Sludge Watch ==> Listeria in sewage sludge and in sewage effluent

[Maureen Reilly]

Sludgewatch Admin:

Is Listeria found in sewage treatment plant effluent? YES.
Therefore we need to look at the sewage effluent used on crops in the 
Salinas Valley.

Is Listeria found in land applied sewage sludge?
YES.
Therefore we need to look at why we are transfering these sewage sludge 
contaminants to ag soils


.......................................................................................

http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=2733551

Listeria species incidence and characterisation in a river receiving town 
sewage from a sewage treatment plant
Auteur(s) / Author(s)
COMBARRO M. P. (1) ; GONZALEZ M. (2) ; ARAUJO M. (2) ; AMEZAGA A. C. (2) ; 
SUEIRO R. A. (2) ; GARRIDO M. J. (2) ; Morris R. ; Grabow W.O.K. ; Jofre J. 
;
Affiliation(s) du ou des auteurs / Author(s) Affiliation(s)
(1) Department of Fundamental Biology, University of Vigo, 36.200 Vigo, 
ESPAGNE
(2) Microbiology, Institute of Food Research & Analysis, University of 
Santiago de Compostela, 15.706 Santiago de Compostela, ESPAGNE

Résumé / Abstract
This study evaluated the ability of a sewage treatment plant to eliminate 
Listeria species and the incidence of Listeria species in the river 
receiving the effluent. The average efficiency of removal of Listeria 
species in the treatment plant was 92%. Despite the efficiency of the plant 
being within the limits established by the EC Directive in terms of BOD[5] 
decrease, an increase in the levels of Listeria species was still observed 
downstream from the plant. The species isolated with greatest frequency, 
both in the influent and effluent as well as the river water, was L. 
monocytogenes followed by L. seeligeri and L. welshimeri. L. ivanovii was 
only found in very low proportions in the river samples. The analysis of the 
sensitivity of Listeria species to 22 antimicrobial agents demonstrated the 
presence of a high percentage of bacteria resistant to aztrenam, cefuroxme, 
cetriaxone and to a leser degree moxalactam and cefotaxime. In contrast, 
resistance to aminoglycosides and tetracycline was only observed in a low 
number of isolates.
Revue / Journal Title
Water science and technology  (Water sci. technol.)  ISSN 0273-1223   CODEN 
WSTED4
Source / Source
Congrès
Health-related water microbiology 1996  (Mallorca, 6-10 October 1996)
IAWQ international symposium on health-related water microbiology No8, 
Mallorca , ESPAGNE (06/10/1996)
19971981, vol. 35, no 11-12, pp. 201-204, [Note(s) : XI, 481 p.] (12 ref.) 
ISBN 0-08-043300-6 ;  Illustration : Illustration ;

...............................................................

FEMS Immunol Med Microbiol. 2003 Apr 1;35(3):275-83.  Links
Occurrence of Listeria sp and L monocytogenes in sewage sludge used for land 
application: effect of dewatering, liming and storage in tank on survival of 
Listeria species.
Garrec N,
Picard-Bonnaud F,
Pourcher AM.
Laboratoire des Sciences de l'Environnement et de l'Amenagement, 2 boulevard 
Lavoisier, 49045 Angers Cedex 01, France.

The application of sewage sludge to agricultural land is widely used in 
France. To determine the impact of sludge treatments, concentrations of 
Listeria sp., Listeria monocytogenes and faecal indicators were monitored in 
five types of sludge from three sewage treatment plants in Angers (France) 
and its suburbs over a 1-year period. On the whole, bacteria were reduced in 
numbers through sludge treatments. Apart from liming, which leads to reduced 
levels of bacteria below detection limits, other sludge treatments did not 
eliminate Listeria sp. and faecal indicators. Listeria sp. and L. 
monocytogenes were found respectively in 87% and 73% of dewatered sludges 
and in 96% and 80% of sludges stored in tanks. Concentrations of L. 
monocytogenes, ranging from 0.15 to 20 MPN g(-1) dry matter in dewatered 
sludge and from 1 to 240 MPN g(-1) dry matter in sludge stored in tanks, did 
not show seasonal variations. Spreading of sanitised sludge onto 
agricultural land results in the addition of 10(6)-10(8) L. monocytogenes 
per hectare per year, which may contribute to the increase in the 
dissemination of this pathogenic species in the environment.