Abstract
Currently, there is a worldwide growing interest in the occurrence and diversity of fungi and their secondary metabolites in aquatic systems, especially concerning their role in water quality and human health. However, this concern is hampered by the scant information that is available in the literature about aquatic fungi and how they affect water quality. There are only few published reports that link certain species of aquatic fungi to human health. The common aquatic fungal species that have been reported so far in African aquatic systems belong to the hyphomycetes kingdom. This paper thus aims to survey the information about the occurrence and factors that control the distribution of different species of fungi in African aquatic systems, as well as their effect on water quality and the possible metabolic pathways that lead to the formation of toxic secondary metabolites that are responsible for the deterioration of water quality. This review will also investigate the analytical and bioanalytical procedures that have been reported for the identification of different species of waterborne fungi and their secondary metabolites.
Highlights
IntroductionAmong the most serious concerns with regard to water quality is the presence of and contamination due to microbial pathogens in water
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), water that can be regarded as safe and fit for human consumption is that which cannot cause any significant health hazard when consumed and that which has microbial, chemical and physical characteristics that meet WHO guidelines [1].Among the most serious concerns with regard to water quality is the presence of and contamination due to microbial pathogens in water
According to the few available reports, the monitoring of microbial pathogens in most drinking water systems is dependent on the monitoring of indicator microorganisms, especially measures of the total coliforms and Escherichia coli [2,3,4,5]
Summary
Among the most serious concerns with regard to water quality is the presence of and contamination due to microbial pathogens in water. This has prompted water utilities, stakeholders in water issues and all other sectors that are responsible for the supply and distribution of drinking water to come up with strategies to protect consumers from waterborne diseases, as well as to ensure that the water that reaches the public does not harbor any pathogenic microorganisms. According to the few available reports, the monitoring of microbial pathogens in most drinking water systems is dependent on the monitoring of indicator microorganisms (bacteria), especially measures of the total coliforms and Escherichia coli [2,3,4,5]. It is well understood that there are many microbes that are present in aquatic systems that pose a real health threat to consumers and which may not be indicated by the presence of coliforms
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