Thesis (M. Tech. (Environmental Health)) - Central University of Technology, Free State, 2014 / In the battle to sustain and produce quality food that is safe and affordable, the limited legislative and regulatory environment continues to allow opportunities for food to become contaminated during processing. The degree of contamination distributed over the final food product (including meat products) depends upon several factors that include knowledge and behaviour of the food handlers, equipment, the hygiene habits of personnel, and the monitoring that takes place at food processing plants (including butcheries). The current study was conducted in five selected butcheries (forming 15% of the registered butcheries at the time the study was conducted) in the Mangaung Metropolitan municipal area, purposely targeting the ones registered with the municipality. The hygiene practices of meat handlers were assessed (through self-administered questionnaires) because meat is a perishable product that requires labour intensive processing for production of quality products. Thus, mishandling by food handlers may create and maintain conditions favourable to microbial contamination. Furthermore, the study assessed and characterised microbial contamination on working surfaces and utensils through swabs as well as bioluminescence instrument [Adenosine Tri-phosphate (ATP) Hygiena] for cleanness of the working environment. Concomitant to the above, meat handlers’ hands and aprons were also assessed for possible microbial contamination as well as their characterisation. Lastly, aerosolised microbes [through an air sampler (Surface Air System) SAS Super 90] were also collected for iv quantification and identification during working hours as airborne microbes can settle on working surfaces and/or utensils as a result of movement of workers and other related working processes. Statistical points such as correlations, standard deviations, group standard deviations as well as significant differences were captured per respective chapter where necessary. Data reported in this study is over 3 month period with two weeks intervals during sampling and thus reported as either weekly or rounds between sampling periods. The results of the current study indicate that the food safety objectives are negligibly achieved, indicating a need for proper food safety training which is audit based. On administration of a questionnaire, food handlers showed poor knowledge of food safety awareness coupled with poor attitude and behaviour in terms of food safety. The five butchery premises were further examined regarding the airborne and surface microbial loads, as well as that of the food handlers’ hands, during processing. The microbial loads in the air appeared to comply with the suggested limits at all the sampled butcheries. Microbial loads on meat contact surfaces showed levels conforming to the South African standard or guideline of 1 × 102 cfu.m-2. Total Coliforms on hands and on aprons were compared to the general microbial target value of <2.5 cfu.m-2 as suggested by literature. In this study, Matrix Laser Desorption Time of Flight Mass Spectrophotometer (MALDI-TOF MS) was found to be an accurate, rapid and cost effective method towards v identifying of foodborne pathogens and spoilage bacteria including yeast. Moreover, in recent years South Africa’s meat scandals have increased consumer awareness and the demand for food safety. Section 11 of the Meat Safety Act (Act no. 40 of 2000) stipulates that every abattoir must utilize an independent inspection service appointed by the department of agriculture to ensure that meat of high quality and wholesomeness is produced. However, once the meat and meat products leave the abattoir, they are under the jurisdiction of the local authorities who rely only on visual assessment as opposed to microbiological inspection in the maintenance of their hygiene and quality. Despite the high incidence of foodborne illnesses in both developed and developing countries; South African data on foodborne illness incidents is still insufficient. This could be attributed to the fact that in South Africa, legislation governing the acceptable standards of the levels of microbiota in the air and on food handlers’ hands is still inadequate. Additionally, lack of obligatory usage of Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) procedures in the meat premises poses a risk for economic productivity. In conclusion, the identification of airborne bacteria in the butcheries strongly suggests that in the planning of the existing establishments, the building layout, control of the traffic flow of personnel, the durability and imperviousness of floors, the ventilation system and the placement of the equipment were not carefully considered. This may play a role in the prevalence and proliferation of airborne microbes as the resulting establishments provide an environment conducive to the breeding of microbes. vi In regard to swabs, it was concluded that floors may present a high point of contamination possibly through aerosolization of microbial communities. Moreover, cleaning materials and hygiene practices need to be reviewed. The results of the administered questionnaire showed that food handlers should be sufficiently trained with regard to food quality management tools such as Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) systems and food safety. The evaluation of meat contact surfaces for organic soils to determine their cleanliness using the rapid ATP bioluminescence testing can be convenient for everyone involved in the food chain since visual and touch inspection cannot be conclusive enough to meet regulatory requirements in terms of microbial counts.

