title: Detection and diversity of aeromonads from treated wastewater and fish inhabiting effluent and downstream waters.
abstract: A two-season investigation of the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent, of related waters, sludge and fish across a wide area and 11 stations, with emphasis on Aeromonas spp. was conducted. Aeromonas veronii was the prevailing aeromonad isolated by MALDI TOF MS in the summer period. A rise of Aeromonas hydrophila was observed in summer in raw sewage, treated wastewater and effluent-carrying canal. The ratio of aeromonad species retrieved from fish tissues did not correspond with the water and sludge findings, as in spring in the effluent-carrying canal fish carried Aeromonas salmonicida ssp. salmonicida and Aeromonas bestiarum, while in summer mainly A. veronii and Acinetobacter johnsonii were isolated from fish tissues in the same location. No correlation was established between fecal coliforms/enterococci and aeromonad occurrence. All retrieved Aeromonas species demonstrated a distinct spectral pattern, with peaks showing unique mass distribution ranging from 4000 to 10,000Da. Hierarchical clustering separated aeromonads of all isolated species and clustered closely related strains together. Resistance was determined towards amoxicillin, and frequently towards sulfamethoxazole and erythromycin. In summer, a high proportion of water and sludge Aeromonas species demonstrated multiple resistance patterns towards five or more antimicrobials. The quinolone resistance of water aeromonads was mostly related to A. veronii. There are potential health concerns regarding aeromonad exposure amongst recreational fishermen who come into contact with fish inhabiting waters downstream from the WWTP, and WWTP workers who are occupationally exposed to wastewaters and their aerosols.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Ichthyopathology-Biological Materials, Rudjer Boskovic Institute, Zagreb, Croatia. Electronic address: ntopic@irb.hr.
authors.forename: Natalija
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Topic Popovic
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Chemical Kinetics and Atmospheric Chemistry, Rudjer Boskovic Institute, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Snjezana P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Kazazic
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Ichthyopathology-Biological Materials, Rudjer Boskovic Institute, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Ivancica
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Strunjak-Perovic
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Ichthyopathology-Biological Materials, Rudjer Boskovic Institute, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Josip
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Barisic
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Ichthyopathology-Biological Materials, Rudjer Boskovic Institute, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sauerborn Klobucar
authors.affiliation: Virkom d.o.o., Public Water Supply and Wastewater Services, Virovitica, Croatia.
authors.forename: Slavko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kepec
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Ichthyopathology-Biological Materials, Rudjer Boskovic Institute, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Rozelinda
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Coz-Rakovac
mesh_terms: D000333:Aeromonas / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016980:Aeromonas hydrophila / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D000818:Animals; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; D016983:Enterococcus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005399:Fishes / Q000382:microbiology*; D019649:Food Industry; D012722:Sewage / Q000382:microbiology*; D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization; D014871:Water Microbiology
chemical_list: D012722:Sewage
keywords: API 20E; Aeromonas; MALDI TOF MS; WWTP; Wastewater