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Byline: Rossella Briancesco (Department of Environment and Primary Prevention, Istituto Superiore di Sanita, Rome, Italy); Anna Maria Coccia (Department of Environment and Primary Prevention, Istituto Superiore di Sanita, Rome, Italy); [...]

Cryptosporidiumoocysts andGiardiacysts has been isolated from waters worldwide. In Italy, studies on these parasites in the environment are still limited due to absence of epidemiological evidence and difficulty of adequate methodologies of sampling and analysis. The new Drinking Water Directive 98/83/CE states thatCryptosporidiumhas to be determined in water intended for human consumption ifClostridium perfringensis detected. This investigation contributes to the knowledge of bothCryptosporidiumandGiardiaoccurrences in Italian aquatic environments through a two-year monitoring program. In addition, indicator bacteria andClostridium perfringenswere monitored in sewage, surface waters, drinking water, and swimming pools and possible correlations were calculated among all the selected parameters. Cysts and oocysts were detected in sewage and surface water andGiardianumbers always prevailed overCryptosporidium. The parasites were not detected in drinking water, while a positive sample was obtained from the analysis of swimming pools. Pearson’s correlation coefficients evidenced a reciprocal correlation between both the protozoa and the Enterococci counts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After over a decade the Italian regulation on hygiene and surveillance in swimming pools is under revision based on WHO guidelines and current laws from other European countries. The Ministry of Health is proposing an update of the Annex 1 that contains physical, chemical and microbiological indicators for monitoring swimming pool hygiene. The authors review current regulations and the new proposal for updating surveillance. A comparison of Annex 1 as approved in 2003 and the new version as proposed in 2016 allowed to enlighten innovative improvements. The suggested updates underwent a public consultation through an online questionnaire involving citizens and stakeholders, following the required procedure for accessing the final approval of a new regulation. The updates include new requirements and changes involving several controls and microbiological parameters. Safety of recreational waters is presently under revision in different European countries. This updating process is a valuable opportunity to implement critical control points and improve monitoring. The final aim is an optimization of surveillance in terms of efficacy and costs, with an advantage for both the National Health Service as the swimming pool management.

The Working Group "Movement Sciences for Health" of the Italian Society of Hygiene, Preventive Medicine and Public Health has promoted the Italian translation of the WHO Guidelines for Safe Recreational Water Environments, relating to coastal and freshwater environments. In this article the authors briefly summarize the main areas covered in the guidelines, namely drowning and injury, exposure to cold, heat and sunlight, water quality, contamination of beach sand, exposure to algae and their products, aesthetic issues, exposure to chemical and physical agents, dangerous aquatic organisms, monitoring and assessment hazards and risks.

Data on the occurrence of non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM), in parallel with those obtained for bacterial indicators and amoebae, are presented with the aim to collect information on the spread of NTM in drinking water distribution systems in Italy. Samples were collected from taps of hospitals and households in Central and Southern Italy. The concentration values obtained for the more traditional microbial parameters complied with the mandatory requirements for drinking water. Conversely, moderate-to-high microbial loads (till 300 CFU/L) were observed for the NTM. Positive samples were obtained from 62% of the investigated water samples. Analogous results were observed for amoebae showing a higher percentage of positive samples (76%). In terms of public health, the presence of mycobacteria in water distribution systems may represent a potential risk especially for vulnerable people such as children, the elderly or immunocompromised individuals.

Traditionally, the microbiological quality of waters has been measured by the analysis of indicator microorganisms. The article reviews the sanitary significance of traditional indicators of faecal contamination (total coliforms, faecal coliforms and faecal streptococci) and points out their limits. For some characteristics Escherichia coli may be considered a more useful indicator then faecal coliforms and recently it has been included in all recent laws regarding fresh, marine and drinking water. A clearer taxonomic definition of faecal streptococci evidenced the difficulty into defining a specific standard methodology of enumeration and suggested the more suitable role of enterococci as indicator microorganisms. Several current laws require the detection of enterococci. The resistance of Clostridium perfringens spores may mean that they would serve as a useful indicator of the sanitary quality of sea sediments.

Water samples were collected from a wastewater treatment plant and from two lakes in the vicinity of Rome (Italy) for detection and genotypic characterization of Giardia. All wastewater samples and all but two of the lake samples were scored by immunofluorescence as positive for Giardia. In addition, Giardia cysts were detected, by nested PCR, in all of the examined samples. Analysis of the SSU-rRNA gene sequences showed that all Giardia isolates belonged to Assemblage A. The presence of Assemblage A genotype in wastewater and surface bathing water represents an important public health concern. In fact, isolates showing this genotype are considered to be potential human pathogens and also have zoonotic implications.

This study is focused on the microbiological quality of a sandy beach in the coastal area around Rome, Italy. The microbiological surveys were carried out on the sands collected both on the beach and on the waterline. A low-concentration of faecal bacteria (streptococci outnumbered Escherichia coli) and a constant rate of staphylococci were detected over the sampling period. Significant statistical correlations were calculated between yeasts and moulds, Escherichia coli and streptococci, streptococci and sulfite-reducing clostridium spores. This survey's data could be a baseline for future studies.