A geostatistical investigation of agricultural and infrastructural risk factors associated with primary verotoxigenic<i>E. coli</i>(VTEC) infection in the Republic of Ireland, 2008–2013

ÓhAiseadha, Coilín; Hynds, Paul; Fallon, U. B.; O’Dwyer, Jean

doi:10.1017/s095026881600193x

Cited by 45 publications

(43 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…However, whilst increasingly holistic risk-based models are being pursued, there has been limited consideration of the link between flooding, contamination and human health [1]. This is despite Irish private household wells being identified as the likely source of serious health issues such as verotoxigenic Escherichia coli (VTEC) infections, for which the RoI has the highest incidence rates in Europe [28,29]. Moreover, recent flooding events have had extensive negative effects [30] with recent regional climate change projections predicting the scenario to worsen in the next 40 years [31,32].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gender-Related Differences in Flood Risk Perception and Behaviours among Private Groundwater Users in the Republic of Ireland

McDowell

Andrade

O’Neill

et al. 2020

IJERPH

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Extreme weather events including flooding can have severe personal, infrastructural, and economic consequences, with recent evidence pointing to surface flooding as a pathway for the microbial contamination of private groundwater supplies. There is a pressing need for increasingly focused information and awareness campaigns to highlight the risks posed by extreme weather events and appropriate subsequent post-event actions. To date, little is known about the presence, directionality or magnitude of gender-related differences regarding flood risk awareness and behaviour among private groundwater users, a particularly susceptible sub-population due to an overarching paucity of infrastructural regulation across many regions. The current study investigated gender-related differences in flood risk perception and associated mitigation behaviours via a cross-sectional, national survey of 405 (168 female, 237 male) private groundwater supply users. The developed survey instrument assessed socio-demographic profile, previous flood experience, experiential and conjectural health behaviours (contingent on previous experience), and Risk, Attitude, Norms, Ability, Self-regulation (RANAS) framework questions. Statistically significant gender differences were found between both ‘Norm—Descriptive’ and ‘Ability—Self-efficacy’ RANAS elements (p < 0.05). Female respondents reported a lower level of awareness of the need for post-flood action(s) (8.9% vs. 16.5%), alongside a perceived “lack of information” as a reason for not testing their domestic well (4.9% vs. 11.5%). Conversely, male respondents were more likely to report awareness of their well location in relation to possible contamination sources (96.6% vs. 89.9%) and awareness of previous water testing results (98.9% vs. 93.0%). Gender-related gaps exist within the studied private groundwater reliant cohort, a sub-population which has to date remained under-studied within the context of climate change and extreme weather events. Accordingly, findings suggest that gender-focused communication and education may represent an effective tool for protecting current and future generations of global groundwater users.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gender-Related Differences in Flood Risk Perception and Behaviours among Private Groundwater Users in the Republic of Ireland

McDowell

Andrade

O’Neill

et al. 2020

IJERPH

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“…Such longitudinal surveillance indicates that STEC disease is dynamic with incidence changing over time and geographical location (EFSA, ) and season (Garvey, Carroll, et al., ). Moreover, the strains causing the disease are also changing over time (EFSA, ), suggesting evolving differences in sources and transmission vehicles (Adams et al., ; Óhaiseadha, Hynds, Fallon, & O'Dwyer, ). Thus, there is a clear ongoing requirement for the active surveillance of STEC disease and infecting strains, with standard approaches to identify emerging trends and enable historical comparison.…”

Section: Epidemiology Source Attribution and Risk Assessmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Other ruminant and non‐ruminant livestock, including sheep, goats, pigs and chickens, can also be asymptomatically colonized with, and excrete, STEC especially E. coli O157 (Best et al., , ; La Ragione et al., ; Wales et al., ), although the pathobiology may vary from that in cattle (La Ragione, Best, Woodward, & Wales, ). All such colonization may contribute to contamination of farm environments, including groundwater, constituting a significant risk factor of human disease, particularly for rural communities (Óhaiseadha et al., ).…”

Section: Epidemiology Source Attribution and Risk Assessmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Enterohaemorrhagic and other Shiga toxin-producingEscherichia coli(STEC): Where are we now regarding diagnostics and control strategies?

