RAPID: Waterborne Elizabethkingia disinfection studies in response to ongoing U.S. outbreak

1700604Mayer在美国有一场由伊利莎白金酸菌引起的持续暴发。伊丽莎白金氏杆菌是一组普遍存在的细菌，它们在土壤和水中的存在通常不会对人类健康构成风险。然而，目前的疫情包括63例确诊病例，自2015年11月以来已与18例确诊死亡病例有关。这种投机取巧的人类病原体特别令人担忧，因为它往往表现出高度的抗生素耐药性和死亡率。鉴于这种病原体的出现和持续的疫情，重要的是更好地了解如何有效地控制饮用水中的这些细菌。这一快速研究项目将首次直接评估使用氯化、氯胺化、臭氧和紫外线(UV)照射来灭活水中伊丽莎白细菌的情况。拟议工作的具体目标包括以下内容。描述浮游细胞的消毒反应，2)附着细胞的消毒反应，3)加深对消毒效果与伊丽莎白肌痛成分之间的关系的理解。实验室实验将用于建立浓度(或紫外线强度)x时间关系(称为CT关系)。这一消毒剂反应数据目前尚不清楚，迫切需要制定有效的消毒战略，以遏制当前的疫情和避免未来的公共卫生灾难。此外，该项目还将探索细菌的组成(核酸和氨基酸)与对不同消毒模式的敏感性之间的关系。拟议的研究将极大地促进更广泛的社会成果，包括更好地了解饮用水消毒战略，以更好地保护人类健康，这对遏制由伊丽莎白肌痛细菌引起的持续暴发和预防未来暴发具有直接影响。该项目的调查结果还将纳入PIS定期教学轮换的课程模块/讨论，这是高中生的暑期体验，以及马奎特大学每年为学者和专业人员开设的新污染物短期课程。

1700604MayerThere is an ongoing outbreak in the U.S caused by Elizabethkingia bacteria. Elizabethkingia is a ubiquitous group of bacteria whose presence in soil and water ordinarily pose little risk to human health. However, the current outbreak includes 63 confirmed cases, and has been associated with 18 confirmed fatalities since November 2015. This opportunistic human pathogen is particularly alarming because it tends to exhibit a high degree of antibiotic resistance and mortality. Given the emergence of this pathogen and the ongoing outbreak, it is important to develop a better understanding of how to effectively control these bacteria in drinking water. This RAPID research project will provide the first direct assessment of inactivation of waterborne Elizabethkingia bacteria using chlorination, chloramination, ozonation, and ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. Specific objectives of the proposed work include the following. Characterize the disinfection response of: 1) planktonic cells, 2) attached cells, and 3) develop a deeper understanding of the relationship between disinfection efficacy and Elizabethkingia composition. Laboratory experiments will be used to establish concentration (or UV intensity) x time relationships (referred to as CT relationships). This disinfectant response data is currently unknown, and is urgently needed to develop effective disinfection strategies to curtail the current outbreak and avoid future public health disasters. Additionally, this project will probe the relationship between the bacteria's composition (nucleic and amino acids) and susceptibility to different modes of disinfection. The proposed research will substantially contribute to advancing broader societal outcomes including improved understanding of drinking water disinfection strategies to better protect human health, which has immediate implications for curtailing the ongoing outbreak caused by Elizabethkingia bacteria and for preventing future outbreaks. Findings from this project will also be integrated into course modules/discussions in the PIs regular teaching rotation, a summer experience for high school students, and at the Emerging Contaminants Short Course offered annually at Marquette University for academics and professionals.