scholarly journals Complex interactions between weather, and microbial and physiochemical water quality impact the likelihood of detecting foodborne pathogens in agricultural water

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Weller ◽  
Natalie Brassill ◽  
Channah Rock ◽  
Renata Ivanek ◽  
Erika Mudrak ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Food Safety ◽  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Foodborne Pathogens ◽  
Pathogen Detection ◽  
Agricultural Water ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
Safety Risks ◽  
The Relationship

AbstractAgricultural water is an important source of foodborne pathogens on produce farms. Managing water-associated risks does not lend itself to one-size-fits-all approaches due to the heterogeneous nature of freshwater environments, and because environmental conditions affect the likelihood of pathogen contamination and the relationship between indicator organism levels (e.g., E. coli) and pathogen presence. To improve our ability to develop location-specific risk management practices, a study was conducted in two produce-growing regions to (i) characterize the relationship between E. coli levels and pathogen presence in agricultural water, and (ii) identify environmental factors associated with pathogen detection. Three AZ and six NY waterways were sampled longitudinally using 10-L grab samples (GS) and 24-h Moore swabs (MS). Regression showed that the likelihood of Salmonella detection (Odds Ratio [OR]=2.18), and eaeA-stx codetection (OR=6.49) was significantly greater for MS compared to GS, while the likelihood of detecting L. monocytogenes was not. Regression also showed that eaeA-stx codetection in AZ (OR=50.2) and NY (OR=18.4), and Salmonella detection in AZ (OR=4.4) were significantly associated with E. coli levels, while Salmonella detection in NY was not. Random forest analysis indicated that interactions between environmental factors (e.g., rainfall, temperature, turbidity) (i) were associated with likelihood of pathogen detection and (ii) mediated the relationship between E. coli levels and likelihood of pathogen detection. Our findings suggest that (i) environmental heterogeneity, including interactions between factors, affects microbial water quality, and (ii) E. coli levels alone may not be a suitable indicator of the food safety risks. Instead, targeted methods that utilize environmental and microbial data (e.g., models that use turbidity and E. coli levels to predict when there is a high or low risk of surface water being contaminated by pathogens) are needed to assess and mitigate the food safety risks associated with preharvest water use. By identifying environmental factors associated with an increased likelihood of detecting pathogens in agricultural water, this study provides information that (i) can be used to assess when pathogen contamination of agricultural water is likely to occur, and (ii) facilitate development of targeted interventions for individual water sources, providing an alternative to existing one-size-fits-all approaches.

497 Late-Breaking: Low Number of Owner Reported Suspected Transmission of Foodborne Pathogens from Raw Meat-based Diets Fed to Dogs and/or Cats

2021 ◽  
Vol 99 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. 59-60
Author(s):  
Nicole R Cammack ◽  
Ryan M Yamka ◽  
Vicki Adams
Keyword(s):  
Food Safety ◽  
Foodborne Pathogens ◽  
Pathogen Transmission ◽  
Safety Measures ◽  
Additional Risk ◽  
Raw Meat ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Protein Sources ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
Reduce Risk

Abstract The aim of this worldwide survey was to determine owner reported frequency of pathogen transmission to humans living in or in contact with households feeding their pets commercial and homemade raw meat-based diets (RMBD). A total of 5,611 responses were gathered from 62 countries with 77.1% of households feeding only RMBDs to dog(s) and/or cat(s) no confirmed cases of pathogen transmission or infection by laboratory testing. Eleven households (0.20%, 95%CI: 0.10 – 0.36) were classified as having experienced ‘probable’ transmission and 20 households (0.36%, 95%CI: 0.22 – 0.56) were classified as having experienced “possible” transmission to result in a total of 31 households (0.55%, 95%CI: 0.38 – 0.79) being identified as potential cases of transmission (fig. 1). The remainder of households (n = 5,580 = 99.45%, 95% CI: 99.21 – 99.62) were not considered to have experienced potential transmission of foodborne pathogens based on their responses to the survey. The most frequently reported pathogens were Salmonella (n = 11, 0.2%), Campylobacter (n=6, 0.1%) and E. Coli (n = 4, 0.1%), with the most common age group being adults age 18–65 (n=29, 78.4% of cases). Beef and chicken were the most common proteins reported as being fed in case households although this was not associated with pathogen transmission. Households feeding a greater number of different protein sources, including pork, turkey, duck, rabbit and salmon, were associated with decreased risk of pathogen transmission. Additional risk factors associated with pathogen transmission included preparing RMBD in a separate location, with different utensils than human food (fig. 2), mixing RMBD with dry (kibble) diets and feeding a limited variety of protein sources. Based on the results of this survey, confirmed pathogen transmission from RMBD to humans appears to be rare. We conclude that potential or probable cases of pathogen transmission is likely dependent upon hygiene and food safety measures and more education surrounding food safety should reduce risk.

