Article

Toxigenic Vibrio cholerae can cycle between environmental plastic waste and floodwater: Implications for environmental management of cholera

Details

Citation

Ormsby MJ, Woodford L, White HL, Fellows R, Oliver DM & Quilliam RS (2024) Toxigenic Vibrio cholerae can cycle between environmental plastic waste and floodwater: Implications for environmental management of cholera. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 461, p. 132492. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.132492

Abstract
Globally, there has been a significant rise in cholera cases and deaths, with an increase in the number of low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) reporting outbreaks. In parallel, plastic pollution in LMICs is increasing, and has become a major constituent of urban dump sites. The surfaces of environmental plastic pollution can provide a habitat for complex microbial biofilm communities; this so-called 'plastisphere' can also include human pathogens. Under conditions simulating a peri-urban environmental waste pile, we determine whether toxigenic Vibrio cholerae (O1 classical; O1 El Tor; O139) can colonise and persist on plastic following a simulated flooding event. Toxigenic V. cholerae colonized and persisted on plastic and organic waste for at least 14 days before subsequent transfer to either fresh or brackish floodwater, where they can further persist at concentrations sufficient to cause human infection. Taken together, this study suggests that plastics in the environment can act as significant reservoirs for V. cholerae, whilst subsequent transfer to floodwaters demonstrates the potential for the wider dissemination of cholera. Further understanding of how diseases interact with plastic waste will be central for combating infection, educating communities, and diminishing the public health risk of plastics in the environment.

Keywords
Biofilm; Human pathogens; Plastic Pollution; Plastisphere; Public Health

Journal
Journal of Hazardous Materials: Volume 461

StatusPublished
FundersNERC Natural Environment Research Council and NERC Natural Environment Research Council
Publication date05/01/2024
Publication date online09/09/2023
Date accepted by journal04/09/2023
URLhttp://hdl.handle.net/1893/35495
PublisherElsevier BV
ISSN0304-3894

People (4)

Miss Rosie Fellows

Miss Rosie Fellows

Research Assistant, Biological and Environmental Sciences

Professor David Oliver

Professor David Oliver

Professor, Biological and Environmental Sciences

Professor Richard Quilliam

Professor Richard Quilliam

Professor, Biological and Environmental Sciences

Dr Luke Woodford

Dr Luke Woodford

Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Biological and Environmental Sciences

Projects (2)