No atual cenário de saneamento, há uma escassez de estudos na temática de retenção de microrganismos patogênicos em estações de tratamento de esgotos, onde os principais tratamentos se baseiam na remoção de parâmetros físico-químicos. Uma abordagem mais ampla na remoção destes microrganismos em estações de tratamento e sua quantificação no lodo retido é um passo importante para o aumento do debate acerca da eficiência dos atuais tratamentos utilizados na retenção de patógenos, diminuindo assim a contaminação de corpos d\'água com posteriores problemáticas no âmbito de saúde pública. Desta forma, a proposta do projeto foi avaliar e quantificar a remoção de cistos de Giardia spp., oocistos de Cryptosporidium spp. e Escherichia Coli em sistema de tratamento de esgoto sanitário constituído de tratamento anaeróbio (reator UASB), utilizando dois valores de TDH - 8 horas (Etapa 1) e 12 horas (Etapa 2) - seguido de tratamento em sistema de lodo ativado. O projeto utilizou uma estação de tratamento piloto junto a estação de tratamento da USP São Carlos. Para análises de E. coli e coliformes totais foi utilizada a técnica de pour plate e para detecção de cistos e oocistos de Giardia spp. e Cryptosporidium spp., a técnica de separação imunomagnética (IMS) e técnica de Reação de Imunoflorescência Direta (RID) foi escolhida como método de detecção e quantificação. Para a remoção no reator UASB, a variação de TDH indicou influência na remoção de parâmetros físico-químicos e na retenção de microrganismos, sendo que a utilização de TDH de 12 horas obteve remoções de 0,21 log para cistos Giardia spp. e 0,48 log para oocistos de Cryptosporidium spp. Para o Sistema de Lodo ativado, as remoções foram de 0,48 log e 0,15 para ambos os microrganismos, respectivamente, não havendo influência significativa na retenção com a mudança de TDH do reator UASB. Nas análises em fase sólida, foram observados valores altos de contaminação no lodo, tanto para Giardia spp., quanto para Cryptosporidium spp., onde a viabilidade dos (oo)cistos detectados estiveram na faixa de 30% a 99% nas amostras analisadas. / Currently, the field of sanitation faces a lack of studies on retention of pathogenic microorganisms in wastewater treatment plants, where main treatments are based on the removal of physical and chemical parameters. A broader approach to the removal of pathogens in wastewater treatment systems and their quantification in retained sludge is an important step to increase the debate around the efficiency of prevailing treatments used to retain those microorganisms and to consequently reduce the contamination of water bodies. The present study was conducted to assess and quantify the removal of Giardia spp. cysts, Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts and E. coli in wastewater treatment systems. For the purpose of this research, the treatment consisted of a UASB reactor using two values of hydraulic retention time (HRT) - 8 hours (phase 1) and 12 hours (phase 2) - followed by an activated sludge system. The project was staged in a pilot wastewater treatment plant coupled to USP Sao Carlos\' wastewater treatment system. Pour plate technique was used for analysis of E.coli and total coliforms. IMS was used to detect cysts and oocysts of Giardia spp. and Cryptosporidium spp. DFA (direct immunofluorescence assay) method was chosen to detection and quantification. HRT variation for removal in UASB reactor indicated influence in removal of physical and chemical parameters and in retention of microorganisms. The 12 hours use of HRT obtained removals of 0.21 log for Giardia cysts and 0.48 log for Cryptosporidium oocysts. Activated sludge removals presented 0.48 log and 0.15 log respectively, without significative influence in retention with the HRT\'s change in UASB reactor. High values of contamination were observed during solid-phase analysis in activated sludge, both for Giardia and Cryptosporidium. Here, viability of the (oo)cysts detected was around 30% up to 99% of the analyzed samples.

