Pseudomonas aeruginosa Interactions with Drinking Water Biofilm after an Acute Spike in Annular Bioreactors—Attachment, Persistence, Release, and Reattachment

The potential of DWDS pipewall biofilms to shelter and propagate opportunistic pathogens is currently poorly understood. Here, we use an annular biofilm reactor approach to quantify the fate of the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa when introduced to a simulated DWDS environment. We found that P. aeruginosa was capable of swift attachment to surfaces and able to persist for up to 14 days under shear stress conditions. Further, we demonstrate that P. aeruginosa is capable of detachment/reattachment and mobilisation through the bulk water, potentially acting as a source of inoculum to drinking water.