Tag Archives: Water

Argentine city suspends classes after gastroenteritis kill girl

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In all, 56 schools in Berazategui, in metropolitan Buenos Aires, Argentina, suspended classes on Thursday (14) after a gastrointerite outbreak that has reached 250 people and caused the death of a girl. The suspicion is that the water is contaminated.

water.argentinaIn a statement posted on his Facebook account, the mayor of Berazategui, Juan Patricio Muzzi, announced that colleges will not work for 48 hours to carry out “preventive cleaning and take sample of water tanks and troughs.”

“Last week, we serve more than 250 cases. And second was informed today in the Situation Room led by the holder of borense health folder, Zulma Ortiz, hospital Evita Pueblo, the most affected are children,” reported the mayor in the post .

According to him, the first tests of laboratories indicate the cause of shigella bacteria.

I miss my hot tub, I miss my sauna, I don’t miss the viruses

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From August to September 2014 a water quality study was conducted on five popular public Danube beaches in Vojvodina, Serbia.

serbia.beach.waterTo assess the safety of Danube water for bathing, physical, chemical, bacteriological tests were performed. While many parameters for monitoring the quality of water are regulated by law, there are neither national nor international legislations addressing the presence of viruses in recreational waters. In this study, we performed analyses that surpassed national requirements, and investigated if adenovirus, enterovirus or rotavirus genetic material was present in samples of recreational water collected for quality monitoring.

Of 90 water samples obtained during the study, enterovirus material was not found in any sample, but adenovirus and rotavirus genetic materials were respectively detected in 60 and 31 samples. Statistical analyses showed a significant correlation between adenovirus DNA and total coliforms in the water. Even when water samples were adequate for recreational use, adenoviruses were detected in 75% (57/76) of such samples. Our results indicate that implementation of viral indicators in recreational water might be helpful to better assess public health safety. This might be particularly relevant in areas where urban wastewater treatment is insufficient and surface waters affected by wastewater are used for recreation.

Testing For Viral Material In Water Of Public Bathing Areas Of The Danube During Summer, Vojvodina, Serbia, 2014

Eurosurveillance, Volume 21, Issue 15, 14 April 2016

A Jovanović Galović, S Bijelović, V Milošević, I Hrnjaković Cvjetkovic, M Popović, G Kovačević , J Radovanov, N Dragić, V Petrović

http://www.eurosurveillance.org/ViewArticle.aspx?ArticleId=21441

Blame consumers, Guyana edition: Health ministry says gastro outbreaks possible because of unhygienic practices

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While a reoccurrence of an outbreak of gastroenteritis is not unlikely, deliberate efforts have been advanced by the Ministry of Public Health to reduce this possibility. This state of affairs has been vocalised by both Ministers within the Public Health Ministry, Dr. George Norton and Dr. Karen Cummings.

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Sporadic outbreaks of gastroenteritis in some hinterland sections of the country over the years have been deemed a challenge to the Ministry. It is, however, one that the Ministry has grown accustomed to.

Nothing speaks government action like, “we’re accustomed to this.”

An outbreak in Region One reported on earlier this year came as no surprise to the Public Health Ministry, said Minister Norton. In January the public health sector reported an outbreak which sickened scores of residents in Baramita, Region One.

Minister Norton in revealing that the outbreak has been linked to contaminated water said, “We know that over the years, usually at the start of some years, we have had gastroenteritis outbreaks. A few years ago we had a few deaths as a result but this time around we had doctors on the ground and medications including rehydration solutions and so on because we were looking out for it. So when it started out in Baramita we managed to control it from the initial stages.”

Prior to the outbreak reported earlier this year, the public health sector was faced with an outbreak in 2013. During that time more than 200 residents in various Region One communities became ill. At least three children died.

According to Minister Cummings, the most recent gastroenteritis outbreak was reported from Baramita and its surrounding settlements. Between December 3, 2015 and January 16, 2016, a total of 102 cases were documented by the Ministry.

However, by January 20, 2016 the cases had mounted to 122 based on data received from the Senior Environmental Officer in Region One, Minister Cummings informed. The Minister shared too that at least one death was linked to the outbreak. The reported death was that of an 11-month-old child on December 27, 2015 who manifested symptoms including malnutrition, diarrhoea and vomiting, consistent with gastroenteritis.