Newell

Ragione

2018

Transbound Emerg Dis

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Escherichia coli comprises a highly diverse group of Gram-negative bacteria and is a common member of the intestinal microflora of humans and animals. Generally, such colonization is asymptomatic; however, some E. coli strains have evolved to become pathogenic and thus cause clinical disease in susceptible hosts. One pathotype, the Shiga toxigenic E. coli (STEC) comprising strains expressing a Shiga-like toxin is an important foodborne pathogen. A subset of STEC are the enterohaemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC), which can cause serious human disease, including haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS). The diagnosis of EHEC infections and the surveillance of STEC in the food chain and the environment require accurate, cost-effective and timely tests. In this review, we describe and evaluate tests now in routine use, as well as upcoming test technologies for pathogen detection, including loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) and whole-genome sequencing (WGS). We have considered the need for improved diagnostic tools in current strategies for the control and prevention of these pathogens in humans, the food chain and the environment. We conclude that although significant progress has been made, STEC still remains an important zoonotic issue worldwide. Substantial reductions in the public health burden due to this infection will require a multipronged approach, including ongoing surveillance with high-resolution diagnostic techniques currently being developed and integrated into the routine investigations of public health laboratories. However, additional research requirements may be needed before such high-resolution diagnostic tools can be used to enable the development of appropriate interventions, such as vaccines and decontamination strategies.

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“…Accordingly, development and implementation of appropriate socio-hydrogeological practices seeks to surmount or dispense with these barriers and promote increased awareness of groundwater-related issues and needs among local communities [11,13,20]. Moreover, research relating to groundwater resources in medium-and high-income countries has shown that contamination, and particularly microbiological pollution, is a recurring problem leading to endemic and epidemic waterborne infectious diseases in these regions [21][22][23]. Unfortunately, because of the inherent nature of groundwater occurrence and transport, the development and implementation of effective socio-hydrogeology management faces many barriers.…”

Section: Socio-hydrogeology: Global Solutions To a Global Problemmentioning

confidence: 99%

Muddy Waters: Refining the Way forward for the “Sustainability Science” of Socio-Hydrogeology

Hynds¹,

Regan

Andrade

et al. 2018

Water

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The trouble with groundwater is that despite its critical importance to global water supplies, it frequently attracts insufficient management attention relative to more visible surface water sources, irrespective of regional climate, socioeconomic profile, and regulatory environment. To this end, the recently defined sub-discipline of “socio-hydrogeology”, an extension of socio-hydrology, seeks to translate and exchange knowledge with and between non-expert end-users, in addition to involving non-expert opinion and experience in hydrogeological investigations, thus emphasising a “bottom-up” methodology. It is widely acknowledged that issues pertaining to groundwater quality, groundwater quantity, climate change, and a poor general awareness and understanding of groundwater occurrence and movement are global in their scope. Moreover, while effective communication and engagement represent the key tenet of socio-hydrogeology, the authors consider that multiple actors should be identified and incorporated using stakeholder network analysis and may include policymakers, media and communications experts, mobile technology developers, and social scientists, to appropriately convey demographically focused bi-directional information, with the hydrogeological community representing the communication keystone. Accordingly, this article aims to highlight past and current work, elucidate key areas of development within socio-hydrogeology, and offer recommendations to ensure global efficacy of this increasingly important and growing field going forward. The authors seek to assist in protecting our global groundwater resource for future generations via an improved framework for understanding the interaction between communities and hydrogeological systems.

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A geostatistical investigation of agricultural and infrastructural risk factors associated with primary verotoxigenicE. coli(VTEC) infection in the Republic of Ireland, 2008–2013

Cited by 45 publications

References 32 publications

Gender-Related Differences in Flood Risk Perception and Behaviours among Private Groundwater Users in the Republic of Ireland

Gender-Related Differences in Flood Risk Perception and Behaviours among Private Groundwater Users in the Republic of Ireland

Enterohaemorrhagic and other Shiga toxin-producingEscherichia coli(STEC): Where are we now regarding diagnostics and control strategies?

Muddy Waters: Refining the Way forward for the “Sustainability Science” of Socio-Hydrogeology

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