Session: Pollutants and Pathogens - Issues that Affect the Worlds Water Supply

3332.0: Monday, November 8, 2004: 4:30 PM-6:00 PM

Oral

Pollutants and Pathogens - Issues that Affect the Worlds Water Supply

This session will describe threats to human health posed by contamination of the water supply. Several types of pathogens and pollutants will be discussed including: the introduction of antibiotics into the water supply by concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), spread of west nile virus via vectors which are allowed to breed in wastewater treatment plants, screening of pregnant women for intestinal parasites, and exposure to a variety of pathogens and alien species in ballast water of cargo ships. Comparison of these varied threats to human health associated with a common exposure pathway will serve to illustrate the complexity of environmentally mediated public health problems.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, the participant will be able to: 1) Describe several different pathogens and pollutants with water as their common exposure pathway to humans 2) Discuss potential mechanisms through which human exposure to these pathogens may be limited

Organizer(s):

Kevin Delaney, MPH
Max Weintraub, MS
Sacoby M. Wilson, MS

Moderator(s):

Derek G Shendell, DEnv, MPH

4:30 PM

Water as an avenue for human exposure to antibiotic resistant pathogens from factory farms