Estimated human health risks from exposure to recreational waters impacted by human and non-human sources of faecal contamination

Soller, Jeffrey A.; Schoen, Mary E.; Bartrand, Timothy A.; Ravenscroft, John; Ashbolt, Nicholas J.

doi:10.1016/j.watres.2010.06.049

Cited by 440 publications

(404 citation statements)

References 114 publications

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“…In contrast to this ideal, studies have shown that populations of enterococci may be endogenous in sediments and soils and not exclusively of fecal origin, which may confound accurate water quality assessments (37,85). Furthermore, many domestic and wild animals can contribute enterococci to water bodies (Table 1), which complicates the FIBpathogen relationship since the suite of pathogens associated with various animal gastrointestinal tracts and the risk associated with fecal contamination are highly variable (309,364). Figure 1 depicts some of the many possible sources (blue arrows) of enterococci in environmental waters, which include human sources, such as sewage and its many derived products, e.g., biosolids, and fecal shedding from recreational water users.…”

Section: Use Of Enterococci As Fecal Indicator Bacteriamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Schoen et al (285) found that measurements of levels of enterococci by culture methods are likely to underestimate the risk of gastroenteritis caused by enteric viruses in recreational waters where contamination is from mixed sources; in contrast, qPCR estimates of densities of enterococci were more reliable predictors of norovirus and human health risk. QMRA has been used to estimate the relative risk from contamination by human sewage versus animal sources in models that use the U.S. EPA's recreational water quality criterion for enterococci (35 CFU/100 ml) as one reference point (284,309). Among the sources examined, gull fecal contamination carried the least human health risk, and cattle contamination carried the greatest (309).…”

Section: Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…QMRA has been used to estimate the relative risk from contamination by human sewage versus animal sources in models that use the U.S. EPA's recreational water quality criterion for enterococci (35 CFU/100 ml) as one reference point (284,309). Among the sources examined, gull fecal contamination carried the least human health risk, and cattle contamination carried the greatest (309). Another study estimated that rain events and storm water runoff increase health risks to surfers (329).…”

Section: Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Enterococci in the Environment

Byappanahalli

Nevers

Korajkic

et al. 2012

Microbiol Mol Biol Rev

567

383

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SUMMARYEnterococci are common, commensal members of gut communities in mammals and birds, yet they are also opportunistic pathogens that cause millions of human and animal infections annually. Because they are shed in human and animal feces, are readily culturable, and predict human health risks from exposure to polluted recreational waters, they are used as surrogates for waterborne pathogens and as fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) in research and in water quality testing throughout the world. Evidence from several decades of research demonstrates, however, that enterococci may be present in high densities in the absence of obvious fecal sources and that environmental reservoirs of these FIB are important sources and sinks, with the potential to impact water quality. This review focuses on the distribution and microbial ecology of enterococci in environmental (secondary) habitats, including the effect of environmental stressors; an outline of their known and apparent sources, sinks, and fluxes; and an overview of the use of enterococci as FIB. Finally, the significance of emerging methodologies, such as microbial source tracking (MST) and empirical predictive models, as tools in water quality monitoring is addressed. The mounting evidence for widespread extraenteric sources and reservoirs of enterococci demonstrates the versatility of the genusEnterococcusand argues for the necessity of a better understanding of their ecology in natural environments, as well as their roles as opportunistic pathogens and indicators of human pathogens.

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Section: Use Of Enterococci As Fecal Indicator Bacteriamentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Enterococci in the Environment

Byappanahalli

Nevers

Korajkic

et al. 2012

Microbiol Mol Biol Rev

567

383

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…The QMRA procedure is an effective method to evaluate the exposure risk arising from faecal bacteria-laden flows (Ashbolt et al 2010) and this procedure has been applied to evaluate the environmental exposure risk for different sources of faecal contamination (Soller et al 2010) and for different bathing water regions (Tseng and Jiang 2012). In this paper, this risk model is integrated into the numerical mode to analyse the risk of illness caused by faecal bacteria-laden flows.…”

Section: Exponential Dose -Response Modelmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cloud to coast: integrated assessment of environmental exposure, health impacts and risk perceptions of faecal organisms in coastal waters

