Journal article
Cryptosporidium and Giardia in tropical recreational marine waters contaminated with domestic sewage: Estimation of bathing-associated disease risks
Marine pollution bulletin, v 85(1), pp 268-273
15 Aug 2014
PMID: 24975093
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
•Sewage a major source of human pathogens in tropical marine waters.•Evaluation of potential risks of Giardia and Cryptosporidium infections.•Monte Carlo uncertainty analysis used to determine the probability distribution of risks.•Higher risk estimates for Giardia than for Cryptosporidium were found.•Pathogen-specific detection approaches provide accurate estimation of bathing-associated disease risks.
Sewage is a major contributor to pollution problems involving human pathogens in tropical coastal areas. This study investigated the occurrence of intestinal protozoan parasites (Giardia and Cryptosporidium) in tropical recreational marine waters contaminated with sewage. The potential risks of Cryptosporidium and Giardia infection from recreational water exposure were estimated from the levels of viable (oo) cysts (DIC+, DAPI+, PI−) found in near-shore swimming areas using an exponential dose response model. A Monte Carlo uncertainty analysis was performed in order to determine the probability distribution of risks. Microbial indicators of recreational water quality (enterococci, Clostridium perfringens) and genetic markers of sewage pollution (human-specific Bacteroidales marker [HF183] and Clostridium coccoides) were simultaneously evaluated in order to estimate the extent of water quality deterioration associated with human wastes. The study revealed the potential risk of parasite infections via primary contact with tropical marine waters contaminated with sewage; higher risk estimates for Giardia than for Cryptosporidium were found. Mean risks estimated by Monte Carlo were below the U.S. EPA upper bound on recreational risk of 0.036 for cryptosporidiosis and giardiasis for both children and adults. However, 95th percentile estimates for giardiasis for children exceeded the 0.036 level. Environmental surveillance of microbial pathogens is crucial in order to control and eradicate the effects that increasing anthropogenic impacts have on marine ecosystems and human health.
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Details
- Title
- Cryptosporidium and Giardia in tropical recreational marine waters contaminated with domestic sewage: Estimation of bathing-associated disease risks
- Creators
- Walter Q. Betancourt - Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones CientíficasDiana C. Duarte - Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones CientíficasRosa C. Vásquez - Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones CientíficasPatrick L. Gurian - Drexel University
- Publication Details
- Marine pollution bulletin, v 85(1), pp 268-273
- Publisher
- Elsevier
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000341468300044
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-84905748777
- Other Identifier
- 991019167965004721
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- International collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Environmental Sciences
- Marine & Freshwater Biology