In our study we analyzed pathogenic microorganisms from burn wounds, their rate and changes after tightening the infection control. Special attention was paid to the diagnostics and treatment problems of Staphylococcus aureus. We have been studying Rational application algorithm of antibacterial drugs influence on the effectiveness of the infection diagnostics and treatment, and the changes of Staphylococcus aureus resistance to antibiotics. There was performed an experimental analysis of pathogenic microorganisms with „electronic nose“ and a comparison was made of changing parameters in „electronic nose“ resistance studying Acinetobacter spp., Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococus aureus pathogenic microorganisms. This experiment underlies further investigations of the early diagnostics of the pathogenic microorganisms. Our research works have characterized it from the complex standpoint to the solution of burn wound infection prevention, diagnostics, and treatment problems what is missing in analyzed literature.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-02T20:16:53Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 6503.pdf: 1740715 bytes, checksum: deb2330f845c5751bcb107b9549ba42f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-02-03 / Universidade Federal de Sao Carlos / The spectroscopy is a technique based on light-matter interaction, which provides information about the composition and structure of molecules. For this reason, it is used in various fields of science, including the biology. There are various types of spectroscopy, based on different physical phenomena, however, in this article, we had addressed only two types: Raman and photoluminescence. Raman spectroscopy consists in the analysis of the inelastic scattering of radiation by focusing on a molecule. The light-matter interaction in this case results in a molecular vibrational energy change. On the other hand, the photoluminescence spectroscopy analyzes the radiation emitted by molecules due to electronic transitions induced by absorption of a photon. This study addresses the application of both techniques in the problem of combating pathogenic microorganisms. Some fungi and bacteria are causative of serious diseases and, therefore, the enhancement of efficiency in identifying and combating these microorganisms is of great interest to public health. This work aimed the application of Raman spectroscopy and photoluminescence to the identification of three pathogenic microorganisms and changes in the spectra emitted by them by adding an antimicrobial agent. In this study a novel peptide with antifungal and antibiotic action was used, called polycerradin, with biological activity demonstrated by agar diffusion tests. The spectra obtained by the Raman scattering technique were not conclusive, since there was photoluminescence emission concomitantly. However, the photoluminescence spectra showed a significant decrease in peak intensity at 695 nm when the ELP was added, for all three microorganisms studied. These results demonstrate, therefore, the great potential application of photoluminescence spectroscopy not only for the identification of microorganisms as well as for determination of the inhibition and/or killing of the same by adding an antimicrobial agent. As a future prospect, we aim to develop a biosensor based on photoluminescence technique, to be used in the identification and monitoring of micro-organisms. This biosensor could be applied in various areas such as medical, food industry, sanitary, among others. / A espectroscopia é uma técnica baseada na interação luz-matéria, que propicia a determinação de informações sobre a composição e a estrutura de moléculas. Por esse motivo, é utilizada em diversos campos da ciência, dentre eles, a biologia. Existem diversos tipos de espectroscopia, baseados em fenômenos físicos distintos, no entanto, neste trabalho, são abordados apenas dois tipos: Raman e de fotoluminescência. A espectroscopia Raman consiste na análise do espalhamento inelástico da radiação ao incidir sobre uma molécula. A interação luz-matéria, neste caso, resulta em uma alteração na energia vibracional molecular. Por outro lado, a