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Aerobic Prokaryotes
Published in Volodymyr Ivanov, Environmental Microbiology for Engineers, 2020
There are many pathogens among the abovementioned genera, for example Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Burkholderia cepacia, and Burkholderia pseudomallei. Burkholderia pseudomallei is an agent of melioidosis. This disease is common in Southeast Asia. It affects people exposed to soil and soil aerosols: farmers on rice paddies, construction workers, or people living close to the soil excavation area. The disease may be misidentified as syphilis, typhoid fever, or tuberculosis. Symptoms of pulmonary melioidosis can range from bronchitis to severe pneumonia. During the period from 1989 to 1996, a total of 372 melioidosis cases, with 147 deaths, were reported in Singapore. Therefore, the test of acute toxicity and other pathogenicity tests of all microbial strains, isolated as the active biodegraders of xenobiotics for environmental engineering applications, must be made after selection and before pilot scale research.
Burkholderia Species
Published in Martin Koller, The Handbook of Polyhydroxyalkanoates, 2020
Natalia Alvarez-Santullano, Pamela Villegas, Mario Sepúlveda, Ariel Vilchez, Raúl Donoso, Danilo Perez-Pantoja, Rodrigo Navia, Francisca Acevedo, Michael Seeger
The ecological diversity of the Paraburkholderia and Burkholderia genera is associated with their large multi-replicon genomes (6–10 Mb), providing them with a metabolic versatility that allows, for example, the degradation of a wide range of aromatic compounds and xenobiotics [11–14]. Their genomes contain an array of insertion sequences that promote genomic plasticity and general adaptability [13,15]. Members of Paraburkholderia and Burkholderia genera have been studied for various biotechnological applications, including bioremediation of pollutants, plant-growth promotion, biocontrol of plant diseases, and synthesis of diverse compounds such as polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) and rhamnolipids [16–18]. Xenobiotic and aromatic-degrading strains have been applied in bioremediation processes [19]. Paraburkholderia xenovorans LB400 is capable of degrading a wide range of polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs) and diverse aromatic compounds [20–24]. Paraburkholderia phenoliruptrix AC1109 degrades the herbicide 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid. Burkholderia vietnamiensis G4, which belongs to the BCC, is capable of degrading trichloroethylene, benzene, phenol, toluene, naphthalene, and chloroform [12]. Paraburkholderia and Burkholderia strains that promote plant growth and protect plants from pests have been reported. Burkholderia ambifaria and Paraburkholderia caribensis are diazotrophic species that promote the growth of amaranth grain. Burkholderia rinojensis exhibits biocontrol activity against arthropod pests [25]. Paraburkholderia tropica converts insoluble mineral phosphorus into an available form for plant uptake. Paraburkholderia phytofirmans strain PsJN degrades auxin and protects Arabidopsis thaliana against the phytopathogen Pseudomonas syringae [17,26]. Some species of Paraburkholderia and Burkholderia may be beneficial for their hosts due to their capabilities to fix nitrogen, produce plant hormones or siderophores, and decrease ethylene levels. These species could be used in agriculture to promote plant growth and biocontrol of plant diseases [1,27]. However, specific Burkholderia strains are pathogens for both plants and animals [28]. The BCC includes human, animal, and plant pathogens, isolated from a variety of natural habitats (i.e., plant rhizosphere, soil, river water) and urban environments (i.e., playground). Burkholderia pseudomallei and Burkholderia mallei, which belong to BCC, are the agents responsible for melioidosis disease, which is a potentially lethal septic infection, and glanders disease, respectively [29]. Conversely, several species of BCC are beneficial to the natural environment. For example, Burkholderia cepacia AMMDR1 protects crop plants against fungal diseases such as root rot caused by Aphanomyces euteiches [30].
Environmental health effects attributed to toxic and infectious agents following hurricanes, cyclones, flash floods and major hydrometeorological events
Published in Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part B, 2019
Timothy B. Erickson, Julia Brooks, Eric J. Nilles, Phuong N. Pham, Patrick Vinck
Skin and soft tissue infections induced by Streptococcus, Staphylococcus sp, and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) occur frequently after floods (Bandion, Hang, and Norton 2015; Cook 2018b; Tabuchi and Kaplan 2017). Other infectious illnesses, particularly in tropical low-middle income countries, include typhoid, melioidosis, schistosomiasis, viral hepatitis, and arsenicosis (Davies et al. 2014). Typhoid fever related to severe floods was more commonly reported in low and middle-income countries, especially in Asia and Africa (Ahern et al. 2005; Aldermana, Turnera, and Shilu-Tongab 2012). Melioidosis is a serious and potentially fatal infection caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei, which is found in water and soil and is endemic in Southeast Asia and Northern Australia (Dance 2000). The intensity of precipitation is a predictor of melioidosis hospitalizations for pneumonia and septic shock. Schistosomiasis, a leading source globally of hematuria, is spread by contact with water containing parasites from snails (McCreesh and Booth 2013). Flooding in Asia is thought to enhance the risk of schistosomiasis outbreaks by spreading snails to previously unaffected areas (MeCreesh and Booth 2013). Outbreaks of arsenicosis are also related to drinking ground and well water contaminated with environmental arsenic (Davies et al. 2014).