Identification, Comparison, and Profiling of Selected Diarrhoeagenic Pathogens from Diverse Water Sources and Human and Animal Faeces Using Whole-Genome Sequencing

Consumption of contaminated drinking water is known to cause waterborne diseases such as diarrhoea, dysentery, typhoid, and hepatitis. This study applied whole-genome sequencing (WGS) to detect, identify, compare, and profile diarrhoeagenic pathogens (<i>Vibrio cholerae</i>, Shiga toxin-...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Arinao Murei, Maggy Ndombo Benteke Momba
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:Microorganisms
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/13/6/1373
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849704968627421184
author Arinao Murei
Maggy Ndombo Benteke Momba
author_facet Arinao Murei
Maggy Ndombo Benteke Momba
author_sort Arinao Murei
collection DOAJ
description Consumption of contaminated drinking water is known to cause waterborne diseases such as diarrhoea, dysentery, typhoid, and hepatitis. This study applied whole-genome sequencing (WGS) to detect, identify, compare, and profile diarrhoeagenic pathogens (<i>Vibrio cholerae</i>, Shiga toxin-producing <i>Escherichia coli</i>, and <i>Escherichia coli</i> O157:H7) from 3168 water samples and 135 faecal samples (human and animal). Culture-based methods, MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, and PCR were employed prior to WGS for identification of pathogens. Culture-based results revealed high presumptive prevalence of STEC (40.2%), <i>V. cholerae</i> (37.1%), and <i>E. coli</i> O157:H7 (22.7%). The MALDI-TOF confirmed 555 isolates with <i>V. cholerae</i> identified as <i>Vibrio albensis</i>. Shiga toxin-producing <i>Escherichia coli</i> (STEC) was more prevalent in wastewater (60%), treated water (54.1%), and groundwater (36.8%). PCR detected 46.4% of virulence genes from the water isolates and 66% of virulence genes from the STEC stool isolates. WGS also revealed STEC (92.9%) as the most prevalent species and found common virulence (e.g., <i>hcp1/tssD1</i> and <i>hlyE</i>) and resistance (e.g., <i>acrA</i> and <i>baeR</i>) genes in all three types of samples. Five resistance and thirteen virulence genes overlapped among treated water and stool isolates. These findings highlight the diarrhoeagenic pathogens’ public health risk in water sources and underscore the need for better water quality monitoring and treatment standards.
format Article
id doaj-art-3afc7f43dcec4f2e81b424827012c76c
institution DOAJ
issn 2076-2607
language English
publishDate 2025-06-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Microorganisms
spelling doaj-art-3afc7f43dcec4f2e81b424827012c76c2025-08-20T03:16:35ZengMDPI AGMicroorganisms2076-26072025-06-01136137310.3390/microorganisms13061373Identification, Comparison, and Profiling of Selected Diarrhoeagenic Pathogens from Diverse Water Sources and Human and Animal Faeces Using Whole-Genome SequencingArinao Murei0Maggy Ndombo Benteke Momba1Department of Environmental, Water and Earth Sciences, Arcadia Campus, Tshwane University of Technology, 175 Nelson Mandela Avenue, Arcadia, Pretoria 0001, South AfricaDepartment of Environmental, Water and Earth Sciences, Arcadia Campus, Tshwane University of Technology, 175 Nelson Mandela Avenue, Arcadia, Pretoria 0001, South AfricaConsumption of contaminated drinking water is known to cause waterborne diseases such as diarrhoea, dysentery, typhoid, and hepatitis. This study applied whole-genome sequencing (WGS) to detect, identify, compare, and profile diarrhoeagenic pathogens (<i>Vibrio cholerae</i>, Shiga toxin-producing <i>Escherichia coli</i>, and <i>Escherichia coli</i> O157:H7) from 3168 water samples and 135 faecal samples (human and animal). Culture-based methods, MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, and PCR were employed prior to WGS for identification of pathogens. Culture-based results revealed high presumptive prevalence of STEC (40.2%), <i>V. cholerae</i> (37.1%), and <i>E. coli</i> O157:H7 (22.7%). The MALDI-TOF confirmed 555 isolates with <i>V. cholerae</i> identified as <i>Vibrio albensis</i>. Shiga toxin-producing <i>Escherichia coli</i> (STEC) was more prevalent in wastewater (60%), treated water (54.1%), and groundwater (36.8%). PCR detected 46.4% of virulence genes from the water isolates and 66% of virulence genes from the STEC stool isolates. WGS also revealed STEC (92.9%) as the most prevalent species and found common virulence (e.g., <i>hcp1/tssD1</i> and <i>hlyE</i>) and resistance (e.g., <i>acrA</i> and <i>baeR</i>) genes in all three types of samples. Five resistance and thirteen virulence genes overlapped among treated water and stool isolates. These findings highlight the diarrhoeagenic pathogens’ public health risk in water sources and underscore the need for better water quality monitoring and treatment standards.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/13/6/1373whole-genome sequencing (WGS)conventional PCRMALDI-TOF MSwater sourcesrural communities
spellingShingle Arinao Murei
Maggy Ndombo Benteke Momba
Identification, Comparison, and Profiling of Selected Diarrhoeagenic Pathogens from Diverse Water Sources and Human and Animal Faeces Using Whole-Genome Sequencing
Microorganisms
whole-genome sequencing (WGS)
conventional PCR
MALDI-TOF MS
water sources
rural communities
title Identification, Comparison, and Profiling of Selected Diarrhoeagenic Pathogens from Diverse Water Sources and Human and Animal Faeces Using Whole-Genome Sequencing
title_full Identification, Comparison, and Profiling of Selected Diarrhoeagenic Pathogens from Diverse Water Sources and Human and Animal Faeces Using Whole-Genome Sequencing
title_fullStr Identification, Comparison, and Profiling of Selected Diarrhoeagenic Pathogens from Diverse Water Sources and Human and Animal Faeces Using Whole-Genome Sequencing
title_full_unstemmed Identification, Comparison, and Profiling of Selected Diarrhoeagenic Pathogens from Diverse Water Sources and Human and Animal Faeces Using Whole-Genome Sequencing
title_short Identification, Comparison, and Profiling of Selected Diarrhoeagenic Pathogens from Diverse Water Sources and Human and Animal Faeces Using Whole-Genome Sequencing
title_sort identification comparison and profiling of selected diarrhoeagenic pathogens from diverse water sources and human and animal faeces using whole genome sequencing
topic whole-genome sequencing (WGS)
conventional PCR
MALDI-TOF MS
water sources
rural communities
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/13/6/1373
work_keys_str_mv AT arinaomurei identificationcomparisonandprofilingofselecteddiarrhoeagenicpathogensfromdiversewatersourcesandhumanandanimalfaecesusingwholegenomesequencing
AT maggyndombobentekemomba identificationcomparisonandprofilingofselecteddiarrhoeagenicpathogensfromdiversewatersourcesandhumanandanimalfaecesusingwholegenomesequencing