espectroscopia de fotoluminescência analisa a radiação emitida por moléculas decorrente de transições eletrônicas, induzidas pela absorção de um fóton. O presente estudo aborda a aplicação de ambas as técnicas na problemática de combate a micro-organismos patogênicos. Alguns fungos e bactérias são causadores de doenças graves e, portanto, o aprimoramento da eficiência na identificação e combate à esses micro-organismos é de grande interesse para a saúde pública. Este trabalho visou a aplicação das espectroscopias Raman e de fotoluminescência para a identificação de três microorganismos patogênicos e de alterações nos espectros emitidos por eles, ao se adicionar um agente antimicrobiano. Foi utilizado neste estudo um novo peptídeo com ação antifúngica e antibiótica, denominado de polycerradin, com atividade biológica comprovada por testes de difusão em ágar. Os espectros obtidos através da técnica de espalhamento Raman não foram conclusivos, uma vez que houve emissão de fotoluminescência concomitantemente. No entanto, os espectros de fotoluminescência mostraram uma significativa diminuição na intensidade do pico em 695 nm quando o extrato lipopeptídico (ELP) foi adicionado, para os três micro-organismos estudados. Estes resultados demonstram, portanto, a grande potencialidade da aplicação de espectroscopia de fotoluminescência, não só para a identificação dos micro-organismos, como também para a determinação da inibição e/ou morte dos mesmos ao se adicionar um agente antimicrobiano. Como perspectiva futura, objetivamos o desenvolvimento de um biossensor, baseado na técnica de fotoluminescência, a fim de se utilizar na identificação e no monitoramento de micro-organismos, podendo ser aplicado nas áreas médica, alimentícia, sanitária, dentre outras.

Submitted by Leonardo Cavalcante (leo.ocavalcante@gmail.com) on 2018-07-17T18:21:26Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Arquivototal.pdf: 16322215 bytes, checksum: c172a5636f12cf8195f2382f1c23de59 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-07-17T18:21:26Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Arquivototal.pdf: 16322215 bytes, checksum: c172a5636f12cf8195f2382f1c23de59 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-02-27 / Conselho Nacional de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico - CNPq / Various researches in molecular epidemiology, molecular diagnosis and evolutionary genetics related to pathogens are compared to managing large amounts of data derived from institutions such as, hospitals or laboratories. Although there already are some proposals to connect molecular information to the diagnosis of pathogens, none of them uses high performance bioinformatics tools which are embedded in a system and linked to a patient’s electronic record. The MolEpi tool has been developed as a system of data and information management addressed to public health, incorporating clinical and epidemiological information about patients, as well as molecular data of 16S rRNA sequences of pathogenic bacteria. In order to confirm which species of these bacteria were identified, biological samples (urine, secretions and purulent wounds, tracheal aspirate and blood) and subsequently incubation and growth of colonies in culture, and PCR was used followed by sequencing and analysis of the conserved coding region for 16S ribosomal RNA (rDNA). Such strategy enabled fast bacterial identification, regardless of prior knowledge of the species of microorganism under study. Moreover MolEpi is a system interconnected to repositories of specific sequences as Genbank (NCBI), RDP-II (Ribosomal Database Project - MSU) and GreenGene (LBL). In this way, once the sequences of clinical isolates are confirmed and validated, they can be used as reference in the identification of other unknown microorganisms. Thus, a local database was established, representing the profile of pathogens found in the hospital unity of study and which should be object of public health surveillance. In order to develop MolEpi, we used the Java programming language and the PostgreSQL8.3 object-relational database. It was also developed BACSearch, which has the following programs to handle the analysis of 16S