Minister Cummings disclosed that while follow up visits to the Region One villages revealed that the majority of villagers are adhering to the use of purification tablets or chlorine and some had even erected ventilated pit latrines, the fact that there are some who are not adhering suggest that a repeat outbreak is not unlikely.

“The possibility exists because villagers are not 100 per cent compliant in maintaining hygienic standards, despite sensitization efforts, because of health behaviour and cultural practices,” Minister Cummings said.

‘Swimming in water always carries risk of infection’ Vibrio spp. found in large numbers in Sydney Harbour

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An aggressive species of marine bacteria responsible for many more deaths than sharks worldwide each year has been found in Sydney Harbour, with experts predicting outbreaks in spots along the city’s waterfront as water temperatures rise with global warming. 

sydney.harbour.vibrioVibrio bacteria, which includes the species that causes cholera, can cause serious illness in humans and animals, including gastrointestinal sickness through consumption of contaminated seafood and flesh-eating infections in swimmers.

According to a new study by University of Technology Sydney scientists, two species of potentially dangerous Vibrio bacteria were detectable in particularly high concentrations when the water was warmest and in areas of mid-salinity, around Parramatta Park, Olympic Park and Rozelle.   

In the report, published in Frontiers of Microbiology on Tuesday, UTS researchers detail the composition of water samples collected from Sydney Harbour between Parramatta Park and Chowder Bay. 

While the cholera-causing strain of Vibrio cholerae was not found in any of the samples, a closely related strain of this species was detected in high quantities. It can cause skin infections and gastrointestinal infections if ingested or exposed to open wounds.

A second pathogen, Vibrio vulnificus, was also detected. It is responsible for 95 per cent of all seafood-related deaths in the US, and aggressive flesh-eating infections in swimmers, where it carries a mortality rate of up to 50 per cent amongst those infected, the report states.  

A spokesperson for the Department of Health said swimming in water always carries the risk of infection. 

“Germs, including a large range of bacteria and viruses, occur naturally and are very common in the environment. Vibrio species are commonly found in aquatic environments. Many of these bacteria and viruses are harmless to people. However some can be harmful if swallowed or if they infect wounds.”

Simple precautions include “not getting water in your mouth, keeping any wounds covered with a watertight dressing and avoiding injuries on sharp objects.”

Food and water safety is never simple.

Yuck factor: Swiss study finds E. coli bacteria in ice cubes

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More than a quarter of ice cubes used in Swiss bars and restaurants contain fecal bacteria such as E. coli, according to a nationwide study by the Swiss cantonal chemists association (VKCS).

ice.bearIn an analysis of ice cube samples collected from bars, restaurants and canteens around Switzerland last year, 26 percent fell short of legal health standards, said Sunday paper SonntagsBlick, which released the figure prior to the report’s official publication.

The presence of bacteria including pseudomonas, E. coli and enterococci is “a clear sign of unsanitary production of ice cubes,” Otmar Deflorin, president of the  cantonal chemists association and head of the Swiss federal laboratory in Bern, told SonntagsBlick.

The primary cause is a lack of hygiene in bars and restaurants, where ice machines may be badly cleaned and maintained, he said.

100s sickened: Noro in water source of outbreak at Chinese school

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In late 2014, a gastroenteritis outbreak occurred in a school in Shandong Province, eastern China. Hundreds of individuals developed the symptoms of diarrhea and vomiting.

norovirus-2Epidemiological investigation showed that food consumption was not linked to this outbreak, and unboiled direct drinking water was identified as the independent risk factor with a relative risk of 1·37 (95% confidence interval 1·03–1·83). Furthermore, examination of common bacterial and viral gastroenteritis pathogens was conducted on different specimens. Norovirus GI.1, GI.2, GI.6, GII.4, GII.6 and GII.13 were detected in clinical specimens and a water sample. GII.4 sequences between clinical specimens and the water sample displayed a close relationship and belonged to GII.4 variant Sydney 2012.

 These results indicate that direct drinking water contaminated by norovirus was responsible for this gastroenteritis outbreak. This study enriches our knowledge of waterborne norovirus outbreaks in China, and presents valuable prevention and control practices for policy-makers. In future, strengthened surveillance and supervision of direct drinking-water systems is needed.

