops as well as to assess associated hygienic and sanitation practices being experienced in the selected study site. A cross-sectional study was conducted where a simple random sampling method was used to select butcher shops, and the municipal abattoir was purposively selected. A structured questionnaire survey was also used to assess hygienic status of the municipal abattoir and butcher shops. A total of 124 samples (48 swab samples from abattoir carcass, 4 samples of carcass washing water about 20 ml of each, and 36 swab samples each from butcher shop cutting table and cutting knife, respectively) were collected during the study period. The collected samples were processed for aerobic plate count, and the total mean count was found to be 4.53 log10 cfu/cm2from abattoir carcass swab samples, 2.4 log10 cfu/ml from water samples, 6.58 log10 cfu/cm2from butcher shops cutting table, and 6.1 log10 cfu/cm2from cutting knife swab samples.E. coliwas the dominant bacterial species isolated (35.2%), followed byS. aureus(22.5%) andSalmonellaespecies (9.9%). According to the questionnaire survey, 48.4% (15/31) of the abattoir workers did not receive any training regarding food safety issues. Moreover, a majority (66.67%) of the respondents of the butcher house workers were grade 1–4 (elementary) in their educational level and do not use hairnet and handle money with bare hands during serving meat to consumers. The study showed that the hygienic status of the abattoir and butcher shops in the study area is poor, and the obtained results of bacterial load are higher than the acceptable limit of the standard. Therefore, the necessary strategies towards hygiene and sanitation of meat in the town should be implemented.

scholarly journals ASSESSMENT OF BACTERIAL CONTAMINATION LEVELS ON THE SURFACE OF THE BOVINE CARCASSES AT SLAUGHTERHOUSES OF BARISHAL CITY IN BANGLADESH

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 231-245
Author(s):  
A. Das ◽  
F. I. Rume ◽  
W. K. Ansari ◽  
M. N. Alam ◽  
M. R. Islam ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Questionnaire Survey ◽  
Pathogenic Bacteria ◽  
Visual Inspection ◽  
Bacterial Contamination ◽  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Bacterial Load ◽  
Total Coliform ◽  
Viable Count ◽  
Biochemical Tests ◽  
Salmonella Spp

Background: Meat industries in developing countries including Bangladesh are found to be challenged by severe hygienic and sanitation problems which are associated with heavy bacterial load on the different sites of carcasses and meat. Objectives: The major objectives of this study were to determine the bacterial load at the different risk sites of bovine carcasses and identification of pathogenic bacteria as well as to assess the associated hygienic and sanitation practices with public health significance of the isolated bacteria. Materials and Methods: The study on bacterial load of bovine carcasses was conducted on 200 swab samples of different risk sites of 20 bovine carcasses in the different slaughterhouses of Barishal City Corporation during the period from April to October 2017. The aseptically collected swab samples from different sites of bovine carcasses were processed and analyzed individually by standard bacteriological procedures for Total viable count (TVC), Total coliform count (TCC), Total Staphylococcus count (TSC) and Total Salmonella count (TSAC) and the bacterial species were identified by the conventional aerobic cultural, morphological and biochemical tests. The hygienic status and practices of slaughterhouses and workers were evaluated through a structured questionnaire survey and also a visual inspection. Results: Staphylococcus aureus (78.5%), Salmonella spp. (64.5%) and Escherichia coli (64.0%) were found widely prevalent bacteria on the surface of freshly slaughtered bovine carcasses. The mean TVC of bacteria at pre-and post-washing of the different risk sites of carcasses including neck, shoulder, rump and their used knife and workers’ hand was calculated and highest one was recorded for neck at both pre (8.17 ± 1.22) and post (8.41 ± 0.92) washings. These TVC were found higher compared to standards set by WHO. The TSC was found highest at shoulder site at both pre (7.26 ± 0.94) and post (7.43 ± 1.02) washing, whereas the neck site was found highest contaminated with E. coli (6.69 ± 1.06 and 6.87 ± 1.04) and Salmonella spp.(5.73 ± 1.05 and 6.07 ± 0.92), respectively. The questionnaire survey and visual inspection of slaughter houses revealed that none of the slaughterhouse workers received any training on slaughterhouses management and hygiene, not used any head and hair covering, protective clothes and hand gloves whereas only 25.33% workers washed their hands and 34.67% used clean water at slaughterhouses during processing of carcasses and meat. Conclusions: The slaughtering of the animals on the ground and then skinning and evisceration in the same place under poor hygienic conditions are the major risk factors for heavy bacterial contamination of carcasses which has been recognized as a threat to food safety and consumers health to foodborne illness. Therefore, it requires a serious attention from all relevant authorities to apply and maintain the basic hygienic slaughterhouse practices to prevent the bacterial contamination of carcasses to prevent food borne illness. However, these data should serve as a baseline for future comparisons in measuring the bacteriological status of beef carcasses in other districts and further research works.

scholarly journals Anti-microbial effect of filtered 222nm excimer lamps in a hospital waiting area

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacob Thyrsted ◽  
Søren Helbo Skaarup ◽  
Andreas Fløe Hvass ◽  
Sara Moeslund Joensen ◽  
Stine Y. Nielsen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Real World ◽  
Pathogenic Bacteria ◽  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Bacterial Load ◽  
Real Life ◽  
University Hospital ◽  
Waiting Room ◽  
Excimer Lamps ◽  
Real Life Setting ◽  
Waiting Area