rDNA sequences, we used the framework BioJava; to multiple alignment, ClustalW2, MAFFT and MUSCLE, and for editing of multiple alignment and phylogenetic analysis, the JalView2.4.0 was used. The system was validated with 200 clinical specimens isolated and identified from sites of nosocomial infection. The DNA sequences produced from these samples were subjected to BLAST by using the developed tool, which identified Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Morganella morganii as the main pathogens involved. Data on resistance patterns of the species were obtained in microbiology laboratory, and incorporated into the database. The application of MolEpi tool to the Health System can provide prompt and accurate diagnosis, connected to relevant network information which can be intended for health professionals. / A maioria das pesquisas em epidemiologia molecular, diagnóstico molecular e genética evolutiva são confrontadas com o gerenciamento de grandes volumes de dados. Além disso, os dados utilizados em estudos de doenças patogênicas são complexos e geralmente derivam de instituições tais como hospitais ou laboratórios. Embora já existam propostas que conecte informações moleculares ao diagnóstico de patogenias, nenhuma delas utilizam ferramentas de bioinformática de alto desempenho incorporadas a um sistema e vinculada a um prontuário eletrônico do paciente. MolEpi foi desenvolvido como um sistema de gerenciamento de dados e informações dimensionado a saúde pública, incorporando informações clínicas e epidemiológicas sobre pacientes e dados moleculares de sequências do gene rRNA 16S de bactérias patogênicas. Para identificação destas bactérias foram utilizadas amostras biológicas (urina, secreções e purulentas de feridas, aspirado traqueal e sangue) e PCR seguida de sequenciamento e análise da região conservada codificadora de RNA ribossômico (rDNA) 16S. Este estratégia permite uma identificação bacteriana rápida, independente de conhecimento prévio da espécie de microrganismo em estudo. O MolEpi é um sistema facilmente atualizável com as sequências específicas de bancos como Genbank(NCBI), RDP-II (Ribosomal Database Project - MSU) e GreenGene (LBL). A partir da confirmação e validação das sequências dos isolados clínicos, estas podem ser utilizadas como referência na identificação de outros microrganismos desconhecidos. Neste sentido, foi estabelecido um banco de dados local, representativo do perfil de patógenos encontrados na unidade hospitalar de estudo e objeto de vigilância epidemiológica. Para o desenvolvimento do MolEpi, utilizamos a linguagem Java e banco de dados PostgreSQL8.3. Foi desenvolvido também o BACSearch, que possui os seguintes programas: para o processamento de sequências de rDNA 16S utilizamos os frameworks BioJava; para alinhamento múltiplo foi implementado o ClustalW2, MAFFT e o MUSCLE e para edição do alinhamento múltiplo e análise filogenética foi utilizado JalView R⃝2.4.0b2. O sistema foi validado com 200 espécimes clínicos identificadas e isoladas de sítios de infecção hospitalar. As sequências de DNA produzidas a partir destas amostras foram submetidas ao BLAST, utilizando a ferramenta desenvolvida, identificando Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii, Klebsiela pneumonie e Staphylococcus aureus como os principais patógenos correspondentes. Os dados sobre o padrão de resistência das espécies foram obtidos em laboratório de microbiologia e incorporados ao banco de dados. A aplicação do MolEpi ao Sistema Único de Saúde poderá fornecer diagnósticos mais rápidos, precisos, e interligados a uma rede de informações relevantes para o profissional de saúde.

