Nontuberculous mycobacteria in drinking water systems - the challenges of characterization and risk mitigation.

Katherine Dowdell, Sarah-Jane Haig, Lindsay J Caverly, Yun Shen, John J LiPuma, Lutgarde Raskin

Journal: Current opinion in biotechnology 2020;57():127-136

PMID: 31003169

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Abstract

Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) pulmonary infections are a growing concern worldwide, with a disproportionate incidence in persons with pre-existing health conditions. NTM have frequently been found in municipally-treated drinking water and building plumbing, leading to the hypothesis that an important source of NTM exposure is drinking water. The identification and quantification of NTM in environmental samples are complicated by genetic variability among NTM species, making it challenging to determine if clinically relevant NTM are present. Additionally, their unique cellular features and lifestyles make NTM and their nucleic acids difficult to recover. This review highlights a recent work focused on quantification and characterization of NTM and on understanding the influence of source water, treatment plants, distribution systems, and building plumbing on the abundance of NTM in drinking water.

Address: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.; Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.; Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.; Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].

DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2019.03.010

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MeSH Terms: Drinking Water, Nontuberculous Mycobacteria, Phylogeny, Risk Assessment, Water Microbiology, Water Purification