Abstract
Assessing the risk of waterborne disease acquired through recreational exposure to CSO-impacted waters in Philadelphia: A Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment (QMRA)
Shannon McGinnis, BS and Heather Murphy, PhD
Temple University, Philadelphia, PA
APHA's 2019 Annual Meeting and Expo (Nov. 2 - Nov. 6)
Background: Combined sewer overflows (CSOs) are known contributors of human fecal pollution in urban waterways. Recreational activities including swimming, fishing, and wading in these waterways have been linked to waterborne disease. Quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) is a cost-effective method for quantifying disease risk due to environmental exposure to pathogens. This study uses QMRA to estimate the number of illnesses expected due to recreational exposure to CSO-impacted waters in Philadelphia.
Methods: Inputs to the QMRA model include the number of individuals exposed, number of exposure events per person, and dosage of pathogen ingested per exposure. The number of individuals exposed and exposure events per person are determined using in-person surveys and observational data collected summer 2016-2019 at three sites in Philadelphia. The dosage of pathogens ingested per exposure are from literature on the volume of water (ml/minute) ingested during recreational activities and the expected concentration of enteric pathogens (Cryptosporidium, norovirus, Giardia, Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Salmonella) inferred from indicator organism (human Bacteroides) concentrations in samples collected summer 2016-2019 at the same sites. These inputs are fit to probability distributions using maximum likelihood estimation and the potential number of disease cases are determined using Monte Carlo methods.
Results: Following a final round of data collection in summer 2019, final model results will include an estimated number of disease cases due to recreational exposure to CSO-impacted waters in Philadelphia in 2016-2019.
Conclusions: Findings may advise future prevention to reduce the risk of waterborne disease in Philadelphia and other urban areas.
Environmental health sciences Epidemiology Protection of the public in relation to communicable diseases including prevention or control Public health or related research
Abstract
Are septic systems the source of human fecal contamination in private wells in rural Pennsylvania? A dye study
Miriam Wamsley, MWR1, Shannon McGinnis, BS1, Alexander Cagle1, Jingwei Wu, PhD1, Ryan Blunt1, Susan Spencer2, Aaron Firnstahl2, Joel Stokdyk, MS3, Mark Borchardt2 and Heather Murphy, PhD1
(1)Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, (2)USDA-USGS Marshfield, Wisconsin, Middleton, WI, (3)USGS, Marshfield, WI
APHA's 2019 Annual Meeting and Expo (Nov. 2 - Nov. 6)
In Pennsylvania (PA) approximately 3 million people rely on unregulated domestic well water. Based on previous research, there are an estimated 81,000 cases of acute gastrointestinal illnesses (AGI) per year in PA due to private well water. Five wells, with depths ranging from 15 to >700 feet, completed in fractured-rock aquifers in rural Southeast PA were sampled every two weeks from May-August 2016 (n=34) and from three sites, weekly June-November 2017 (n=72). Samples were analyzed for: general water chemistry; culture–based
E. coli and total coliforms; RT-qPCR for human
Bacteroides, human polyomavirus, pepper mild mottle virus,
Campylobacter jejuni, Salmonella, Enterohemorrhagic E.coli, norovirus GI &GII, adenovirus, and
enterovirus.
Each well was positive for total coliforms (n=86). Three wells were positive for E.coli (n=28). Four wells were positive on one sampling event for the pepper mild mottle virus. One well was positive for human polyomavirus. Occurrence of human Bacteroides, human polyomavirus and pepper mild mottle virus corresponded with a lag time of 10 days following an extreme rain event in two wells. The results are suggestive of septic system contamination.
To investigate the contamination source, fluorescein dye was introduced through toilets(n=3), while the households’ well water was run continuously through a fluorometer. These sites had septic tanks <175 ft from the well head. They also had evidence of coliforms, E.coli and human-specific Bacteroides. Dye was detected by the fluorometer at all sites between 4 and 8 weeks. At one site, an excessive amount of fluorescein was found surfacing and running into a local creek after 3 weeks.
Environmental health sciences
Abstract
Offsetting lead exposure and supplementing calcium Recommended Daily Allowances through calcium enriched municipal drinking water
Ernest Dubovitskiy1 and Mozhgon Rajaee, PhD, MPH2
(1)Oakland University, Huntington Woods, MI, (2)Oakland University, Rochester, MI
APHA's 2019 Annual Meeting and Expo (Nov. 2 - Nov. 6)
Lead exposure is a major concern in public health because of neurobehavioral and cognitive deficiencies caused by exposure in children and resulting economic costs. Exposure to lead increases blood lead levels resulting in the storage of lead in bone. Because of the similar characteristics of calcium and lead, calcium may be used to mitigate the lead body burden. Calcium is also known for improving bone health in children and maintaining bone density in women. We conducted a literature review to evaluate the health effects of calcium in drinking water, its bioavailability, and the effects of adding calcium to municipal drinking water sources. This literature review evaluated if adding calcium into municipal drinking water could offer a clinically significant dose for mitigating lead exposure while supplementing the individual Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of calcium. We focused on reviewing research studies looking at calcium levels in drinking water and health benefits for children, pre- and postmenopausal women as well as adult males. Calcium in water had greater absorption rates than dietary and supplemental calcium and a positive effect on reducing bone lead. Calcium in drinking water improved individual RDA and bone density in pre- and postmenopausal women. Introducing 50 mg/L of calcium into drinking water offers a clinically significant dose at mitigating the effects of lead poisoning and helps individuals in meeting their Recommended Daily Allowance. Municipalities should consider enriching drinking water with calcium as a mitigation tool for improving health outcomes.
Administer health education strategies, interventions and programs Advocacy for health and health education Basic medical science applied in public health Conduct evaluation related to programs, research, and other areas of practice Environmental health sciences Public health or related organizational policy, standards, or other guidelines
Abstract
Water and Sanitation Project In Action: A Community Based Safe Water in Rural Haiti
Azizur Molla, PhD, MPH1, Peter Wampler, Ph.D. Geology2 and Richard Rediske, Ph.D. Environmental Health Sciences3
(1)Grand Valley State University, Grand Rapids, MI, (2)Grand Valley State University, Allendale, MI, (3)Grand Valley State University, Muskegon, MI
APHA's 2019 Annual Meeting and Expo (Nov. 2 - Nov. 6)
Rural Haitians mostly depend on natural sources like creeks and springs for their water needs. This paper explores interactions between cultural perceptions regarding water and sanitation practice, water quality, and water consumption. In 2012, ethnographic survey and Focus Group Discussion (FGD) were used to understand cultural perception associated with water quality and water use in the study area. In addition, water quality analyses were conducted in the Artibonite River valley, the location of the initial Cholera outbreak in 2010. Over 100 water samples, 60 interviews, and 6 focus groups were conducted in 9 rural Haitian communities. Sixty homes and 20 water sources were sampled. Only 10% of rural Haitians surveyed have access to improved sanitation facilities. Open Defecation was reported by 62% of the households surveyed, especially when people are away from home farming or working. This leads to widespread contamination of shallow aquifers. All families understood the importance of treating their water, yet only 12% were utilizing water treatment technologies. Most of the families reported using chlorination supplies provided by NGOs during the Cholera epidemic but stopped because they lacked the financial means to purchase the supplies. The median household water concentration of EÆ coli† was 75 mpn/100 ml and 4 households had over 1000 mpn/100 ml. Enteric bacteria concentrations in household water often exceeded the source water levels, suggesting that improper water storage practices were impacting home water quality. The data also suggests that religious and social rituals are associated with water pollution, water use and treatment.
Diversity and culture Environmental health sciences Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs Provision of health care to the public Public health or related research