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Quantification of Thermotolerant Campylobacter in Swiss Water Treatment Plants, by Real‐Time Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction
Author(s) -
Rinsoz Thomas,
Hilfiker Silvia,
Oppliger Anne
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
water environment research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.356
H-Index - 73
eISSN - 1554-7531
pISSN - 1061-4303
DOI - 10.2175/106143009x407429
Subject(s) - wastewater , campylobacter , polymerase chain reaction , real time polymerase chain reaction , sewage treatment , microbiology and biotechnology , health hazard , bacteria , biology , veterinary medicine , chemistry , environmental chemistry , environmental science , environmental engineering , medicine , biochemistry , genetics , environmental health , gene
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 2292 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.