Journal Article

Molecular characterization of the waterborne pathogens Cryptosporidium spp., Giardia duodenalis, Enterocytozoon bieneusi, Cyclospora cayetanensis and Eimeria spp. in wastewater and sewage in Guangzhou, China

Zhao, Wentao, Feng, Yaoyu, Guo, Yaqiong, Li, Na, Fan, Yingying, Yang, Ruohong, Xiao, Lihua, Wang, Xinrui

2021

Overview

Background The waterborne pathogens Cryptosporidium spp., Giardia duodenalis , Enterocytozoon bieneusi and Cyclospora cayetanensis can cause intestinal diseases in humans. An understanding of their occurrence and transport in the environment is essential for accurate quantitative microbial risk assessment. Methods A total of 238 influent samples were collected from four wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and 88 samples from eight sewer locations in Guangzhou, China. PCR-based tools were used to detect and genetically characterize Cryptosporidium spp., G. duodenalis and E. bieneusi . Eimeria spp. and Cyclospora spp. were also analyzed to assess the sources of Cryptosporidium spp., G. duodenalis and E. bieneusi in wastewater. Results The overall occurrence rates in the WWTP and sewer samples were 14.3% (34/238) and 13.6% (12/88) for Cryptosporidium spp., 55.5% (132/238) and 33.0% (29/88) for G. duodenalis , 56.3% (134/238) and 26.1% (23/88) for E. bieneusi and 45.4% (108/238) and 47.7% (42/88) for Eimeria spp., respectively. Altogether, 11 Cryptosporidium species and genotypes, six G. duodenalis genotypes, 11 E. bieneusi genotypes and four C. cayetanensis were found, together with the presence of nine Eimeria species. The common occurrence of Cryptosporidium rat genotype IV, C. muris and Eimeria papillata and E. nieschulzi suggested that rodents were significant sources of the enteric pathogens detected in the wastewater samples. Conclusions While the dominant Cryptosporidium spp. detected in the raw wastewater sampled in this study are not pathogenic to humans, the widely detected G. duodenalis assemblage A and E. bieneusi genotypes D and Type IV are well-known zoonotic pathogens. Further studies are needed to monitor the occurrence of these waterborne pathogens in WWTPs to better understand their transmission and environmental transport in China. Graphical Abstract

• Publisher: BioMed Central,BioMed Central Ltd,Springer Nature B.V,BMC
• Subject: Biomedical and Life Sciences / Biomedicine / China / Cryptosporidium / Cyclospora cayetanensis / Deoxyribonucleic acid / Disease transmission / DNA / Eimeria / Eimeria papillata / Eimeria/Cyclospora / Enterocytozoon bieneusi / Entomology / Environmental aspects / Epidemics / Gastrointestinal diseases / Genes / genotype / Genotype & phenotype / Genotypes / Giardia / Giardia duodenalis / Giardia lamblia / Health aspects / Identification and classification / Infectious Diseases / Influents / Intestine / intestines / microbiological risk assessment / Microorganisms / Nucleotide sequence / open climate campaign / Parasitic diseases / Parasitology / Pathogenic microorganisms / Pathogens / PCR / Phylogenetics / Polymerase chain reaction / Potassium / Protozoa / Protozoa and protozoan diseases / Protozoan diseases / rats / Raw wastewater / Risk assessment / Risk factors / Sewage / Sewer system / Sewer systems / Transport / Tropical Medicine / Veterinary Medicine/Veterinary Science / Virology / Wastewater / Wastewater treatment / Wastewater treatment plants