Spatiotemporal variations in the occurrence of pecies in the Bloukrans and Swartkops rivers, Eastern Cape, South Africa.

An increase in the incidence of species in rivers raises concerns on the safety of river water for humans who get exposed to river water. This study examines the spatiotemporal dynamics of species in the Bloukrans and Swartkops rivers, analysing patterns of its occurrence in relation to meteorological conditions, physicochemical parameters, seasons, and sampling sites. Physico-chemical parameters and meteorological conditions were measured during water sampling from various sites along the rivers over a year, while Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) was utilised to detect genus-specific genes and selected antibiotic-resistant genes.

Assessment of risk of exposure to Campylobacter species and their antibiotic-resistant genes from selected rivers in the Eastern Cape, South Africa.

Contaminated rivers play a critical role in the transmission of Campylobacter and antibiotic-resistant genes (ARGs) in many parts of the world. South Africa is a water-scarce country which relies on its freshwater systems such as rivers for recreation, irrigation, and domestic activities. This study assesses the potential human exposure to Campylobacter and its ARGs from rivers through the ingestion route in two South African rivers.

A review of antibiotic resistance among Campylobacter species in human, animal, and water sources in South Africa: a One Health Approach.

Campylobacter species are among the aetiological agents responsible for 400-500 million human diarrhoea cases per annum. The risk of dissemination of antibiotic-resistant Campylobacter species between humans, animals, and the environment is anticipated, given its transmissibility through these sources. The objective of this paper is to present a situation analysis that reports the current patterns and determinants of Campylobacter antibiotic resistance in South Africa.

Functional groups of Afrotropical EPT (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera) as bioindicators of semi-urban pollution in the Tsitsa River Catchment, Eastern Cape, South Africa.

We examined the distribution patterns of Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera functional feeding groups (EPT FFGs) in five streams that drain semi-urban landscapes in the Tsitsa River catchment, Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. We undertook macroinvertebrate and physicochemical analysis over four seasons between 2016 and 2017 at eight sites in three land-use categories (Sites 1, 2 and 3), representing an increasing gradient of semi-urban pollution. Five EPT FFGs (shredders, grazers/scrapers, predators, collector-gatherers and collector-filterers) were fuzzy coded and analyzed using RLQ-R (environmental characteristics of samples), L (taxa distribution across samples) and Q (species traits) and fourth-corner analyses.

Evaluating the responses of taxa in the orders Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera (EPT) to sediment stress in the Tsitsa River and its tributaries, Eastern Cape, South Africa.

Excessive delivery of fine sediment has been implicated as the main water quality stressor in the Tsitsa River catchment. This study evaluates the responses of the taxa Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera (EPT) to suspended sediment and grain size distribution in eight selected study sites in the Tsitsa River catchment. The sampling of macroinvertebrates took place seasonally from August 2016 to April 2017 and EPT identified to either genus or species level.