Germs in drinking water: Chemnitz warns of dangerous bacterium!

Germs in drinking water: Chemnitz warns of dangerous bacterium!

In Chemnitz, alarm mood is announced. As the Image , coliform germs have been discovered in the drinking water network in the last few days. Fonticola. This bacterium is no stranger: first of all identified in 1998 from water samples of a freshwater source in California, it is now considered an emerging opportunistic pathogen who, above all, endangered people with a weakened immune system.

Stadtwerke and the network operator in Chemnitz immediately took measures. Immediate measures include intensive rinsing of the lines as well as chlorination and disinfection of the drinking water. On Sunday, a water sample initially resulted in green light - it was germ -free. But on Monday the relief was only short -lived because the danger has not yet been banned. There is still no all -clear. The measures are continued until a stable trend can be determined over several days.

What makes Serratia Fonticola so dangerous?

As an opportunistic pathogen, Serratia Fonticola can cause a variety of infections. Immerschmsmuded people who are susceptible to urinary tract, respiratory and wound infections are particularly at risk. This is particularly problematic in hospital environments, where special attention must be paid. The bacterium has the ability to form biofilms, which increases its resistance to antibiotics and immune defense. This makes the fight all the more complicated.

Unknown cause of contamination

But what led to this threatening contamination in Saxony? The reason is still unclear, the cause research is underway. In Zwickau, for example, chlorination has been active for several weeks because the water there was still loaded there. However, the Zwickau waterworks do not report any current findings. The chlorination continues until the situation has stabilized. This is the top priority of combating the microbiological strain and has priority over the causes of the causes.

look at the health risks

It seems that this problem is not only limited to Chemnitz. In a study from Poland, high proportions of resistant Enterobacterales tribes were found in water samples, including Serratia Fonticola. This situation could be a threatening development for human health and further promote the widespread antibiotic resistance in the natural environment. The pressure on the health system could increase significantly through such opportunistic pathogens, as the PubMed Study shows.

For everyone who lives in the region, it now has to be careful: it is advisable to cook drinking water before consumption or to use packed water. So stay vigilant because the situation remains tense and the health authorities are working intensively to protect the population.