Huang

Falconer

Boye

et al. 2015

International Journal of River Basin Management

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The proper recognition and calculation of polluted sources and the fate and transport of faecal organisms in catchments, river networks and coastal waters are very important to the assessment of environmental exposure, health impacts and risk perceptions of faecal indicator organisms (FIO) in coastal waters. The paper reviews the integrated modelling techniques for faecal processes from cloud to coast, including sediment and faecal bacteria interactions, and then presents a theoretical and case study in the numerical modelling for FIO levels in the river Ribble and Fylde Coast using the twodimensional or three-dimensional environmental fluid dynamics code and the 1D Flow And Solute Transport in Estuaries and Rivers models, respectively. The related key parameters in the linked model are illustrated and analysed, together with validation of the hydrodynamic processes and the faecal bacteria concentration levels being undertaken using measured related data acquired in 1999. Using the model results, a quantitative microbial risk assessment is undertaken, where a moderate dose for swimming in faecal coliform-laden flows is accepted, as given by the European (EU) water quality standard requirements. The results show that some local regions of relatively high concentration exist near the outfalls and these values are not compliant with the mandatory and tighter microbial standards in the UK, as governed by the new EU Water Framework Directive. Finally, some new research and key challenges for the future are discussed in the paper.

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“…The presence of pathogens such as Campylobacter jejuni, Salmonella enterica, and Staphylococcus aureus along with fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) such as enterococci and Escherichia coli in poultry litter is of particular concern from a public health perspective (7)(8)(9)(10). The human disease risk associated with contamination of environmental water bodies with human fecal material is unambiguous; in contrast, the risk of disease from nonhuman fecal contamination (from animals and birds) is more variable and host dependent (11).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

LA35 Poultry Fecal Marker Persistence Is Correlated with That of Indicators and Pathogens in Environmental Waters

Weidhaas

Harwood

2015

Appl Environ Microbiol

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bDisposal of fecally contaminated poultry litter by land application can deliver pathogens and fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) into receiving waters via runoff. While water quality is regulated by FIB enumeration, FIB testing provides inadequate information about contamination source and health risk. This microbial source tracking (MST) study compared the persistence of the Brevibacterium sp. strain LA35 16S rRNA gene (marker) for poultry litter with that of pathogens and FIB under outdoor, environmentally relevant conditions in freshwater, marine water, and sediments over 7 days. Salmonella enterica, Campylobacter jejuni, Campylobacter coli, Bacteroidales, and LA35 were enumerated by quantitative PCR (qPCR), and Enterococcus spp. and E. coli were quantified by culture and qPCR. Unlike the other bacteria, C. jejuni was not detectable after 48 h. Bacterial levels in the water column consistently declined over time and were highly correlated among species. Survival in sediments ranged from a slow decrease over time to growth, particularly in marine microcosms and for Bacteroidales. S. enterica also grew in marine sediments. Linear decay rates in water (k) ranged from ؊0.17 day ؊1 for LA35 to ؊3.12 day ؊1 for C. coli. LA35 levels correlated well with those of other bacteria in the water column but not in sediments. These observations suggest that, particularly in the water column, the fate of LA35 in aquatic environments is similar to that of FIB, C. coli, and Salmonella, supporting the hypothesis that the LA35 marker gene can be a useful tool for evaluating the impact of poultry litter on water quality and human health risk.T he practice of applying poultry litter (bedding contaminated with feces) as fertilizer is the chosen method of disposal of several billion tons of litter per year in the United States (1, 2). Numerous studies have demonstrated the cause-and-effect relationship between land application of poultry litter and contamination of environmental waters and soils due to chemical and microbial pollution from runoff (3-6). The presence of pathogens such as Campylobacter jejuni, Salmonella enterica, and Staphylococcus aureus along with fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) such as enterococci and Escherichia coli in poultry litter is of particular concern from a public health perspective (7-10). The human disease risk associated with contamination of environmental water bodies with human fecal material is unambiguous; in contrast, the risk of disease from nonhuman fecal contamination (from animals and birds) is more variable and host dependent (11).Currently, water body contamination by fecal pollution is assessed by FIB levels. A body of literature has established that fecal coliforms, E. coli, and Enterococcus spp. can persist in environmental waters and in sediments (12-14), indicating the existence of extraintestinal reservoirs of FIB. The ability of enteric pathogens to persist in environmental waters and sediments is much less clear and almost certainly varies by pathogen type and species (13,15). A better ...

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Estimated human health risks from exposure to recreational waters impacted by human and non-human sources of faecal contamination

Cited by 440 publications

References 114 publications

Enterococci in the Environment

Enterococci in the Environment

Cloud to coast: integrated assessment of environmental exposure, health impacts and risk perceptions of faecal organisms in coastal waters

LA35 Poultry Fecal Marker Persistence Is Correlated with That of Indicators and Pathogens in Environmental Waters

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