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Microorganisms
Special Issues
Advances in Research on Waterborne Pathogens
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Advances in Research on Waterborne Pathogens

A special issue of Microorganisms (ISSN 2076-2607). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Microbiology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2025 | Viewed by 4206

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Ashwini S. Kucknoor

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Biology Department, Lamar University, Beaumont, TX 77710, USA
Interests: molecular pathogenesis of parasitic protozoan species; host-parasite interaction and signaling

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Research on waterborne pathogens has become increasingly critical in addressing public health concerns associated with water contamination. The study of waterborne pathogens encompasses a wide range of interdisciplinary fields, including microbiology, environmental science, public health, and epidemiology. Understanding the transmission, survival, and control of waterborne pathogens is essential for safeguarding water quality and human health.

For this Special Issue, we welcome contributions that address the key areas of research mentioned above and provide valuable insights into the dynamics and management of waterborne pathogens. Original articles, review articles and short communications are welcome. Topics include but are not limited to the following:

  • Pathogen Detection and Identification: Advancements in molecular biology and genomics have revolutionized the detection and characterization of waterborne pathogens, enabling more accurate and rapid identification of microbial contaminants.
  • Pathogen Persistence and Adaptation: Exploring the survival mechanisms and adaptive strategies of waterborne pathogens in diverse environmental conditions are crucial for predicting and mitigating their impact on water sources.
  • Emerging Pathogens and Antimicrobial Resistance: Investigating the emergence of new waterborne pathogens and the spread of antimicrobial resistance genes in aquatic environments is vital for proactive public health interventions.
  • Future research in this field is expected to focus on the development of innovative water treatment technologies, the impact of climate change on waterborne diseases, and the implementation of advanced surveillance systems for early detection of waterborne outbreaks.

Dr. Ashwini S. Kucknoor
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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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. Microorganisms is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly 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 2700 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

  • waterborne pathogens
  • pathogen detection
  • antimicrobial resistance
  • public health

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

Published Papers (3 papers)