The relationship between health effects in triathletes and microbiological quality of freshwater

1995 ◽  
Vol 31 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 19-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. J. Medema ◽  
I. A. van Asperen ◽  
J. M. Klokman-Houweling ◽  
A. Nooitgedagt ◽  
M. J. W. van de Laar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Geometric Mean ◽  
Microbiological Quality ◽  
Quality Parameters ◽  
Health Complaints ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Thermotolerant Coliforms ◽  
Microbiological Water Quality ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Faecal Streptococci

This pilot study was carried out to determine the relationship between microbiological water quality parameters and the occurrence of health complaints among triathletes. Data were collected at an Olympic distance triathlon (n=314) and a run-bike-run (n=81; controls for exposure to fresh water). At the time of the triathlon, the concentrations of Escherichia coli , thermotolerant coliforms, faecal streptococci, entero- and reoviruses, F-specific RNA phages, Salmonella, Campylobacter, Aeromonas, Plesiomonas shigelloides, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus were examined over the swimming course. Information on the occurrence of health complaints during the competition and in the week thereafter was collected through a written questionnaire. The results show that triathletes and run-bike-runners are comparable with respect to factors other than water exposure (age, sex, training history, physical stress, lower intestinal health complaints during the competition) that may influence the occurrence of health complaints in the week after the competition. Triathletes and run-bike-runners reported gastro-intestinal (7.7% vs 2.5%), respiratory (5.5% vs 3.7%), skin/mucosal (2.6% vs 1.2%), general (3.5% vs 1.2%) and total symptoms (14.8% vs 7.4%) in the week after the event. The health risks for triathletes for all symptom groups are not significantly higher than for run-bike-runners. The geometric mean concentration of faecal indicator bacteria is relatively low: E. coli 170/100 ml; faecal streptococci 13/100 ml, enteroviruses were present at concentrations of 0.1/l. The group of triathletes was homogeneusly and relatively intensely exposed to water; they all swam in the same body of water at the same time and 75% reported to have swallowed freshwater. It was concluded that this study design is suitable to study the relationship between health complaints and microbiological water quality. In the summers of 1993 and 1994, a study will be carried out concerning several run-bike-runs and triathlons in freshwaters of different quality.

The effect of type of water supply on water quality in a developing community in South Africa

1997 ◽  
Vol 35 (11-12) ◽  
pp. 35-40 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Genthe ◽  
N. Strauss ◽  
J. Seager ◽  
C. Vundule ◽  
F. Maforah ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Water Supply ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Guideline Values ◽  
Developing Communities ◽  
Quality Guideline ◽  
And Control ◽  
The Relationship

Efforts to provide water to developing communities in South Africa have resulted in various types of water supplies being used. This study examined the relationship between the type of water supply and the quality of water used. Source (communal taps, private outdoor and indoor taps) and point-of-use water samples were examined for heterotrophic plate counts (HPC), total and faecal coliforms, E. coli, and coliphages. Ten percent of samples were also analysed for enteric viruses, Giardia and Cryptosporidium. Approximately 320 households were included in a case-control study. In addition, a cross-sectional study was conducted. Both studies examined the relationship between different types of water facilities and diarrhoea among pre-school children. The source water was of good microbial quality, but water quality was found to have deteriorated significantly after handling and storage in both case and control households, exceeding drinking water quality guideline values by 1-6 orders of magnitude. Coliphage counts were low for all water samples tested. Enteric viruses and Cryptosporidium oocysts were not detected. Giardia cysts were detected on one occasion in case and control in-house samples. Comparisons of whether in-house water, after handling and storage, complied with water quality guideline values demonstrated households using communal taps to have significantly poorer quality than households using private outdoor or indoor taps for HPC and E. coli (χ2 = 14.9, P = 0.001; χ2 = 6.6, P = 0.04 respectively). A similar trend (although not statistically significant) was observed for the other microbial indicators. The cross-sectional study demonstrated an apparent decrease in health risk associated with private outdoor taps in comparison to communal taps. This study suggests that a private outdoor tap is the minimum level of water supply in order to ensure the supply of safe water to developing communities.

scholarly journals Predictive Models for Escherichia coli Concentrations at Inland Lake Beaches and Relationship of Model Variables to Pathogen Detection

