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Proceedings of the International Academy of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, 2021, 11(2): 31-42
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Article

Widespread contamination of recreational seawaters, rivers and lakes with Shiga toxigenic Escherichia coli

Louise O'Connor1,2, Carina Brehony1,2, Kelly Fitzhenry1,2, Brigid Hooban1,2, Aoife Joyce1,2, Niamh Cahill1,2, Blathnaid Mahon1,2, Paul Hickey3, Shane Keane3, Martin Cormican1,2, Dearbhaile Morris1,2
1Antimicrobial Resistance and Microbial Ecology Group, School of Medicine, NUI Galway, Ireland
2Centre for One Health, Ryan Institute, NUI Galway, Ireland
3Environmental Health Service, HSE West, Galway, Ireland

Received 15 January 2021;Accepted 20 February 2021;Published 1 June 2021
IAEES

Abstract
Shiga toxigenic Escherichia coli (STEC) has the potential to cause serious gastrointestinal illness with approximately 10-15% of patients developing Haemolytic Uraemic Syndrome (HUS). Ireland consistently reports the highest incidence of human infection with STEC in Europe. In this study, seawater (n = 84) and freshwater (river and lake) samples (n = 27) were collected from locations around Ireland over a three-year period (2016-2019). There were two phases to the investigation. Initially, samples were collected between May and September in 2016 and 2017 (Phase 1). Based on the results obtained during this first phase a more extensive investigation was undertaken between December 2018 and December 2019 (Phase 2). Samples were tested using a two-step multiplex real-time PCR protocol. The first step was to screen for the presence of eae, stx1 and stx2. Samples giving positive signals for eae and at least one toxin gene target were analyzed for the presence of gene targets associated with serogroups O157, O26, O103, O104, O111 and O145. Overall, STEC was detected in 21/27 (78%) of the lake and river samples tested and in 48/84 (57%) of all seawater samples tested. These findings indicate widespread contamination of recreational waters with STEC which may act as an important and under-recognized transmission route to humans.

Keywords Shiga toxigenic Escherichia coli;recreational waters;real-time PCR;contamination;transmission.


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