Quantification of thermotolerant Campylobacter in Swiss water treatment plants, by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction.
A total of 49 wastewater samples from 23 different wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) were analyzed using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction for the presence and quantity of thermotolerant campylobacters. Thermotolerant campylobacters were detected in 87.5% (21/24) and 64% (16/25) of untreated and treated wastewater samples, respectively. Their concentration was sufficiently high to be quantified in 20.4% (10/49) of the samples. In these samples, the concentration ranged from 68,000 to 2,292,000 cells/L in untreated wastewater and from 10,800 to 28,000 cells/L in treated water. We conclude that thermotolerant campylobacters present a health hazard for workers at WWTPs in Switzerland.
Institute for Work and Health, University of Lausanne and Geneva, Lausanne, Switzerland.
Thomas
T
Rinsoz
Silvia
S
Hilfiker
Anne
A
Oppliger
D002167:Campylobacter; D006358:Hot Temperature; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013557:Switzerland; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods*; D014871:Water Microbiology; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods