Hi all…I occasionally come across papers that address the potential importance of fungi in drinking water. Many report that that fungi are surviving through treatment (including some which are pathogenic); however, there are no current regulations in North America and they don’t seem to be on the regulatory radar, as least as far as I am aware. I was surprised to learn though, that there is a Swedish drinking water regulation for microfungi (see ref 226 in paper).
Table 1, which is 13 pages long (!), reports on the fungal genera and species isolated from groundwater, surface water, tap water, and non-mineral bottled water reported in studies conducted in Europe during the last 30 years. Table 2 lists the most common fungi isolated from those sources in Europe, recognized as causative agents of opportunistic infections and other health effects on human health(only 2 pages but still with about 2 dozen genera and many more species).
The authors conclude by stating that their findings “illustrate and justify a recommendation to consider fungi in risk assessment and risk management of drinking water, including monitoring in relevant settings.” They also state that their goal with this paper is “to place fungal contaminants on the roadmap of evidence based and emerging threats for drinking water quality safety regulations.”
Bill
Fungal Contaminants in Drinking Water Regulation? A Tale of Ecology, Exposure, Purification and Clinical Relevance
Monika Novak Babi, Nina Gunde-Cimerman, Márta Vargha, Zsófia Tischner, Donát Magyar, Cristina Veríssimo, Raquel Sabino, Carla Viegas , Wieland Meyer and João Brandão
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2017, 14(6), 636; doi:10.3390/ijerph14060636
http://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/14/6/636 (freely available)
Abstract: “Microbiological drinking water safety is traditionally monitored mainly by bacterial parameters that indicate faecal contamination. These parameters correlate with gastro-intestinal illness, despite the fact that viral agents, resulting from faecal contamination, are usually the cause. This leaves behind microbes that can cause illness other than gastro-intestinal and several emerging pathogens, disregarding non-endemic microbial contaminants and those with recent pathogenic activity reported. This white paper focuses on one group of contaminants known to cause allergies, opportunistic infections and intoxications: Fungi. It presents a review on their occurrence, ecology and physiology. Additionally, factors contributing to their presence in water distribution systems, as well as their effect on water quality are discussed. Presence of opportunistic and pathogenic fungi in drinking water can pose a health risk to consumers due to daily contact with water, via several exposure points, such as drinking and showering. The clinical relevance and influence on human health of the most common fungal contaminants in drinking water is discussed. Our goal with this paper is to place fungal contaminants on the roadmap of evidence based and emerging threats for drinking water quality safety regulations.”
