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Limnological Review
Special Issues
Freshwater Microbiology and Public Health
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Freshwater Microbiology and Public Health

A special issue of Limnological Review (ISSN 2300-7575).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2026 | Viewed by 2156

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Akebe Luther King Abia

E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor
Total Environment Research (TEN-R) Group, School of Health Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X54001, Durban, South Africa
Interests: applied and environmental microbiology; One Health; antimicrobial resistance; genomics; climate change; environmental pollution; quantitative microbial risk assessment
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Freshwater ecosystems (rivers, lakes, streams, wetlands, ponds, groundwater sources) are vital for human survival, serving as key sources of drinking water, food, recreation, and livelihoods. However, increasing anthropogenic pressures, such as urbanization, agricultural runoff, industrial pollution, and climate change, are profoundly altering the microbiological composition of freshwater bodies. These changes have far-reaching consequences for ecosystem function, biodiversity, and public health. The study of freshwater microbiology is thus central to understanding how microbial communities regulate nutrient cycling, pathogen dynamics, and the spread of microbial pathogens, including antimicrobial-resistant ones, to humans and animals and back to the environment.

This Special Issue aims to bridge the gap between limnology, microbiology, and public health by showcasing cutting-edge research on microbial processes in freshwater environments and their implications for human and animal well-being, and thus the One Health approach. We invite contributions (original research, reviews, communications, and perspectives) that explore the ecological, molecular, and epidemiological dimensions of freshwater microbiomes, from microbial ecology and metagenomics to risk assessment and water-quality management.

Papers may cover, but are not limited to, the following topics:

  • Microbial indicators of water quality and ecosystem health;
  • The occurrence, persistence, and dissemination of waterborne pathogens and emerging infectious risks;
  • Freshwater ecosystems as reservoirs and vehicles for antibiotic resistance in aquatic systems;
  • Microbial community responses to climate change and anthropogenic stressors;
  • Metagenomic and bioinformatics approaches for freshwater microbiome characterization;
  • Innovative monitoring and treatment technologies for safeguarding freshwater resources, including AI (artificial intelligence)-driven approaches;
  • Risk assessment and policy frameworks for water safety and management.

By integrating diverse methodological and disciplinary perspectives, this Special Issue will advance our understanding of how freshwater microbial dynamics influence disease emergence, ecosystem resilience, and sustainable development. This Special Issue aims to foster collaboration between environmental microbiologists, ecologists, and public health professionals to better understand and mitigate microbial risks in freshwater systems, a cornerstone for sustainable and healthy societies. It will also provide a platform for researchers, policymakers, and water managers to identify strategies for improving freshwater health and mitigating microbial risks to human and animal populations.

Dr. Akebe Luther King Abia
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Limnological Review is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • freshwater microbiology
  • public health
  • antimicrobial resistance (AMR)
  • waterborne pathogens
  • microbial ecology
  • limnology
  • wastewater contamination
  • metagenomics
  • environmental monitoring
  • water quality
  • quantitative microbial risk assessment

