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Common Features of Opportunistic Premise Plumbing Pathogens

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  • Joseph O. Falkinham

    (Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech., 1405 Perry Street, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA)

Abstract

Recently it has been estimated that the annual cost of diseases caused by the waterborne pathogens Legionella pneumonia , Mycobacterium avium , and Pseudomonas aeruginosa is $500 million. For the period 2001–2012, the estimated cost of hospital admissions for nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease, the majority caused by M. avium , was almost $1 billion. These three waterborne opportunistic pathogens are normal inhabitants of drinking water—not contaminants—that share a number of key characteristics that predispose them to survival, persistence, and growth in drinking water distribution systems and premise plumbing. Herein, I list and describe these shared characteristics that include: disinfectant-resistance, biofilm-formation, growth in amoebae, growth at low organic carbon concentrations (oligotrophic), and growth under conditions of stagnation. This review is intended to increase awareness of OPPPs, identify emerging OPPPs, and challenge the drinking water industry to develop novel approaches toward their control.

Suggested Citation

  • Joseph O. Falkinham, 2015. "Common Features of Opportunistic Premise Plumbing Pathogens," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-13, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:12:y:2015:i:5:p:4533-4545:d:48713
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Deepti Prasad Karumathil & Hsin-Bai Yin & Anup Kollanoor-Johny & Kumar Venkitanarayanan, 2014. "Effect of Chlorine Exposure on the Survival and Antibiotic Gene Expression of Multidrug Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii in Water," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-11, February.
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    Cited by:

    1. Aashka Parikh & Christopher Vinnard & Nicole Fahrenfeld & Amy L. Davidow & Amee Patrawalla & Alfred Lardizabal & Andrew Gow & Reynold Panettieri & Maria Gennaro, 2019. "Revisiting John Snow to Meet the Challenge of Nontuberculous Mycobacterial Lung Disease," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(21), pages 1-17, November.
    2. Stefania Paduano & Isabella Marchesi & Maria Elisabetta Casali & Federica Valeriani & Giuseppina Frezza & Elena Vecchi & Luca Sircana & Vincenzo Romano Spica & Paola Borella & Annalisa Bargellini, 2020. "Characterisation of Microbial Community Associated with Different Disinfection Treatments in Hospital hot Water Networks," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(6), pages 1-17, March.
    3. Samuel Dorevitch, 2015. "Health Effects of Waterborne Contaminants: A Focus on Emerging Concerns," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-3, October.
    4. Luisa Marras & Giacomo Bertolino & Adriana Sanna & Valentina Carraro & Valentina Coroneo, 2023. "Legionella spp. Monitoring in the Water Supply Systems of Accommodation Facilities in Sardinia, Italy: A Two-Year Retrospective Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(18), pages 1-9, September.
    5. Brandon Leftwich & Samuel T. Opoku & Jingjing Yin & Atin Adhikari, 2021. "Assessing Hotel Employee Knowledge on Risk Factors and Risk Management Procedures for Microbial Contamination of Hotel Water Distribution Systems," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(7), pages 1-14, March.

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