No atual cenário de saneamento, há uma escassez de estudos na temática de retenção de microrganismos patogênicos em estações de tratamento de esgotos, onde os principais tratamentos se baseiam na remoção de parâmetros físico-químicos. Uma abordagem mais ampla na remoção destes microrganismos em estações de tratamento e sua quantificação no lodo retido é um passo importante para o aumento do debate acerca da eficiência dos atuais tratamentos utilizados na retenção de patógenos, diminuindo assim a contaminação de corpos d\'água com posteriores problemáticas no âmbito de saúde pública. Desta forma, a proposta do projeto foi avaliar e quantificar a remoção de cistos de Giardia spp., oocistos de Cryptosporidium spp. e Escherichia Coli em sistema de tratamento de esgoto sanitário constituído de tratamento anaeróbio (reator UASB), utilizando dois valores de TDH - 8 horas (Etapa 1) e 12 horas (Etapa 2) - seguido de tratamento em sistema de lodo ativado. O projeto utilizou uma estação de tratamento piloto junto a estação de tratamento da USP São Carlos. Para análises de E. coli e coliformes totais foi utilizada a técnica de pour plate e para detecção de cistos e oocistos de Giardia spp. e Cryptosporidium spp., a técnica de separação imunomagnética (IMS) e técnica de Reação de Imunoflorescência Direta (RID) foi escolhida como método de detecção e quantificação. Para a remoção no reator UASB, a variação de TDH indicou influência na remoção de parâmetros físico-químicos e na retenção de microrganismos, sendo que a utilização de TDH de 12 horas obteve remoções de 0,21 log para cistos Giardia spp. e 0,48 log para oocistos de Cryptosporidium spp. Para o Sistema de Lodo ativado, as remoções foram de 0,48 log e 0,15 para ambos os microrganismos, respectivamente, não havendo influência significativa na retenção com a mudança de TDH do reator UASB. Nas análises em fase sólida, foram observados valores altos de contaminação no lodo, tanto para Giardia spp., quanto para Cryptosporidium spp., onde a viabilidade dos (oo)cistos detectados estiveram na faixa de 30% a 99% nas amostras analisadas. / Currently, the field of sanitation faces a lack of studies on retention of pathogenic microorganisms in wastewater treatment plants, where main treatments are based on the removal of physical and chemical parameters. A broader approach to the removal of pathogens in wastewater treatment systems and their quantification in retained sludge is an important step to increase the debate around the efficiency of prevailing treatments used to retain those microorganisms and to consequently reduce the contamination of water bodies. The present study was conducted to assess and quantify the removal of Giardia spp. cysts, Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts and E. coli in wastewater treatment systems. For the purpose of this research, the treatment consisted of a UASB reactor using two values of hydraulic retention time (HRT) - 8 hours (phase 1) and 12 hours (phase 2) - followed by an activated sludge system. The project was staged in a pilot wastewater treatment plant coupled to USP Sao Carlos\' wastewater treatment system. Pour plate technique was used for analysis of E.coli and total coliforms. IMS was used to detect cysts and oocysts of Giardia spp. and Cryptosporidium spp. DFA (direct immunofluorescence assay) method was chosen to detection and quantification. HRT variation for removal in UASB reactor indicated influence in removal of physical and chemical parameters and in retention of microorganisms. The 12 hours use of HRT obtained removals of 0.21 log for Giardia cysts and 0.48 log for Cryptosporidium oocysts. Activated sludge removals presented 0.48 log and 0.15 log respectively, without significative influence in retention with the HRT\'s change in UASB reactor. High values of contamination were observed during solid-phase analysis in activated sludge, both for Giardia and Cryptosporidium. Here, viability of the (oo)cysts detected was around 30% up to 99% of the analyzed samples.

Mälaren är Stockholms största dricksvattentäkt och den förser årligen 1,7 miljoner människor med rent dricks-, tvätt- och badvatten genom Stockholm Vattens vattenverk Norsborg och Lovö och Norrvattens vattenverk Görväln. Även om det finns reservvattentäkter som Bornsjön så räcker inte de till om något skulle hända med Mälaren som t.ex. oljeutsläpp från något fartyg som befinner sig i närheten av vattenintagen. Idag förekommer det ständigt föroreningar från alla möjliga utsläppskällor som enskilda avlopp, industrier, avloppsreningsverk, fritidsbåtar, jordbruk m.m. och alla dessa bidrar till en sämre vattenkvalitet. Syftet med den här rapporten är att identifiera och lokalisera möjliga utsläppspunkter för patogena mikroorganismer inom ett