Waterborne Zoonotic Pathogens

Dear Colleagues,

Waterborne diseases are constantly occurring, despite improved water processing and sanitation practices. Waterborne zoonotic pathogens, including bacteria, viruses, protozoa, and parasitic helminths, constitute a public health risk worldwide, being transmitted from animals to humans through the food chain, in particular through the consumption of contaminated water, fruits, and vegetables, as well as through direct contact with contaminated recreational waters. In recent years, the nature of the risks to public health has changed due to changes in several factors, such as resistance to antibiotics, transmission to humans due to changes to dietary and social habits, and changes in infecting serotypes. Salmonella remains a widespread pathogen in many animal species, as well as in humans, but new serotypes of S. enterica species have been identified to be transmitted through the animal–aquatic-environment–human chain. Campylobacteriosis is the most prevalent foodborne–waterborne zoonotic disease, but there is insufficient knowledge on the bacterial and host factors contributing to infection. Escherichia coli O157:H7, and other VTEC serotypes are isolated in fresh produce, which can be contaminated by insanitary water, and continue to be of major concern for public health because, although their prevalence is not so high, an infection can be life-threatening. Cryptosporidiosis is a protozoal parasitic disease which can be transmitted from animals to humans, causing sporadic cases and outbreaks worldwide. Toxoplasma gondii is widespread in animals, presenting with diverse manifestations in different hosts, ranging from asymptomatic (cattle, horses) to symptomatic, causing congenital diseases or abortion (sheep, humans), ocular disease (humans), acute fatal disease (sea mammals, immunodeficient humans), and recently waterborne outbreaks (humans). Hepatitis E virus genotypes G3 and G4 are distributed worldwide, infecting both humans and animals through contaminated water. This list is not limiting and other less frequent waterborne zoonotic (e.g., Leptospirosis, Francisella tularensis) infections are of public health importance and can be handled in this issue. Waterborne zoonotic helminths are spreading directly from animals to humans and vice versa through water that is either ingested or contains forms capable of skin penetration, and the disease severity ranges from being rapidly fatal to low-grade chronic infections that may be asymptomatic for many years. The most significant zoonotic waterborne helminthic diseases are either snail-mediated, copepod-mediated, or transmitted by fecal-contaminated water.

The majority of waterborne zoonotic pathogens are transmitted from animals to humans through contaminated water and food. Travel and movement of human and animal populations, environmental changes (altering land use patterns, urbanization, soil-water pollution due to animal and human wastes, climate change) are important factors in the worldwide spread of these diseases. People with immune disorders or other underlying chronic conditions are at particular risk and domestic animals, particularly those of intensive breeding, are at higher risk, too. Novel methods for rapid identification and differentiation of various zoonotic pathogens are needed for effective containment of waterborne outbreaks. Disease prevention methods, including disease surveillance, education and improved drinking water treatment, are needed predominantly in low-income countries. Waterborne zoonotic pathogens shared between humans and animals signify the need to strengthen the One Health approach to efficiently guard public health and food–water safety at a global level.

This Special Issue on "Waterborne Zoonotic Pathogens" addresses cutting edge research and review articles from leading scientists in the field of food and waterborne infections.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

• Waterborne zoonotic pathogens
• Waterborne zoonotic diseases
• Novel methods for early detection of waterborne zoonotic diseases
• Rapid identification of waterborne pathogens
• Prevention of waterborne zoonotic disease outbreak
• Disease surveillance and risk assessment
• New and effective drinking water treatment and sanitation methods
• Waterborne zoonotic pathogens’ drug resistance
• Bacteriophages in the natural and artificial environment
• Waterborne zoonotic pathogens in soil
• Waterborne zoonotic pathogens in sewage effluents
• Development of drugs for effective treatment of waterborne zoonotic diseases
• Development of effective vaccines for waterborne zoonotic diseases

Prof. Dr. Chrissanthy Papadopoulou
Dr. Vangelis Economou
Dr. Hercules Sakkas
Guest Editors

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