A waterborne norovirus gastroenteritis outbreak in a school, eastern China

Epidemiology and Infection, 144, pp 1212-1219

Zhou, H. Zhang, X. Lin, P. Hou, S. Wang, Z. Tao, Z. Bi and A. Xu

http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=10250463&utm_source=Issue_Alert&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=HYG

Childcare centers and water primary source of dangerous E. coli in Ireland

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Verotoxigenic Escherichia coli (VTEC) are significant for their low infectious dose, their potential clinical severity and the frequency with which they generate outbreaks.

dirty.jobs.daycare.e.coliTo describe the relative importance of different outbreak transmission routes for VTEC infection in Ireland, we reviewed outbreak notification data for the period 2004–2012, describing the burden and characteristics of foodborne, waterborne, animal contact and person-to-person outbreaks.

Outbreaks where person-to-person spread was reported as the sole transmission route accounted for more than half of all outbreaks and outbreaks cases, most notably in childcare facilities. The next most significant transmission route was waterborne spread from untreated or poorly treated private water supplies.

The focus for reducing incidence of VTEC should be on reducing waterborne and person-to-person transmission, by publicizing Health Service Executive materials developed for consumers on private well management, and for childcare facility managers and public health professionals on prevention of person-to-person spread.

Verotoxigenic Escherichia coli transmission in Ireland: a review of notified outbreaks, 2004–2012

Epidemiology and Infection, Volume 144, Issue 5, April 2016, pages 917-926, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0950268815002034

Garvey, A. Carroll, E. McNamara, and P. J. McKeown

http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=10216060&utm_source=Issue_Alert&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=HYG

Beaver fever: Petting zoos, untreated water primary sources of Giardia at home and abroad

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The purpose of this study is to determine how demographic and exposure factors related to giardiasis vary between travel and endemic cases.

beaver.feverExposure and demographic data were gathered by public health inspectors from giardiasis cases reported from the Region of Waterloo from 2006 to 2012. Logistic regression models were fit to assess differences in exposure to risk factors for giardiasis between international travel-related cases and Canadian acquired cases while controlling for age and sex. Multinomial regression models were also fit to assess the differences in risk profiles between international and domestic travel-related cases and endemic cases.

Travel-related cases (both international and domestic) were more likely to go camping or kayaking, and consume untreated water compared to endemic cases. Domestic travel-related cases were more likely to visit a petting zoo or farm compared to endemic cases, and were more likely to swim in freshwater compared to endemic cases and international travel-related cases. International travellers were more likely to swim in an ocean compared to both domestic travel-related and endemic cases.

These findings demonstrate that travel-related and endemic cases have different risk exposure profiles which should be considered for appropriately targeting health promotion campaigns.

Beaver_FeverA comparison of exposure to risk factors for giardiasis in non-travellers, domestic travellers and international travellers in a Canadian community, 2006–2012

Epidemiology and Infection, Volume 144, Issue 5, April 2016, pages 980-999, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0950268815002186

L. Swirski, D. L. Pearl, A. S. Peregrine, and K. Pintar

http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=10216090&utm_source=Issue_Alert&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=HYG

Cryptosporidium in Ireland’s water supply

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There seems to be a lot of Cryptosporidium in Ireland.

Irish Water has identified cryptosporidium contamination in Carraroe’s public supply in Connemara.

cryptoThe discovery came as ten thousand homes and businesses in Cork were issued with boil water notices over fears of contaminated drinking water.

The State utility has advised some 4,700 people dependent on the public supply in Carraroe to boil their water until further notice.

This follows a similar notice issued for Leitir Móir/Tír an Fhia in south and west Connemara in January.

Sinn Féín senator Trevor Ó Clochartaigh has criticised Irish Water for failing to upgrade the Carraroe scheme when it was directed to by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

“This supply has been substandard for years and the EPA have indicated for the last number of years that there has been insufficient protection for cryptosporidium, ”Senator Ó Clochartaigh said.

13 dead, 10 sick from C. perfringens in Nigeria

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On Feb. 27, 2016, Dr Rilwanu Muhammad, the Executive Secretary, of the Federal Capital Territory Primary Health Care Development Board in Nigeria said that 13 people died, while 10 people survived food poisoning caused by Clostridium perfringens in Abuja.

africa0027-e1407965162944The board took blood samples from infected persons and water from the well and the 3 bore holes in the community for clinical diagnosis at the laboratory of Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). Muhammad called on community administration to provide safe and clean water for the community. He also called on the community to enhance personal hygiene, especially hand washing, adding that C. perfringens infection could be traced in the stool of the affected person.