Waterborne pathogens: detection methods and challenges

Waterborne pathogens and related diseases are a major public health concern worldwide, not only by the morbidity and mortality that they cause, but by the high cost that represents their prevention and treatment. These diseases are directly related to environmental deterioration and pollution. Despi...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Pathogens (Basel) 2015-05, Vol.4 (2), p.307-334
Main Authors: Ramírez-Castillo, Flor Yazmín, Loera-Muro, Abraham, Jacques, Mario, Garneau, Philippe, Avelar-González, Francisco Javier, Harel, Josée, Guerrero-Barrera, Alma Lilián
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biofilms
Decision making
detection methods
Environmental degradation
microbial source-tracking
Microorganisms
Outbreaks
Pathogens
Pollution monitoring
Prevention
Public health
quantitative risk assessment
Review
Risk assessment
viable but non-culturable microorganisms
Water distribution
Water distribution systems
Water monitoring
Water pollution
Water quality management
Water treatment
Waterborne diseases
waterborne outbreaks
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Waterborne pathogens and related diseases are a major public health concern worldwide, not only by the morbidity and mortality that they cause, but by the high cost that represents their prevention and treatment. These diseases are directly related to environmental deterioration and pollution. Despite the continued efforts to maintain water safety, waterborne outbreaks are still reported globally. Proper assessment of pathogens on water and water quality monitoring are key factors for decision-making regarding water distribution systems' infrastructure, the choice of best water treatment and prevention waterborne outbreaks. Powerful, sensitive and reproducible diagnostic tools are developed to monitor pathogen contamination in water and be able to detect not only cultivable pathogens but also to detect the occurrence of viable but non-culturable microorganisms as well as the presence of pathogens on biofilms. Quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) is a helpful tool to evaluate the scenarios for pathogen contamination that involve surveillance, detection methods, analysis and decision-making. This review aims to present a research outlook on waterborne outbreaks that have occurred in recent years. This review also focuses in the main molecular techniques for detection of waterborne pathogens and the use of QMRA approach to protect public health.
ISSN:2076-0817
2076-0817
DOI:10.3390/pathogens4020307