Impact of the aquatic pathobiome in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) quest for safe water and sanitation practices

Microbial contamination of surface waters is of particular relevance in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) since they often represent the only available source of water for drinking and domestic use. In the recent years, a growing urbanization, profound demographic shifts and drastic climate events have greatly affected LMICs capacity to reach access to safe drinking water and sanitation practices, and to protect citizens’ health from risks associated to the exposure and use of contaminated water. Detailed phylogenetic and microbiological information on the exact composition of pathogenic organisms in urban and peri-urban water is scarce, especially in rapidly changing settings of sub-Saharan Africa. In this review we aim to highlight how large-scale water pathobiome studies can support the LMICs challenge to global access to safe water and sanitation practices.