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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28 pages, 1572 KB  
Article
Assessment of Groundwater Quality in Some Regions of Kosovo Based on Physico-Chemical and Microbiological Parameters
by Florjana Zogaj, Tatjana Blazhevska, Fatbardh Sallaku, Rakesh Ranjan Thakur, Hazir Çadraku, Upaka Rathnayake, Debabrata Nandi, Vesna Knights, Gorica Pavlovska, Pajtim Bytyçi, Erinda Lika, Osman Fetoshi, Valentina Velkovski, Rozeta Hasalliu and Bojan Đurin
Limnol. Rev. 2026, 26(2), 16; https://doi.org/10.3390/limnolrev26020016 - 23 Apr 2026
Viewed by 286
Abstract
Physicochemical and microbiological parameters are important indicators of drinking water quality. This study assessed the quality of groundwater used for drinking in four regions of Kosovo at 16 locations using an integrated assessment framework that combined physicochemical, microbiological, and Water Quality Index (WQI) [...] Read more.
Physicochemical and microbiological parameters are important indicators of drinking water quality. This study assessed the quality of groundwater used for drinking in four regions of Kosovo at 16 locations using an integrated assessment framework that combined physicochemical, microbiological, and Water Quality Index (WQI) approaches. The results reveal substantial spatial variability in water quality. While most physicochemical parameters remained within recommended limits, elevated values of total dissolved solids (up to 2792.5 mg/L), electrical conductivity (up to 2768.5 µS/cm), nitrate (up to 60.75 mg/L), and phosphate (up to 0.875 mg/L) were observed at several locations, indicating localized hydrogeochemical and anthropogenic influences. Dissolved oxygen levels were generally low (0.68–5.49 mg/L), reflecting limited aeration conditions in groundwater systems. Microbiological analysis revealed critical contamination, with Escherichia coli concentrations up to 299.9 CFU/100 mL, and all sampling sites exceeded permissible limits, indicating widespread fecal pollution and rendering the groundwater unsafe for direct consumption. WQI assessment further confirmed this condition, where 93.75% of locations were classified as medium quality using the NSF-WQI method, whereas the WA-WQI method categorized 68.75% of samples as poor and 6.25% as very poor. The novelty of this study lies in the integrated evaluation of hydrogeochemical processes and microbiological contamination using dual WQI methods and multivariate statistical analysis, providing a comprehensive understanding of groundwater degradation pathways. The findings are significant for policymakers, environmental managers, and public health authorities, highlighting the urgent need for groundwater treatment, improved sanitation infrastructure, and sustainable water resource management strategies in vulnerable regions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Freshwater Microbiology and Public Health)

Review

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26 pages, 1097 KB  
Review
Public Health Risks of Pathogenic Bacteria in Freshwater Bodies: A Review of Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment Approaches and Applications
by Manu Priya, Shvetambri Jasrotia and Akebe Luther King Abia
Limnol. Rev. 2026, 26(1), 10; https://doi.org/10.3390/limnolrev26010010 - 14 Mar 2026
Viewed by 928
Abstract
Freshwater ecosystems play an important role in human survival, ecosystem functioning, and biodiversity conservation, yet industrialisation and urbanisation dump over 80% of untreated sewage into them. This inadequate wastewater management leads to enteric pathogens like Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Shigella, Campylobacter [...] Read more.
Freshwater ecosystems play an important role in human survival, ecosystem functioning, and biodiversity conservation, yet industrialisation and urbanisation dump over 80% of untreated sewage into them. This inadequate wastewater management leads to enteric pathogens like Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Shigella, Campylobacter, Vibrio cholerae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Legionella pneumophila that are responsible for a wide range of waterborne human diseases globally with extensive morbidity and mortality. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that at least 2 billion individuals drink water contaminated with pathogens, resulting in illnesses like cholera, dysentery, and diarrhoea, and approximately 50,000 diarrheal deaths annually. Classical epidemiology approaches are the basis for determining disease burden in public health, but they are limited in their capacity to predict future health risks. Quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) addresses this by estimating the potential health risks of any exposure to microbial pathogens in any environment using four key elements, which include the identification of the microbial hazards, human exposure to the hazard through diverse activities, dose–response relationships, and the estimated risk of the infection. This review summarises information on freshwater pathogens, their occurrence, sources and health implications. The methodological approaches of QMRA in freshwater systems are reviewed with examples drawn from recreational activities, drinking water, and wastewater-impacted environments. Global QMRA studies indicate a wide range of infection risk estimates, reflecting differences in water sources, pathogens, and exposure conditions. Thus, QMRA is known to be a valuable public health tool for freshwater ecosystems, linking microbial contamination dynamics to health risk estimates that support proactive management and policy-relevant decision-making. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Freshwater Microbiology and Public Health)
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