Betaproteobacteria include some of the most abundant and ubiquitous bacterial genera that can be found in drinking water, including mineral water. The combination of physiology and ecology traits place some Betaproteobacteria in the list of potential, yet sometimes neglected, opportunistic pathogens that can be transmitted by water or aqueous solutions. Indeed, some drinking water Betaproteobacteria with intrinsic and sometimes acquired antibiotic resistance, harbouring virulence factors and often found in biofilm structures, can persist after water disinfection and reach the consumer. This literature review summarises and discusses the current knowledge about the occurrence and implications of Betaproteobacteria in drinking water. Although the sparse knowledge on the ecology and physiology of Betaproteobacteria thriving in tap or bottled natural mineral/spring drinking water (DW) is an evidence of this review, it is demonstrated that DW holds a high diversity of Betaproteobacteria, whose presence may not be innocuous. Frequently belonging to genera also found in humans, DW Betaproteobacteria are ubiquitous in different habitats, have the potential to resist antibiotics either due to intrinsic or acquired mechanisms, and hold different virulence factors. The combination of these factors places DW Betaproteobacteria in the list of candidates of emerging opportunistic pathogens. Improved bacterial identification of clinical isolates associated with opportunistic infections and additional genomic and physiological studies may contribute to elucidate the potential impact of these bacteria.

Radiación ultravioleta-c para desinfección bacteriana (coliformes totales y termotolerantes) en el tratamiento de agua potable

The region of Puno, in Peru, is described as a region with some health conditions that may be associated with the water quality, such as a high index of anemia or cases of acute diarrhea in children. This study aimed at monitoring the drinking water quality of the city of Ilave, in Peru, and determining possible correlations between physical-chemical and microbiological parameters, and the water distribution conditions, such as the period of water availability. Physical-chemical parameters (turbidity, residual chlorine, temperature, conductivity, and pH), microbiological parameters (presence of coliforms), and heavy metals (Zn, Mn, Ni, Fe, and Cu) were determined. All the parameters quantified were within the maximum permissible limits according to Peruvian regulations, except for residual chlorine, which was, for all the treated water samples, below the recommended value of 0.5 mg/L. Coliforms that should be absent from drinking water were detected in all the household samples. These results demonstrate the need for the inclusion of additional steps of re-chlorination along the distribution system to guarantee the maintenance of residual levels of chlorine that assure the microbiological quality of water. The quality of the drinking water was not observed to correlate with the period of water availability.

Distribución temporal de las enfermedades diarreicas agudas, su relación con la temperatura y cloro residual del agua potable en la ciudad de Puno, Perú.

The inorganic chemical parameters in drinking water that include heavy metals are substances that exist in nature very widespread, nevertheless toxic metals such as lead, cadmium, arsenic, mercury, are very harmful to human health and to all forms of life, these toxic metals are silents contaminants. Therefore, the present study aims to determine the presence of inorganic chemical parameters in the drinking water from districts of the province of Puno. The results were compared based on the parametric test T-student and the non-parametric tests Kolmogorov-Smirnov. Finding the highest values (mg/L) in districts as Capachica Ba (0.8458) and Pb (0.5255), Mañazo Al (3.08) and Pb (0.0185), San Antonio de Esquilache Fe (0.49) and Pb (0.9513), Vilque As (0.0193) and Pb (15.34), and Pichacani As (0.0193) and Pb (0.0215), as it is observed the samples do not comply with the regulation of the quality of drinking water in Peru, making it unsuitable for human consumption.