First Investigation of Thermophilic and Pathogenic Campylobacter Species in Drinking Water Sources in Turkey

Abstract

Abstract This study aims to determine for the first time the presence of thermophilic Campylobacter (C. jejuni, C.coli, and C. lari) in drinking water sampled from Edirne city center, districts and rural areas (villages, towns, and private enterprises) located near the Bulgarian and Greece border regions of Western Turkey. We also aimed to determine the variations in the distribution of thermophilic Campylobacter sp. at different seasons and water sources. For this purpose, Escherichia coli, which is a definite indicator of fecal pollution, was investigated and enumerated by using the membrane filtration method according to ISO 9308-1: 2014 Standard. qPCR analyses of thermophilic Campylobacter species were performed by using two different commercial kits in E. coli detected samples. In our study, E. coli was detected in 67 out of 1644 water samples taken from 455 different stations. It was observed that all of the samples contaminated with E. coli were groundwater samples, which were not subjected to any treatment process. Only one E.coli contaminated sample had a low chlorine level of 0.03 ppm and others were free of chlorine. Thermophilic Campylobacter (C. jejuni, C. coli, and C. lari) species were detected in 32 out of 67 water samples by multiplex qPCR analysis by using Mericon Campylobacter Triple Kit. However, since this kit can only reveal the genus and can not determine the species of this bacterium, C. jejuni Standard Kit was used to detect the C. jejuni which is the most likely species to be seen. qPCR analyses by using the C. jejuni Standard Kit demonstrated that 5 of 67 water samples were positive for this bacterium. This study, which was carried out first time in Turkey, showed that thermophilic Campylobacter can be found in drinking water sources in all regions of Edirne, and disruptions in the treatment, storage, and distribution of water may cause possible thermophilic Campylobacter-related cases even possible epidemics in this Western border region.