Introduction
The Agnano thermal spring water (ATSW), located in the largest thermal
basin in Italy with its 72 springs of various nature and
characteristics, have been the best expression of this for millennia.
Already in the first century. a.C., the Hellenists understood its high
curative value, both physical and spiritual, later in the second
century. d.C. the Romans began to build structures for the exploitation
of these portentous waters. Indeed, with the allocation of the Romans in
Flegrea Area began the real thermal activity across the Campi Flegrei.
The impressive thermal spa of the Hadrian era (117-138 d.C.) which
stands on the south-western side of the Agnano basin, on the slopes of
Monte Spina, testifies that thermalism was widespread in Agnano. The
benefits of thermal spring water in the treatment of various diseases
have been known since ancient times. In fact, thermal spring water has
therapeutic functions and can be used in the treatment of various
dysfunctions, from respiratory and rheumatic diseases to gynecological
and gastrointestinal diseases. Today it is known that thermal spring
water acts effectively on various physiological and pathological
processes such as: skin regeneration (Liang et al., 2015),
cardiovascular diseases (Oyama et al., 2013) and bone diseases
(Fioravanti et al., 2011) and most of these beneficial effects depend on
the chemical and physical properties of water.
However, all the benefits of thermal spring water, such as improved
migration and cell proliferation or anti-inflammatory and regenerative
properties, may not be fully explained only by its mineral composition.
In this regard, it is known that non-pathogenic bacterial populations
play an active role in various processes in the ecological and
biological fields (Nicoletti et al., 2015; Zeichner et al., 2018).
Maintaining the physiological intestinal well-being is a clear example
of how a bacterial microflora is essential for regulating homeostasis,
metabolic functions and the immunological response (Sommer et al.,
2017).
Sulfurous waters are the most numerous in Italy and the presence of
H2S influences immunological response (Valitutti et al.,
1990) and have beneficial effects on neurodegenerative disorders,
respiratory tract (Keller et al., 2014) and in particular on cardiac
functions, as also carbonic waters.
Agnano’s thermal baths belong to the largest volcanic area of the
Mediterranean Sea (ca 400 Kmq). It is the only example of thermal spring
water extended in urbane area with a huge impact landscape and a great
archeological significance. The Agnano thermal spring water (ATSW) is
mainly a salso-bromo-iodic-bicarbonate-alkaline-sulphurous water. Thanks
to the variability of the temperature and the abundance of mineral
elements (sodium chloride, iodine, bromine, calcium, bicarbonate,
sulphides), a great number of different disorders can be treated
(cardiovascular, gynecological, dermatological and rheumatic).
The aim of the present study is the microbiological characterization of
ATSW through the use of two distinct methods in order to determine the
total viable bacterial community.