A5000866795- Fecal contamination and water quality
- Water Treatment and Disinfection
- Listeria monocytogenes in Food Safety
- Groundwater flow and contamination studies
- Urban Stormwater Management Solutions
- Biosensors and Analytical Detection
- Legionella and Acanthamoeba research
- Vibrio bacteria research studies
- Pharmaceutical and Antibiotic Environmental Impacts
- Mycobacterium research and diagnosis
- Microbial Community Ecology and Physiology
- Viral gastroenteritis research and epidemiology
- Bacteriophages and microbial interactions
- Child Nutrition and Water Access
- Water Quality Monitoring Technologies
- Gut microbiota and health
- Skin Protection and Aging
- Groundwater and Isotope Geochemistry
- Water Systems and Optimization
- bioluminescence and chemiluminescence research
- Indoor Air Quality and Microbial Exposure
- Bacterial biofilms and quorum sensing
- Water Quality and Pollution Assessment
- Soil and Water Nutrient Dynamics
- Aquaculture disease management and microbiota
Medical University of Vienna
2016-2025
RWTH Aachen University
2025
Interuniversity Cooperation Centre Water & Health
2013-2023
Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene
2022
Oxfam
2020
John Wiley & Sons (United States)
2020
Hudson Institute
2020
John Wiley & Sons (United Kingdom)
2020
Austrian Society of Dermatology and Venereology
2016
University of Tübingen
2011
Numerous quantitative PCR assays for microbial fecal source tracking (MST) have been developed and evaluated in recent years. Widespread application has hindered by a lack of knowledge regarding the geographical stability hence applicability such methods beyond regional level. This study assessed performance five previously reported targeting human-, cattle-, or ruminant-associated Bacteroidetes populations on 280 human animal samples from 16 countries across six continents. The tested...
Legionella infections are among the most important waterborne with constantly increasing numbers of cases in industrialized countries, as a result aging populations, rising immunocompromised individuals and increased need for conditioned water due to climate change. Surveillance systems is based on microbiological culture-based techniques; however, it has been shown that high percentages populations not culturable. In past two decades, relevance such viable but non-culturable (VBNC)...
Numerous bacterial genetic markers are available for the molecular detection of human sources fecal pollution in environmental waters. However, widespread application is hindered by a lack knowledge regarding geographical stability, limiting implementation to small number well-characterized regions. This study investigates geographic distribution five human-associated (HF183/BFDrev, HF183/BacR287, BacHum-UCD, BacH, and Lachno2) municipal wastewaters (raw treated) from 29 urban rural...
ABSTRACT Noroviruses (previously Norwalk-like viruses) are the most common viral agents associated with food- and waterborne outbreaks of gastroenteritis. In absence culture methods for noroviruses, animal caliciviruses were used as model viruses to study inactivation by nonionizing (253.7-nm-wavelength [UV]) ionizing (gamma) radiation. Here, we studied respiratory feline calicivirus (FeCV) presumed enteric canine (CaCV) compared them well-studied bacteriophage MS2. When UV irradiation was...
The impairment of water quality by faecal pollution is a global public health concern. Microbial source tracking methods help to identify sources but the few recent quantitative microbial applications disregarded catchment hydrology and dynamics. This study, conducted in large karstic spring potentially influenced humans ruminant animals, was based on tiered sampling approach: 31-month monitoring (Monitoring) covering seasonal hydrological dynamics an investigation flood events (Events) as...
Aims: This study evaluated the applicability of standard faecal indicator bacteria (SFIB) for alpine mountainous water resources monitoring. Methods and Results: Escherichia coli, enterococci (ENTC) Clostridium perfringens were investigated by or frequently applied phenotypic genotypic methods in a broad range animal human sources large area. occurred only human, livestock carnivorous source groups relevant average concentrations (log 4·7–7·0 CFU g−1) but not herbivorous wildlife sources....
