The impact of residential villages on the nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) in streams flowing through them has not been studied in detail. Water and sediments of streams are highly susceptible to anthropogenic inputs such as surface water flows. This study investigated the impact of seven residential villages in a karst watershed on the prevalence and species spectrum of NTM in water and sediments. Higher NTM species diversity (i.e., 19 out of 28 detected) was recorded downstream of the villages and wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) compared to sampling sites upstream (i.e., 5). Significantly, higher Zn and lower silicon concentrations were detected in sediments inside the village and downstream of the WWTP's effluents. Higher phosphorus concentration in sediment was downstream of WWTPs compared to other sampling sites. The effluent from the WWTPs had a substantial impact on water quality parameters with significant increases in total phosphorus, anions (Cl-and N-NH3-), and cations (Na+ and K+). The results provide insights into NTM numbers and species diversity distribution in a karst watershed and the impact of urban areas. Although in this report the focus is on the NTM, it is likely that other water and sediment microbes will be influenced as well.

• Klíčová slova
• Human activities, Mycobacterial ecology, Mycobacterium avium, Mycobacterium fortuitum, Village impacts on water streams, Wastewater treatment effluent impacts,
• MeSH
• fosfor MeSH
• kvalita vody MeSH
• netuberkulózní mykobakterie * MeSH
• prevalence MeSH
• řeky * MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• fosfor MeSH

Environmental mycobacteria (EM) constitute a health risk, particularly for immunocompromised people. Workers in heavy industry and in collieries represent an at-risk group of people as their immunity is often weakened by long-term employment in dusty environments, frequent smoking and an increased occurrence of pulmonary diseases. This study was concerned with the presence of EM in non-drinking water used for the hygiene of employees in six large industrial companies and collieries. Over a period of ten years, 1096 samples of surface water treated for hygiene purposes (treated surface water) and treated surface water diluted with mining water were examined. EM were detected in 63.4 and 41.5% samples of treated surface water and treated surface water diluted with mining water, respectively. Mycobacterium gordonae, M. avium-intracellulare and M. kansasii were the most frequently detected species. Adoption of suitable precautions should be enforced to reduce the incidence of mycobacteria in shower water and to decrease the infectious pressure on employees belonging to an at-risk group of people.

• MeSH
• atypické mykobakteriální infekce epidemiologie   MeSH
• čištění vody MeSH
• hornictví * MeSH
• hostitel s imunodeficiencí MeSH
• hutnictví * MeSH
• hygiena práce MeSH
• hygiena * MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mikrobiologie vody * MeSH
• Mycobacterium izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• rizikové faktory MeSH
• zásobování vodou normy   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH