Exposure to Animal Feces and Human Health: A Systematic Review and Proposed Research Priorities

Abstract

Humans can be exposed to pathogens from poorly managed animal feces, particularly in communities where animals live in close proximity to humans. This systematic review of peer-reviewed and gray literature examines the human health impacts of exposure to poorly managed animal feces transmitted via water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH)-related pathways in low- and middle-income countries, where household livestock, small-scale animal operations, and free-roaming animals are common. We identify routes of contamination by animal feces, control measures to reduce human exposure, and propose research priorities for further inquiry. Exposure to animal feces has been associated with diarrhea, soil-transmitted helminth infection, trachoma, environmental enteric dysfunction, and growth faltering. Few studies have evaluated control measures, but interventions include reducing cohabitation with animals, provision of animal feces scoops, controlling animal movement, creating safe child spaces, improving veterinary care, and hygiene promotion. Future research should evaluate: behaviors related to points of contact with animal feces; animal fecal contamination of food; cultural behaviors of animal fecal management; acute and chronic health risks associated with exposure to animal feces; and factors influencing concentrations and shedding rates of pathogens originating from animal feces.

The Potential Role of Synanthropic Rodents and Flies in the Transmission of Enterocytozoon bieneusi on a Dairy Cattle farm in China

“…; Penakalapati et al. ). Synanthropic rodents contaminate human food and livestock fodder by excreting feces, which make it a possibility that spores of E. bieneusi infect livestock and humans by an indirect fecal‐oral route (Penakalapati et al.…”

“…Synanthropic rodents contaminate human food and livestock fodder by excreting feces, which make it a possibility that spores of E. bieneusi infect livestock and humans by an indirect fecal‐oral route (Penakalapati et al. ). The influence from these rodents may be considerable, because of their large populations and successful adaption to various environments.…”

“…Synanthropic rodents and flies, because of their abundant population and broad active range, threaten public health by the destruction and contamination of food and spreading various pathogens (Penakalapati et al. ). To the best of our knowledge, no literature has been published about E. bieneusi in flies and only a few studies have been conducted to screen for the presence of this parasite in rodents (Del Coco et al.…”

Improving phosphorus sustainability of sugarcane production in Brazil

“…Similarly, most CAFOs are concentrated in areas of Brazil that are too far from the main sugarcane areas to make it economically feasible to transport livestock manures for recycling to land. There are also concerns over disease transfer which add to the treatment costs of making these bioresources safe to apply; for example, salmonella transfer in poultry manure (Penakalapati et al, ).…”

A water-focused one-health approach for early detection and prevention of viral outbreaks

“…Even treated wastewater effluent, which is often released into surface water, can contain detectable concentrations of human viruses [75]. Treated or untreated livestock waste and wildlife waste is also washed off the land during precipitation events and can be carried into surface water bodies via runoff, and animal wastes have been shown to be a potential exposure pathway of disease to humans [76]. In addition to ingestion of water, recreational exposure to contaminated surface water, for example in public swimming pools or on public beaches, can be a pathway of viral infection via surface water [77,78].…”