title: An Italian investigation on non-tuberculous mycobacteria in an urban water supply.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Atypical or non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are considered opportunistic pathogenic bacteria. They are natural inhabitants of a broad variety of environmental reservoirs, including natural and treated waters. Due to the lack of Italian studies on these microorganisms in drinking water, an investigation was carried out on their occurrence and on species present in a municipal water distribution system in Rome. The presence of the traditional indicators of faecal contaminations and free living amoebae were also verified.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two different methodological approaches based on cultural and molecular techniques have been applied in parallel.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean concentrations of NTM obtained with the two analytical methodologies were roughly 102 CFU/L. Among the numerous NTM species identified, M. chelonae was the most frequently isolated. No correlation of NTM with indicators of faecal contamination and amoebae was found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mycobacteria can be present even if routine tests show water to have an excellent hygienic quality.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environment and Primary Prevention, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Briancesco
authors.affiliation: ACEA ATO2, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Alaimo
authors.affiliation: LaboratoRI SpA, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bonanni
authors.affiliation: ACEA ATO2, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Delle Site
authors.affiliation: LaboratoRI SpA, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Di Gianfilippo
authors.affiliation: Interzonal Service Projects, Habitability, Drinking Water, Public Health Utility Roma C, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Grassano
authors.affiliation: Interzonal Service Projects, Habitability, Drinking Water, Public Health Utility Roma C, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Moscatelli
authors.affiliation: LaboratoRI SpA, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ottaviano
authors.affiliation: Department of Environment and Primary Prevention, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Paradiso
authors.affiliation: Interzonal Service Projects, Habitability, Drinking Water, Public Health Utility Roma C, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Quintiliani
authors.affiliation: Department of Environment and Primary Prevention, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Semproni
authors.affiliation: Department of Environment and Primary Prevention, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bonadonna
mesh_terms: D000656:Amoeba / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D060766:Drinking Water / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000592:standards; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D009170:Nontuberculous Mycobacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014505:Urban Population; D014871:Water Microbiology
chemical_list: D060766:Drinking Water