Drinking water plumbing systems are a hot spot for antimicrobial-resistant pathogens

IF 3.9 3区医学 Q1 INFECTIOUS DISEASES

Journal of Hospital Infection Pub Date : 2025-03-08 DOI:10.1016/j.jhin.2025.02.018

C. Hayward , K.E. Ross , M.H. Brown , R. Bentham , J. Hinds , H. Whiley

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background

Antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) pathogens in drinking water plumbing systems represent a significant yet underestimated public health threat.

Methods

This is the first study to use qPCR and culture-based methods to investigate the prevalence of key AMR threats, meticillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and carbapenem resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii, in Australian hospital and residential drinking water and biofilm samples.

Findings

Seventy-three per cent of residential water and biofilm samples were qPCR positive for at least one target pathogen compared with 38% of hospital samples, and 45% of residential plumbing fixtures harboured at least two target pathogens. Thirty-seven per cent of water and biofilm samples were qPCR positive for P. aeruginosa, 22.3% for A. baumannii and 21.7% for S. aureus. Using culture, 10% of samples were positive for P. aeruginosa, 8% for A. baumannii and 7% for S. aureus. Of these, 29% of P. aeruginosa and 28% of A. baumannii culture isolates were carbapenem resistant, and 54% of S. aureus isolates were identified as MRSA. Drain biofilms were the most common reservoir for AMR A. baumannii, S. aureus and P. aeruginosa. Carbapenem resistance genes including bla_NDM-1, bla_OXA-48, bla_KPC-2 and bla_VIM were found in biofilm samples otherwise negative for P. aeruginosa, indicating plumbing biofilms may act as eDNA reservoirs.

Conclusions

These findings underscore the critical role of plumbing biofilms as hotspots for diverse AMR pathogens, amplifying risks for vulnerable populations, particularly in home healthcare settings. This study highlights an urgent need for enhanced surveillance and targeted interventions to mitigate AMR risks in drinking water plumbing systems.

查看原文本刊更多论文

饮用水管道系统是耐抗生素病原体的热点。

背景：饮用水管道系统中的抗微生物药物耐药性（AMR）病原体是一种重大但被低估的公共卫生威胁。方法：本研究首次采用qPCR和基于培养的方法调查澳大利亚医院和居民饮用水和生物膜样本中主要AMR威胁——耐甲氧西林金黄色葡萄球菌（MRSA）和耐碳青霉烯假单胞菌和鲍曼不动杆菌的流行情况。结果：73%的居民用水和生物膜样本至少有一种目标病原体qPCR阳性，而38%的医院样本为阳性，45%的居民管道装置至少有两种目标病原体。37%的水和生物膜样品qPCR阳性铜绿假单胞菌，22.3%的鲍曼假单胞菌和21.7%的金黄色葡萄球菌。通过培养，10%的样品铜绿假单胞菌阳性，8%的鲍曼假单胞菌阳性，7%的金黄色葡萄球菌阳性。其中，29%的铜绿假单胞菌和28%的鲍曼假单胞菌培养分离株对碳青霉烯具有耐药性，54%的金黄色葡萄球菌分离株被鉴定为MRSA。下水道生物膜是AMR鲍曼杆菌、金黄色葡萄球菌和铜绿假单胞菌最常见的宿主。碳青霉烯耐药基因包括blaNDM-1、blaOXA-48、blaKPC-2和blaVIM在铜绿假单胞菌阴性的生物膜样品中被发现，这表明管道生物膜可能是eDNA的储存库。结论：这些发现强调了管道生物膜作为各种AMR病原体热点的关键作用，增加了弱势群体的风险，特别是在家庭医疗保健环境中。这项研究强调，迫切需要加强监测和有针对性的干预措施，以减轻饮用水管道系统中的抗菌素耐药性风险。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Journal of Hospital Infection 医学-传染病学

CiteScore

12.70

自引率

5.80%

发文量

271

审稿时长

19 days

期刊介绍： The Journal of Hospital Infection is the editorially independent scientific publication of the Healthcare Infection Society. The aim of the Journal is to publish high quality research and information relating to infection prevention and control that is relevant to an international audience. The Journal welcomes submissions that relate to all aspects of infection prevention and control in healthcare settings. This includes submissions that: provide new insight into the epidemiology, surveillance, or prevention and control of healthcare-associated infections and antimicrobial resistance in healthcare settings; provide new insight into cleaning, disinfection and decontamination; provide new insight into the design of healthcare premises; describe novel aspects of outbreaks of infection; throw light on techniques for effective antimicrobial stewardship; describe novel techniques (laboratory-based or point of care) for the detection of infection or antimicrobial resistance in the healthcare setting, particularly if these can be used to facilitate infection prevention and control; improve understanding of the motivations of safe healthcare behaviour, or describe techniques for achieving behavioural and cultural change; improve understanding of the use of IT systems in infection surveillance and prevention and control.