område som kan orsaka problem för Stockholm Vattens vattenverk Norsborg och Lovö. Rapporten ska senare användas för att undersöka vilka riskpunkter som utgör de största hoten mot vattenverken. Området innefattar till största del Ekerö kommun och Botkyrka kommun men även Salems kommun finns inom riskområdet. Ekerö släpper ständigt ut renat och orenat avloppsvatten från olika reningsverk och anläggningar som kan innehålla stora mängder patogena mikroorganismer. De enskilda avloppen står även för en del utsläpp eftersom det fortfarande finns hus och anläggningar med avloppslösningar som inte är godkända enligt dagens krav på utsläpp från enskilda avlopp. Kraven på avloppslösningar innefattar inte patogena mikroorganismer utan inriktas på eutrofierande ämnen som kväve och fosfor. Även jordbruket är en potentiell källa för utsläpp av patogena mikroorganismer då antingen gödsel eller slam kan användas som näringsämnen för åkrar. Även avföring från betesmarker kan spolas ut i vattentäkter med dagvattnet. En av fördelarna med Mälaren som vattentäkt är att dess vattenflöde är så pass stort att föroreningar som släpps ut späds ut över så stora vattenmängder. För att försäkra sig om att patogena mikroorganismer inte kan ta sig igenom vattenverken så finns det två modeller som är framtagna för att beräkna vilken motståndskraft verket har mot olika patogena mikroorganismer. De modellerna heter ODP (Optimal disinfektionspraxis) och MRA (Mikrobiologisk riskanalys). Informationen som uppsamlas i rapporten ska i ett senare skede användas i dels SeaTrack som SMHI skapat för att se hur mikroorganismer sprids i vatten och MRA för att utvärdera hur stora risker dessa utsläppspunkter medför till vattenverken. / Mälaren is Stockholms largest source of drinking water and is supplying 1,7 million people with drinking-, washing- and bathing water. The water is distributed through the companies Stockholm Vatten and Norrvatten from their water purification plants Norsborg, Lovö and Görväln. There is also a reserve fresh water source called Bornsjön but it’s not big enough to supply 1,7 million people which mean it can only replace Mälaren for a short time  if something would happen. Today it is always occurring pollutions from a set of different sources for example private sewage, factories, sewage treatment works, boats and agriculture. All those contribute with a lower water quality. The purpose with this report was to identify and find possible emission points for pathogenic micro-organisms inside a certain area that can cause problems for Stockholm Vattens water purification plants Norsborg and Lovö. The report will later be used to evaluate which risk points can be a threat to the water purification plants.  The risk area holds the biggest part of Ekerö, Botkyrka and also Salems. Ekerö is constantly emitting processed sewage water from all the different kind of sewage treatment works and that water can contain high amounts of pathogenic micro-organisms.  The private sewage is also contributing with emissions because some of them are not good enough to be approved by the standards today.  The demands for private sewage is not including pathogenic micro-organisms but is more directed to limit the emission of nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen. Agriculture is also a possible source of emission of pathogenic micro-organisms when both manure and sludge can be used as nutrients for fields. Even the excrements from pasture lands can reach Mälaren with the surface water.A large advantage with Mälaren as a source of drinking water is the large water flow is diluting the pollutions that is emitted in to it. To ensure no pathogenic micro-organisms can pass through the water purification plants two different models exist to calculate a water purification plants resistance to different kinds of pathogenic micro-organisms. The models are called ODP (Optimal disinfection Praxis) and MRA (Microbiologic Risk Assessment). The information gathered in the report is later on going to be used in another computer model SeaTrack created by SMHI to predict particles movement in the eastern Mälaren and later on MRA to evaluate what kind of risks the different emission points have.