The microbial faecal pollution of rivers has wide-ranging impacts on a variety human activities that rely appropriate river water quality. Thus, detailed knowledge the extent and origin is crucial for watershed management to maintain safe use. In this study, levels were monitored by standard indicator bacteria (SFIB) along 2580 km stretch Danube, world's most international river, as well Danube's important tributaries. To track pollution, host-associated Bacteroidetes genetic marker qPCR...
Faecal pollution of water and the resulting potential presence human enteric pathogens is a predominant threat to public health. Microbiological quality can be assessed by detection standard faecal indicator bacteria (SFIB) such as E. coli or certain Enterococcus species. In recent years, isothermal amplification methods have become useful alternative polymerase chain reaction (PCR), allowing molecular diagnostics with simple no instrumentation. this study, novel screening method for spp....
This was a detailed investigation of the seasonal occurrence, dynamics, removal and resistance human-associated genetic Bacteroidetes faecal markers (GeBaM) compared with ISO-based standard indicator bacteria (SFIB), human-specific viral one phage in raw treated wastewater municipal domestic origin. Characteristics selected activated sludge treatment plants (WWTPs) from Austria Germany were studied detail (WWTPs, n = 13, connected populations 3 to 49000 individuals), supported by...
The microbicidal UV fluence under polychromatic radiation from lamps is typically measured using the DNA absorbance spectrum as a weighting factor for relative wavelength effectiveness. However, this DNA-based does not necessarily match spectral sensitivity of microorganism being tested. Bacillus subtilis spores are often used reactor validation in Europe, while MS2 coliphage testing United States. These organisms were exposed to quasi-monochromatic irradiation across at wavelengths 214,...
The microbicidal effect of UV light depends on the dose in both, disinfection processes and natural inactivation by sunlight surface water. Deviations time reciprocity are well known from chemical water whereas no data available about this In a previous study we found that behaviour yeast strains does not follow reciprocity, insofar longer exposure led to higher reduction cultivable cells. contrast, an earlier E coli B/r claimed with single compared fractionated irradiation. To investigate...
Water resource management must strive to link catchment information with water quality monitoring. The present study attempted this for the field of microbial fecal source tracking (MST). A pollution profile based on data (e.g., prevalence sources) was used formulate a hypothesis about dominant sources in an Austrian mountainous karst spring catchment. This allowed statistical definition methodical requirements necessary informed choice MST methods. tested 17-month investigation quality....
Legionella pneumophila is known as the causative agent of Legionnaires' disease and free-living amoebae (FLA) can serve vehicles for legionellae. The aim this study was to screen industrial waters occurrence FLA their co-occurrence with A total 201 water samples, including 129 cooling 72 process waters, 30 lubricants were included in study. Treated screened periodically, pre post treatment. Altogether, 72.6% samples positive FLA, acanthamoebae being most prevalent (in 23.9% samples) followed...
Abstract DNA aptamers generated by cell-SELEX against bacterial cells have gained increased interest as novel and cost-effective affinity reagents for cell labelling, imaging biosensing. Here we describe the selection identification of using a combined approach based on cell-SELEX, state-of-the-art applications quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR), next-generation sequencing (NGS) bioinformatic data analysis. This is demonstrated Enterococcus faecalis ( E. ), which served target in eleven...
Cryptosporidium parvum is a pathogen causing gastrointestinal infections, occasionally leading to death in immunocompromised individuals. It can contaminate surface water and groundwater, consequently drinking supplies, through agricultural activities such as cattle dairy farming or the spreading of manure fertilizer. The importance removing C. by filtration great interest because its long-term persistence oocysts resistance chemical disinfection owing thick cell wall. This relevant for both...
Water contamination caused by enteric microbial pathogens from humans and animals poses serious risks to public health. Rainfall events can induce the release of microorganisms feces, health posed these water bodies are highly dependent on their transport survival characteristics. Novel molecular tools diagnostic capabilities have rapidly advanced in recent years, offering significant potential revolutionize study enhance modeling overland through application methods. This employs...