SummaryBackgroundHospital aquired infections is a considerable challenge for vulnerable patients. Ultraviolet light based on the excitation of mercury emit light at 254nm and has well established antimicrobial effects but the use hereof in populated areas is hindered by the carcinogenic properties of 254nm. This is in contrast to the recently developed excimer lamps based on krypton chloride (KrCl). These lamps emit light with a peak intensity at a wavelength of 222nm and have recently been demonstrated to have broad bactericidal and viricidal effects including efficient inactivation of SARS-CoV2. It is, however, unclear how efficiently 222nm lamps perform in a real-life setting such as a hospital waiting area. In this study we aimed to assess the antimicrobial efficacy of filtered 222nm excimer lamps in a real-world setting at an out-patient pulmonology clinic.MethodsFiltered KrCl 222nm excimer lamps (UV222 lamps) were installed in a densely populated waiting room at the out-patient waiting area at Department of Respiratory Diseases and Allergy at Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark. Furniture sufaces were sampled and analyzed for bacterial load in a single arm interventional longitudinal study with and without exposure to filtered 222nm UVC-light. Furthermore, bacterial species were identified using MALDI-ToF mass-spectrometry.FindingsThe exposure to filtered 222nm UVC-light significantly reduced the number of colony-forming-units, and patches with high desity of bacteria. Pathogenic bacteria such as Staphylococcus Aureus and Staphylococcus Epidermidis were detected only in the non-exposed areas suggesting that these species are highly sensitive to inactivation by 222nm UVC-light.ConclusionFiltered 222nm UVC-light is highly anti-microbial in a real-world clinical setting reducing bacterial load and eradicating clinically relevant bacteria species. Filtered 222nm UVC-light has the potential to become an important part of current and future anti-microbial prevention in the clinic.

Influence of Anthropogenic Pressures on Groundwater Quality from a Rural Area

2017 ◽  
Vol 68 (8) ◽  
pp. 1744-1748
Author(s):  
Catalina Stoica ◽  
Gabriela Geanina Vasile ◽  
Alina Banciu ◽  
Daniela Niculescu ◽  
Irina Lucaciu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Anthropogenic Activities ◽  
Groundwater Resources ◽  
Bacterial Load ◽  
Animal Husbandry ◽  
Anthropogenic Factors ◽  
Contamination Level ◽  
Anthropogenic Pressures ◽  
Limit Values ◽  
Physico Chemical

During the past few decades, the anthropogenic activities induced worldwide changes in the ecological systems, including the aquatic systems. This work analysed the contamination level of groundwater resources from a rural agglomeration (Central-Western part of Prahova County) by biological and physico-chemical approaches. The study was performed during the autumn of 2016 on several sampling sites (four drilling wells, depth higher than 100 m supplying three villages; two wells lower than 10 m depth and one spring). The water quality was evaluated by comparison with the limit values of the drinking water quality legislation (Law no.458/2002) and the Order 621/2014 (applicable to all groundwater bodies of Romania). The results showed that phenols and metals (iron and manganese) exceeded the threshold values in all sampling sites. Moreover, the anthropogenic factors including agriculture, use of fertilizers, manures, animal husbandry led to an increase of the bacterial load, particularly at wells sites.

Antimicrobial properties of actively purified secondary metabolites isolated from different marine organisms

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nilushi Indika Bamunu Arachchige ◽  
Fazlurrahman Khan ◽  
Young-Mog Kim
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Metabolites ◽  
Pathogenic Bacteria ◽  
Antimicrobial Agents ◽  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Antimicrobial Properties ◽  
Antimicrobial Effect ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Resistance Mechanisms ◽  
Marine Organisms ◽  
Antimicrobial Compounds

Background: The treatment of infection caused by pathogenic bacteria becomes one of the serious concerns globally. The failure in the treatment was found due to the exhibition of multiple resistance mechanisms against the antimicrobial agents. Emergence of resistant bacterial species has also been observed due to prolong treatment using conventional antibiotics. To combat these problems, several alternative strategies have been employed using biological and chemically synthesized compounds as antibacterial agents. Marine organisms considered as one of the potential sources for the isolation of bioactive compounds due to the easily available, cost-effective, and eco-friendly. Methods: The online search methodology was adapted for the collection of information related to the antimicrobial properties of marine-derived compounds. These compound has been isolated and purified by different purification techniques, and their structure also characterized. Furthermore, the antibacterial activities have been reported by using broth microdilution as well as disc diffusion assays. Results: The present review paper describes the antimicrobial effect of diverse secondary metabolites which are isolated and purified from the different marine organisms. The structural elucidation of each secondary metabolite has also been done in the present paper, which will help for the in silico designing of the novel and potent antimicrobial compounds. Conclusion: A thorough literature search has been made and summarizes the list of antimicrobial compounds that are isolated from both prokaryotic and eukaryotic marine organisms. The information obtained from the present paper will be helpful for the application of marine compounds as antimicrobial agents against different antibiotic-resistant human pathogenic bacteria.

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