Occurrence of waterborne pathogens and antibiotic resistance in water supply systems in a small town in Mozambique.

BACKGROUND: . Microbiological quality of drinking water supplied in Moamba, a small town in southern Mozambique, was assessed by collecting and analyzing 91 water sample from 5 sampling sites: raw or inlet water, treated water and 3 household taps along the water distribution system. The presence of Escherichia coli as indicator fecal contamination, three bacterial pathogens, Vibrio cholerae, Salmonella and Campylobacter spp., and Cefotaximee resistant E. coli as antibiotic resistance determinant, was assessed. RESULTS: . The results showed fecal contamination in all types of water samples: E. coli was found in 100% of inlet water samples, in 21% of treated water samples, and in 22% of tap water samples. No Salmonella spp. was detected during the study. The presence of V. cholerae was detected in 42% of all water samples tested: 100% of inlet water samples, in 16% of treated water samples, and in 23% household tap water samples. All V. cholerae confirmed isolates where genotyped by PCR as non-O1/non-O139; however, 9 isolates showed the presence of the genes encoding for cholera toxin. The presence of Campylobacter spp. was detected in 36% of the water samples tested: in 95% of inlet water samples, in 10% of treated water samples and in 23% household tap water samples. Cefotaxime resistant E. coli was detected in 63% of inlet water, 16% of treated water, and in 9% of tap water samples, these isolates were also resistant to multiple other antibiotics: ampicillin, streptomycin, tetracycline chloramphenicol. All 70 V. cholerae non-O1/non-O139 confirmed isolated were resistant to ampicillin, 51% to streptomycin, 13% to gentamycin, and 1 isolate was resistant to tetracycline; 13% showed a multi-drug resistant profile, being resistant to at least three antibiotics. CONCLUSION: . The presence of fecal contamination and pathogens in the water treatment system and household taps in Moamba indicates a health risk for the population. This burden increases by the presence of bacterial pathogens showing multidrug resistance.

Impact of the aquatic pathobiome in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) quest for safe water and sanitation practices.

Microbial contamination of surface waters is of particular relevance in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) since they often represent the only available source of water for drinking and domestic use. In the recent years, a growing urbanization, profound demographic shifts and drastic climate events have greatly affected LMICs capacity to reach access to safe drinking water and sanitation practices, and to protect citizens' health from risks associated to the exposure and use of contaminated water. Detailed phylogenetic and microbiological information on the exact composition of pathogenic organisms in urban and peri-urban water is scarce, especially in rapidly changing settings of sub-Saharan Africa. In this review we aim to highlight how large-scale water pathobiome studies can support the LMICs challenge to global access to safe water and sanitation practices.

Molecular detection of Babesia spp. and other haemoparasitic infections of cattle in Maputo Province, Mozambique.

Molecular detection of Babesia species in apparently healthy cattle within an endemic region was carried out in order to determine the prevalence of carriers and the geographical distribution of Babesia bigemina and Babesia bovis in Maputo Province, Mozambique. Samples from 477 animals at 5 localities were analysed using 2 techniques, the semi-nested hot-start PCR and the reverse line blot (RLB) assay. With the semi-nested hot-start PCR, detection of B. bigemina ranged between 30% and 89%, and of B. bovis between 27% and 83%. The RLB assay was comparatively less sensitive in this study and detection of B. bovis ranged from 0% to 17%, and B. bigemina was not detected at all by this technique. Analysis of new sequences of the 18S rRNA gene revealed that the current B. bigemina RLB probe is not specific for the identification of isolates in Mozambique. The RLB assay, however, resulted in the detection of 8 other haemoparasite species belonging to the genera Babesia, Theileria, Anaplasma and Ehrlichia. 18S rRNA gene sequences from the Theileria spp. were identified, and a phylogenic tree constructed with these sequences yielded a heterogeneous T. mutans-like group. In conclusion, infection with B. bigemina and B. bovis is endemic in Maputo Province, but rates of transmission vary. Furthermore, mixed infections with the haemoparasites responsible for several tick-borne diseases in cattle are common in Mozambique.

Detection of bovine babesiosis in Mozambique by a novel seminested hot-start PCR method.

Babesiosis is a tick borne disease (TBD) caused by parasites of the genus Babesia, with considerable worldwide economic, medical, and veterinary impact. Bovine babesiosis and other TBDs were considered responsible for 50% of the deaths of cattle that occurred in Mozambique in the first year after importation from neighbouring countries. Here, we present the detection of Babesia bigemina and Babesia bovis in cattle from Mozambique using two distinct PCR methods. For this study, blood samples were collected in one farm located near Maputo city. The DNA samples were analyzed using a previously described nested PCR and a novel hot-start PCR method. Primers were selected for the hot-start PCR based on the putative gene of an undescribed aspartic protease named babesipsin, present in both B. bovis and B. bigemina. The combination of hot-start polymerase and long primers (29-31 bp) were in this study determinant for the successful amplification and detection in only one PCR. With a seminested approach the sensitivity was further increased. The babesipsin seminested hot-start PCR was in this study more sensitive than the nested PCR. A total of 117 field samples were tested by seminested hot-start PCR, and 104 were positive for B. bigemina (90%), 97 were positive for B. bovis (82%), 86 were mixed infections (52%) and only 2 were negative for both Babesia species (1.7%). The results confirm that this area of Mozambique is endemic for babesiosis, and that this TBD should be regarded as a threat for imported cattle.