Thesis (M. Tech.) -- Central University of Technology, Free State, 2010 / South Africa currently faces one of the highest HIV prevalence rates in the world. As this prevalence rises, the strain placed on its hospitals is likely to increase due to the shortage of beds. The devastating effects of HIV/AIDS initiated the establishment of a hospice which is a non-governmental organisation whose goal is the provision of care for terminally ill patients, either in their homes, in hospitals or in a hospice’s own in-patients wards. Part of the hospice’s mission is to offer palliative care without charge to anyone who requires it. The basic elements of hospice care include pain and symptom management, provision of support to the bereaving family and promoting a peaceful and dignified death. This also includes the provision of cooked foods to the patients using the kitchen facilities of the hospices for this activity. It is well known that the kitchen is particularly important in the spread of infectious disease in the domestic environment due to many activities that occur in this particular setting. Food and water safety is especially important to the persons infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or with immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).It is estimated that food-borne pathogens (disease–causing agents) are responsible for 76 million illnesses, some resulting in death, in the United States alone every year. In one study of patients with AIDS, two-thirds had diarrhoeal disease and in two-thirds of these, the following enteric pathogens were identified: Salmonella, Shigella, Listeria, Yersnia, Cryptosporidium, Entamoeba histolylica and Campylobacter sp. In an epidemiological study of patients with HIV infection a close association was found between consumption of raw or partially cooked fish and antimicrobial-resistant Mycobacterium avium complex. Antibiotic resistance in food-borne pathogens has become a reality and this poses a serious threat to the medical fraternity since it diminishes the effectiveness of treatment. This study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of foodborne pathogens including bio aerosols isolated from the kitchen surfaces and food handler’s before and after cooking. The antibiotic resistance of the isolated pathogens was further determined to assess their impact on treatment. The following microbiota were isolated: Total viable counts (TVC), Coliforms, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas and presumptive Salmonella. The hospices had high counts of E.coli and S.aureus on the cutting boards for the breakfast session compared to the traditional home based kitchens. It was speculated that this could have originated from crosscontamination via the foodhandler’s hands and the food served. It is evident from the results that hospices lack a management system regarding the prevalence of E. coli as it was present on the cutting boards throughout the food preparation sessions. Gram negative organisms (coliform and P. aeruginosa) were in particular both resistant to oxacillin and this pose a great challenge in this particular setting. This can be addressed by putting emphasis on hygiene as a strategy per se for reducing antibiotic resistance.

Water is an indispensible and yet a difficult resource to be renewed, thus water scarcity has become one of the major challenges faced worldwide, with the Southern regions of Africa being the most impacted and affected, especially the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa where rural communities depend on receiving waterbodies that are often negatively impacted by wastewater final effluents. This present study was conducted between August and December 2010 to assess the physicochemical and microbial qualities of the final effluents of peri-urban and rural communities based wastewater treatment plants in the Eastern Cape Province. The physicochemical parameters were determined on site and in the laboratory, while bacteriological qualities were determined using culture based techniques. The virological qualities were determined by molecular methods using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction for the target RNA virus and the conventional polymerase chain reaction for the target DNA virus. For both wastewater treatment plants, the physicochemical parameters ranged as follows: chemical oxygen demand (5.95-45 mg/L); total dissolved solids (114.5-187.0 mg/L); salinity (0.12-0.20 psu); temperature (14.2-25.7oC); pH (6.0-7.6); nitrate and nitrites (1.55-6.7 mg/L and 0.023-1.15 mg/L respectively); biological oxygen demand (3.5-7.8 mg/L); turbidity (1.49-6.98 NTU); and chlorine residual (0-2.97 mg/L). Feacal indicator bacteria counts ranged as follows: feacal coliforms (0-1.25×104 cfu/100 ml); total coliforms (0-3.95×104 cfu/100 ml); and enterococci (0-5.0×103 cfu/100 ml). xviii Seventy five percent of the rural community based plant and 80 percent of the peri-urban community based plant were positive for coxsackie A virus, while hepatitis A virus was detected in all the rural community based plant 80 percent of the peri-urban community based plant. This study suggests the need for intervention by appropriate regulatory agencies to ensure regular monitoring of the qualities of final effluents of wastewater treatment facilities in the Eastern Cape Province and ensure compliance to established guidelines.

Orientador: Jose Luiz Pereira / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia de Alimentos / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-05T16:44:43Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Maistro_LilianeCorrea_D.pdf: 46681351 bytes, checksum: ad9a87ef59bfce7cfb07b758fe4a075f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2006 / Resumo: O resumo poderá ser visualizado no texto completo da tese digital / Abstract: The abstract is available with the full electronic document / Doutorado / Doutor em Ciência de Alimentos