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13 pages, 1276 KiB  
Article
Zero-Valent Iron and Sand Filtration Reduces Levels of Cyclospora cayetanensis Surrogates, Eimeria tenella and Eimeria acervulina, in Water
by Alan Gutierrez, Matthew S. Tucker, Christina Yeager, Valsin Fournet, Mark C. Jenkins, Jitender P. Dubey, Kalmia E. Kniel, Benjamin M. Rosenthal and Manan Sharma
Microorganisms 2024, 12(11), 2344; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms12112344 - 16 Nov 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1057
Abstract
Recurring outbreaks of cyclosporiasis linked to fresh produce demonstrate the need to develop interventions to reduce C. cayetanensis in irrigation water. C. cayetanensis is resistant to commonly used irrigation water treatments, such as chemical sanitizers, making removal of oocysts by filtration the most [...] Read more.
Recurring outbreaks of cyclosporiasis linked to fresh produce demonstrate the need to develop interventions to reduce C. cayetanensis in irrigation water. C. cayetanensis is resistant to commonly used irrigation water treatments, such as chemical sanitizers, making removal of oocysts by filtration the most suitable intervention. This study evaluated the reduction of Eimeria tenella and E. acervulina, as surrogates for C. cayetanensis, in water using filters packed with sand alone or mixtures of sand and zero-valent iron (ZVI). Water inoculated with Eimeria spp. oocysts was filtered through laboratory-scale (PVC column) and field-scale (swimming pool filter) filters packed with either 100% sand or 50% ZVI/50% sand (v/v). Filtered and backflush water was examined microscopically for oocysts. Laboratory-scale filters with 50% ZVI significantly (p < 0.05) reduced 99.9% of E. tenella oocysts compared to 55.3% with filters containing 100% sand. At the field-scale level, 50% ZVI filters significantly (p < 0.05) reduced 70.5% of E. acervulina oocysts compared to 54.5% by 100% sand filters. Filters were backflushed to examine the recovery of these parasites during routine filter-media cleaning procedures. Backflush recovery of oocysts ranged from 4.42–16.7%. The addition of ZVI significantly improved the reduction of Eimeria spp. oocysts at both filter scales. and should be further investigated as a potential irrigation water intervention to reduce C. cayetanensis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Research on Waterborne Pathogens)
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14 pages, 1134 KiB  
Article
Development of Polymerase Chain Reaction–High-Resolution Melt Assay for Waterborne Pathogens Legionella pneumophila, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, and Camplobacter jejuni
by Shannon M. Carr and Kelly M. Elkins
Microorganisms 2024, 12(7), 1366; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms12071366 - 3 Jul 2024
Viewed by 1312
Abstract
Legionella pneumophila is the waterborne pathogen primarily responsible for causing both Pontiac Fever and Legionnaire’s Disease in humans. L. pneumophila is transmitted via aerosolized water droplets. The purpose of this study was to design and test primers to allow for rapid polymerase chain [...] Read more.
Legionella pneumophila is the waterborne pathogen primarily responsible for causing both Pontiac Fever and Legionnaire’s Disease in humans. L. pneumophila is transmitted via aerosolized water droplets. The purpose of this study was to design and test primers to allow for rapid polymerase chain reaction (PCR) melt detection and identification of this infectious agent in cases of clinical or emergency response detection. New PCR primers were designed for this species of bacteria; the primer set was purchased from IDT and the target bacterial DNA was purchased from ATCC. The L. pneumophila primers targeted the macrophage infectivity potentiator gene (mip), which inhibits macrophage phagocytosis. The primers were tested for specificity, repeatability, and sensitivity using PCR–high-resolution melt (HRM) assays. The primer set was found to be specific to the designated bacteria and did not amplify the other twenty-one species from the panel. The L. pneumophila assay was able to be multiplexed. The duplex assay consists of primers for L. pneumophila and Vibrio parahaemolyticus, which are both waterborne pathogens. The triplex assay consists of primers for L. pneumophila, V. parahaemolyticus, and Campylobacter jejuni. The unique melting temperature for the L. pneumophila primer assay is 82.84 ± 0.19 °C, the C. jejuni assay is 78.10 ± 0.58 °C, and the V. parahaemolyticus assay is 86.74 ± 0.65 °C. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Research on Waterborne Pathogens)
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14 pages, 864 KiB  
Brief Report
Implementing Wastewater-Based Epidemiology for Long-Read Metagenomic Sequencing of Antimicrobial Resistance in Kampala, Uganda
by William Strike, Temitope O. C. Faleye, Brian Lubega, Alexus Rockward, Soroosh Torabi, Anni Noble, Mohammad Dehghan Banadaki, James Keck, Henry Mugerwa, Matthew Scotch and Scott Berry
Microorganisms 2025, 13(6), 1240; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms13061240 - 28 May 2025
Viewed by 25
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an emerging global threat that is expanding in many areas of the world. Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is uniquely suited for use in areas of the world where clinical surveillance is limited or logistically slow to identify emerging threats, such [...] Read more.
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an emerging global threat that is expanding in many areas of the world. Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is uniquely suited for use in areas of the world where clinical surveillance is limited or logistically slow to identify emerging threats, such as in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Wastewater was analyzed from three urban areas of Kampala, including a local HIV research clinic and two informal settlements. Wastewater extraction was performed using a low-cost, magnetic bead-based protocol that minimizes consumable plastic consumption followed by sequencing on the Oxford Nanopore Technology MinION platform. The majority of the analysis was performed using cloud-based services to identify AMR biomarkers and bacterial pathogens. Assemblies containing AMR pathogens were isolated from all locations. As one example, clinically relevant AMR biomarkers for multiple drug classes were found within Acinetobacter baumannii genomic fragments. This work presents a metagenomic WBE workflow that is compatible with areas of the world without robust water treatment infrastructure. This study was able to identify various bacterial pathogens and AMR biomarkers without shipping water samples internationally or relying on complex concentration methods. Due to the time-dependent nature of wastewater surveillance data, this work involved cross-training researchers in Uganda to collect and analyze wastewater for future efforts in public health development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Research on Waterborne Pathogens)
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