Abstract
People might get infected by pathogens found in urban recreational waters during water-contact activities, such as swimming, boating, bathing, and yachting. However, the persistence of pathogenic bacteria in those waters was not well documented. In this study, persistence of E. coli O157:H7 (EcO157) in 48 water samples (24 Spring samples and 24 Autumn samples) from the 3 urban recreational waters was investigated. Multivariate statistical analysis was performed to correlate survival data with water physicochemical properties and bacterial communities. Our data showed that EcO157 survived longer in Spring samples than in Autumn samples regardless of the lakes. Results revealed that recreational water physicochemicalproperties and bacterial community in Spring samples were different from those in Autumn samples. Mantel and Partial Mantel tests, as well as co-occurrence network analysis illustrated that EC salinity, TOC, and bacterial community were correlated with survival time (ttd) (p < 0.05). Variation partition analysis (VPA) indicated that bacterial community, EC, TOC, and TN explained about 64.81% of overall ttd variation in Spring samples, and bacterial community, EC, pH, and TP accounted for about 56.59% of overall ttd variation in Autumn samples. Structural equation model (SEM) illustrated that EC indirectly positively affected ttd through bacterial community. The correlation between bacterial community and ttd was negative in Spring samples and positive in Autumn samples. TN appeared a direct positive effect on ttd in Spring samples. TP displayed a direct negative effect on ttd in Autumn samples. Our results concluded that there was seasonal variation in environmental factors that directly or indirectly affected the survival of EcO157 in urban recreational waters.
Highlights
E. coli O157:H7 (EcO157) is a pathogenic, rod-shaped, gram-negative, and Shiga toxins–producing bacterium belonging to phylum Proteobacteria
It is of great significance to study the persistence of EcO157 in water environment to reduce the risk of human infection
Our data revealed that EC and TOC levels were higher in Spring samples and TN levels were higher in Autumn samples
Summary
E. coli O157:H7 (EcO157) is a pathogenic, rod-shaped, gram-negative, and Shiga toxins–producing bacterium belonging to phylum Proteobacteria. The major origin of EcO157 strains was cattle, and the count of this pathogen in the feces of super shedders could be as high as 1 08 CFU (colony forming units)/g (Fukushima and Seki 2004). Untreated sewage containing EcO157 from surrounding hospitals, farms, and residential areas, if directly discharged into water, would greatly increase the risk of human infection (Lopes et al 2020). Plenty of evidence have indicated that EcO157 has a strong ability to survive in water. Sediments could be resuspended and EcO157 concentrations might increase rapidly in overlying water (Stott et al 2011; Chavez-Diaz et al 2020). Waterborne transmission will increase the risk of human infection. It is of great significance to study the persistence of EcO157 in water environment to reduce the risk of human infection
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
