Nuhu Amin1, Pengbo Liu2, Tim Foster3, Mahbubur Rahman4, Md Rana Miah4, Golam Bashir Ahmed4, Mamun Kabir4, Suraja Raj2, Christine L Moe2, Juliet Willetts3. 1. Infectious Disease Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka, Bangladesh. Electronic address: nuhu.amin@icddrb.org. 2. Center for Global Safe Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA. 3. Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney, 235 Jones St, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia. 4. Infectious Disease Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Despite wide usage of on-site sanitation, there is limited field-based evidence on the removal or release of pathogens from septic tanks and other primary treatment systems, such as anaerobic baffled reactors (ABR). In two low-income areas in Dhaka, we conducted a cross-sectional study to explore pathogen loads discharged from commonly used on-site sanitation-systems and their transport in nearby drains and waterways. METHODS: We collected samples of drain water, drain sediment, canal water, and floodwater from April-October 2019. Sludge, supernatant, and effluent samples were also collected from septic tanks and ABRs. We investigated the presence and concentration of selected enteric pathogens (Shigella, Vibrio cholerae (V. cholerae), Salmonella Typhi (S. Typhi), Norovirus Genogroup-II (NoV-GII), and Giardia) and presence of Cryptosporidium in these samples using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR).The equivalent genome copies (EGC) of individual pathogens were estimated in each sample by interpolation of the mean Ct value to the corresponding standard curve and the dilution factor for each sample type. Absolute quantification was expressed as log10 EGC per 100 mL for the water samples and log10 EGC per gram for the sediment samples. RESULTS: Among all samples tested (N = 151), 89% were contaminated with Shigella, 68% with V. cholerae and NoV-GII, 32% with Giardia, 17% with S. Typhi and 6% with Cryptosporidium. A wide range of concentration of pathogens [range: mean log10 concentration of Giardia = 0.74 EGC/100 mL in drain ultrafiltration samples to mean log10 concentration of NoV-GII and Giardia = 7.11 EGC/100 mL in ABR sludge] was found in all environmental samples. The highest pathogen concentrations were detected in open drains [range: mean log10 concentration = 2.50-4.94 EGC/100 mL], septic tank effluent [range: mean log10 concentration = 3.32-4.65 EGC/100 mL], and ABR effluent [range: mean log10 concentration = 2.72-5.13 EGC/100 mL]. CONCLUSIONS: High concentrations of pathogens (particularly NoV-GII, V.cholerae and Shigella) were frequently detected in environmental samples from two low-income urban neighbourhoods of Dhaka city. The numerous environmental exposure pathways for children and adults make these findings of public health concern. These results should prompt rethinking of how to achieve safe sanitation solutions that protect public health in dense low-income areas. In particular, improved management and maintenance regimes, further treatment of liquid effluent from primary treatment processes, and appropriate application of onsite, decentralised and offsite sanitation systems given the local context.
BACKGROUND: Despite wide usage of on-site sanitation, there is limited field-based evidence on the removal or release of pathogens from septic tanks and other primary treatment systems, such as anaerobic baffled reactors (ABR). In two low-income areas in Dhaka, we conducted a cross-sectional study to explore pathogen loads discharged from commonly used on-site sanitation-systems and their transport in nearby drains and waterways. METHODS: We collected samples of drain water, drain sediment, canal water, and floodwater from April-October 2019. Sludge, supernatant, and effluent samples were also collected from septic tanks and ABRs. We investigated the presence and concentration of selected enteric pathogens (Shigella, Vibrio cholerae (V. cholerae), Salmonella Typhi (S. Typhi), Norovirus Genogroup-II (NoV-GII), and Giardia) and presence of Cryptosporidium in these samples using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR).The equivalent genome copies (EGC) of individual pathogens were estimated in each sample by interpolation of the mean Ct value to the corresponding standard curve and the dilution factor for each sample type. Absolute quantification was expressed as log10 EGC per 100 mL for the water samples and log10 EGC per gram for the sediment samples. RESULTS: Among all samples tested (N = 151), 89% were contaminated with Shigella, 68% with V. cholerae and NoV-GII, 32% with Giardia, 17% with S. Typhi and 6% with Cryptosporidium. A wide range of concentration of pathogens [range: mean log10 concentration of Giardia = 0.74 EGC/100 mL in drain ultrafiltration samples to mean log10 concentration of NoV-GII and Giardia = 7.11 EGC/100 mL in ABR sludge] was found in all environmental samples. The highest pathogen concentrations were detected in open drains [range: mean log10 concentration = 2.50-4.94 EGC/100 mL], septic tank effluent [range: mean log10 concentration = 3.32-4.65 EGC/100 mL], and ABR effluent [range: mean log10 concentration = 2.72-5.13 EGC/100 mL]. CONCLUSIONS: High concentrations of pathogens (particularly NoV-GII, V.cholerae and Shigella) were frequently detected in environmental samples from two low-income urban neighbourhoods of Dhaka city. The numerous environmental exposure pathways for children and adults make these findings of public health concern. These results should prompt rethinking of how to achieve safe sanitation solutions that protect public health in dense low-income areas. In particular, improved management and maintenance regimes, further treatment of liquid effluent from primary treatment processes, and appropriate application of onsite, decentralised and offsite sanitation systems given the local context.
Authors: Musa Manga; Pete Kolsky; Jan Willem Rosenboom; Sudha Ramalingam; Lavanya Sriramajayam; Jamie Bartram; Jill Stewart Journal: Int J Hyg Environ Health Date: 2022-05-25 Impact factor: 7.401
Authors: Yuke Wang; Wolfgang Mairinger; Suraja J Raj; Habib Yakubu; Casey Siesel; Jamie Green; Sarah Durry; George Joseph; Mahbubur Rahman; Nuhu Amin; Md Zahidul Hassan; James Wicken; Dany Dourng; Eugene Larbi; Lady Asantewa B Adomako; Ato Kwamena Senayah; Benjamin Doe; Richard Buamah; Joshua Nii Noye Tetteh-Nortey; Gagandeep Kang; Arun Karthikeyan; Sheela Roy; Joe Brown; Bacelar Muneme; Seydina O Sene; Benedict Tuffuor; Richard K Mugambe; Najib Lukooya Bateganya; Trevor Surridge; Grace Mwanza Ndashe; Kunda Ndashe; Radu Ban; Alyse Schrecongost; Christine L Moe Journal: Sci Total Environ Date: 2021-10-28 Impact factor: 7.963
Authors: Ahmed Babiker; Jessica M Ingersoll; Max W Adelman; Andrew S Webster; Kari J Broder; Victoria Stittleburg; Jesse J Waggoner; Colleen S Kraft; Michael H Woodworth Journal: Clin Transl Gastroenterol Date: 2021-06-09 Impact factor: 4.488