Bacterial community profiles within the water samples of Leptospirosis outbreak areas

Asmalia Md Lasim and Ahmad Mohiddin Mohd Ngesom and Sheila Nathan and Fatimah Abdul Razak and Mardani Abdul Halim and Wardah Mohd Saleh and Kamaruddin Zainul Abidin and Farah Shafawati MohdTaib (2024) Bacterial community profiles within the water samples of Leptospirosis outbreak areas. Journal for life and environment. pp. 1-23.

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Abstract

Background: Leptospirosis is a water-related zoonotic disease. The disease is primarily transmitted from animals to humans through pathogenic Leptospira bacteria in contaminated water and soil. Rivers have a critical role in Leptospira transmissions, while co-infection potentials with other waterborne bacteria might increase the severity and death risk of the disease. Methods: The water samples evaluated in this study were collected from four recreational forest rivers, Sungai Congkak, Sungai Lopo, Hulu Perdik, and Gunung Nuang. The samples were subjected to next-generation sequencing (NGS) for the 16S rRNA and in-depth metagenomic analysis of the bacterial communities. Results: The water samples recorded various bacterial diversity. The samples from the Hulu Perdik and Sungai Lopo downstream sampling sites had a more significant diversity, followed by Sungai Congkak. Conversely, the upstream samples from Gunung Nuang exhibited the lowest bacterial diversity. Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Acidobacteria were the dominant phyla detected in downstream areas. Potential pathogenic bacteria belonging to the genera Burkholderiales and Serratia were also identified, raising concerns about co-infection possibilities. Nevertheless, Leptospira pathogenic bacteria were absent from all sites, which is attributable to its limited persistence. The bacteria might also be washed to other locations, contributing to the reduced environmental bacterial load. Conclusion: The present study established the presence of pathogenic bacteria in the river ecosystems assessed. The findings offer valuable insights for designing strategies for preventing pathogenic bacteria environmental contamination and managing leptospirosis co-infections with other human diseases. Furthermore, closely monitoring water sample compositions with diverse approaches, including sentinel programs, wastewater-based epidemiology, and clinical surveillance, enables disease transmission and outbreak early detections. The data also provides valuable information for suitable treatments and long-term strategies for combating infectious diseases.

Item Type: Article
Keyword: Bacterial community, Leptospirosis, Pathogenic, Next generation sequencing, Public health, Water recreational, Leptospira
Subjects: G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GB Physical geography > GB3-5030 Physical geography > GB651-2998 Hydrology. Water
Q Science > QR Microbiology > QR1-502 Microbiology
Department: INSTITUTE > Biotechnology Research Institute (BRI)
Depositing User: JUNAINE JASNI -
Date Deposited: 29 Jul 2025 09:59
Last Modified: 29 Jul 2025 09:59
URI: https://eprints.ums.edu.my/id/eprint/44630

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