Browsing by Author "Honda, Jennifer R."
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- Environmental Nontuberculous Mycobacteria in the Hawaiian IslandsHonda, Jennifer R.; Hasan, Nabeeh A.; Davidson, Rebecca M.; Williams, Myra D.; Epperson, L. Elaine; Reynolds, Paul R.; Smith, Terry; Iakhiaeva, Elena; Bankowski, Matthew J.; Wallace, Richard J. Jr.; Chan, Edward D.; Falkinham, Joseph O. III; Strong, Michael (PLOS, 2016-10)Lung disease caused by nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) is an emerging infectious disease of global significance. Epidemiologic studies have shown the Hawaiian Islands have the highest prevalence of NTM lung infections in the United States. However, potential environmental reservoirs and species diversity have not been characterized. In this cross-sectional study, we describe molecular and phylogenetic comparisons of NTM isolated from 172 household plumbing biofilms and soil samples from 62 non-patient households and 15 respiratory specimens. Although non-uniform geographic sampling and availability of patient information were limitations, Mycobacterium chimaera was found to be the dominant species in both environmental and respiratory specimens. In contrast to previous studies from the continental U.S., no Mycobacterium avium was identified. Mycobacterium intracellulare was found only in respiratory specimens and a soil sample. We conclude that Hawai'i's household water sources contain a unique composition of Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC), increasing our appreciation of NTM organisms of pulmonary importance in tropical environments.
- Environmental risk of nontuberculous mycobacterial infection: Strategies for advancing methodologyMercaldo, Rachel A.; Marshall, Julia E.; Cangelosi, Gerard A.; Donohue, Maura; Falkinham, Joseph O. III; Fierer, Noah; French, Joshua P.; Gebert, Matthew J.; Honda, Jennifer R.; Lipner, Ettie M.; Marras, Theodore K.; Morimoto, Kozo; Salfinger, Max; Stout, Janet; Thomson, Rachel; Prevots, Rebecca (Churchill Livingstone, 2023-03)The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases organized a symposium in June 2022, to facilitate discussion of the environmental risks for nontuberculous mycobacteria exposure and disease. The expert researchers presented recent studies and identified numerous research gaps. This report summarizes the discussion and identifies six major areas of future research related to culture-based and culture independent laboratory methods, alternate culture media and culturing conditions, frameworks for standardized laboratory methods, improved environmental sampling strategies, validation of exposure measures, and availability of high -quality spatiotemporal data.
- Physical Measures to Reduce Exposure to Tap Water-Associated Nontuberculous MycobacteriaNorton, Grant J.; Williams, Myra D.; Falkinham, Joseph O. III; Honda, Jennifer R. (2020-06-12)Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) that cause human disease can be isolated from household tap water. Easy-to-use physical methods to reduce NTM from this potential source of exposure are needed. Filters and UV disinfection have been evaluated for their ability to reduce numbers of waterborne non-NTM organisms from drinking water, but their efficacy in reducing NTM counts are not well-established. Thus, five commercially available disinfection methods were evaluated for their potential as practical, efficient, and low-cost methods to reduce NTM from tap water. First, suspensions of tap water-adaptedMycobacterium smegmatiswere passed through either a point-of-use, disposable, 7-day or 14-day Pall-Aquasafe filter. The 7-day filter prevented passage ofM. smegmatisin effluent water for 13 days, and the 14-day filter prevented the passage ofM. smegmatisfor 25 days. Second, a granular activated carbon filter system failed to significantly reduceMycobacterium abscessusandMycobacterium aviumnumbers. Third, suspensions of tap water-adaptedM. abscessus, M. avium, andM. chimaera("MycoCocktail") were passed through the "LifeStraw GO" hollow-fiber, two-stage membrane filtration system. LifeStraw GO prevented passage of the MycoCocktail suspension for the entire 68-day evaluation period. Finally, two different water bottle UV sterilization systems, "Mountop" and "SteriPEN," were evaluated for their capacity to reduce NTM numbers from tap water. Specifically, MycoCocktail suspensions were dispensed into Mountop and SteriPEN water bottles and UV treated as per the manufacturer instructions once daily for 7 days, followed by a once weekly treatment for up to 56 days. After 4 days of daily UV treatment, both systems achieved a >4 log reduction in MycoCocktail CFU. After the 56-day evaluation period, suspension and biofilm-associated CFU were measured, and a >4 log reduction in CFU was maintained in both systems. Taken together, physical disinfection methods significantly reduced NTM numbers from tap water and may be easy-to-use, accessible applications to reduce environmental NTM exposures from drinking water.
- Vanadium in groundwater aquifers increases the risk of MAC pulmonary infection in O'ahu, Hawai'iLipner, Ettie M.; French, Joshua P.; Nelson, Stephen; Falkinham, Joseph O. III; Mercaldo, Rachel A.; Blakney, Rebekah A.; Daida, Yihe G.; Frankland, Timothy B.; Messier, Kyle P.; Honda, Jennifer R.; Honda, Stacey; Prevots, D. Rebecca (Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2022-10)Rationale: Hawai'i has the highest prevalence of nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) pulmonary disease in the United States. Previous studies indicate that certain trace metals in surface water increase the risk of NTM infection. Objective: To identify whether trace metals influence the risk of NTM infection in O'ahu, Hawai'i. Methods: A population-based ecologic cohort study was conducted using NTM infection incidence data from patients enrolled at Kaiser Permanente Hawai'i during 2005-2019. We obtained sociodemographic, microbiologic, and geocoded residential data for all Kaiser Permanente Hawai'i beneficiaries. To estimate the risk of NTM pulmonary infection from exposure to groundwater constituents, we obtained groundwater data from three data sources: (1) Water Quality Portal; (2) the Hawai'i Department of Health; and (3) Brigham Young University, Department of Geological Science faculty. Data were aggregated by an aquifer and were associated with the corresponding beneficiary aquifer of residence. We used Poisson regression models with backward elimination to generate models for NTM infection risk as a function of groundwater constituents. We modeled two outcomes: Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) species and Mycobacterium abscessus group species. Results: For every 1-unit increase in the log concentration of vanadium in groundwater at the aquifer level, infection risk increased by 22% among MAC patients. We did not observe significant associations between water-quality constituents and infection risk among M. abscessus patients. Conclusions: Concentrations of vanadium in groundwater were associated with MAC pulmonary infection in O'ahu, Hawai'i. These findings provide evidence that naturally occurring trace metals influence the presence of NTM in water sources that supply municipal water systems.