2013 ◽  
Vol 79 (5) ◽  
pp. 1676-1688 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donna S. Francy ◽  
Erin A. Stelzer ◽  
Joseph W. Duris ◽  
Amie M. G. Brady ◽  
John H. Harrison ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Water Quality ◽  
Predictive Models ◽  
Pathogen Detection ◽  
Model Performance ◽  
Current Method ◽  
Content Type ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Predictive Variables ◽  
Inland Lake

ABSTRACTPredictive models, based on environmental and water quality variables, have been used to improve the timeliness and accuracy of recreational water quality assessments, but their effectiveness has not been studied in inland waters. Sampling at eight inland recreational lakes in Ohio was done in order to investigate using predictive models forEscherichia coliand to understand the links betweenE. coliconcentrations, predictive variables, and pathogens. Based upon results from 21 beach sites, models were developed for 13 sites, and the most predictive variables were rainfall, wind direction and speed, turbidity, and water temperature. Models were not developed at sites where theE. colistandard was seldom exceeded. Models were validated at nine sites during an independent year. At three sites, the model resulted in increased correct responses, sensitivities, and specificities compared to use of the previous day'sE. coliconcentration (the current method). Drought conditions during the validation year precluded being able to adequately assess model performance at most of the other sites.Cryptosporidium, adenovirus,eaeA(E. coli),ipaH(Shigella), andspvC(Salmonella) were found in at least 20% of samples collected for pathogens at five sites. The presence or absence of the three bacterial genes was related to some of the model variables but was not consistently related toE. coliconcentrations. Predictive models were not effective at all inland lake sites; however, their use at two lakes with high swimmer densities will provide better estimates of public health risk than current methods and will be a valuable resource for beach managers and the public.

Rapid and Sensitive Detection of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in Milk and Ground Beef Using Magnetic Bead–Based Immunoassay Coupled with Tyramide Signal Amplification

2014 ◽  
Vol 77 (1) ◽  
pp. 100-105 ◽  
Author(s):  
MUHSIN AYDIN ◽  
GENE P. D. HERZIG ◽  
KWANG CHEOL JEONG ◽  
SAMANTHA DUNIGAN ◽  
PARTH SHAH ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Food Safety ◽  
Foodborne Pathogens ◽  
Signal Amplification ◽  
Magnetic Bead ◽  
Escherichia Coli O157 ◽  
Tyramide Signal Amplification ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Enrichment Step

Escherichia coli O157:H7 is a major foodborne pathogen that has posed serious problems for food safety and public health. Recent outbreaks and recalls associated with various foods contaminated by E. coli O157:H7 clearly indicate its deleterious effect on food safety. A rapid and sensitive detection assay is needed for this harmful organism to prevent foodborne illnesses and control outbreaks in a timely manner. We developed a magnetic bead–based immunoassay for detection of E. coli O157:H7 (the most well-known Shiga toxigenic E. coli strain) with a 96-well microplate as an assay platform. Immunomagnetic separation (IMS) and tyramide signal amplification were coupled to the assay to increase its sensitivity and specificity. This immunoassay was able to detect E. coli O157:H7 in pure culture with a detection limit of 50 CFU/ml in less than 3 h without an enrichment step. The detection limit was decreased 10-fold to 5 CFU/ml with addition of a 3-h enrichment step. When this assay was tested with other nontarget foodborne pathogens and common enteric bacteria, no cross-reactivity was found. When tested with artificially contaminated ground beef and milk samples, the assay sensitivity decreased two- to fivefold, with detection limits of 250 and 100 CFU/ml, respectively, probably because of the food matrix effect. The assay results also were compared with those of a sandwich-type enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and an ELISA coupled with IMS; the developed assay was 25 times and 4 times more sensitive than the standard ELISA and the IMS-ELISA, respectively. Tyramide signal amplification combined with IMS can improve sensitivity and specificity for detection of E. coli O157:H7. The developed assay could be easily adapted for other foodborne pathogens and will contribute to improved food safety and public health.

scholarly journals Plant-Pathogenic Oomycetes, Escherichia coli Strains, and Salmonella spp. Frequently Found in Surface Water Used for Irrigation of Fruit and Vegetable Crops in New York State

2014 ◽  
Vol 80 (16) ◽  
pp. 4814-4820 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa A. Jones ◽  
Randy W. Worobo ◽  
Christine D. Smart
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Water Quality ◽  
New York ◽  
Food Safety ◽  
Surface Water ◽  
New York State ◽  
Quality Parameters ◽  
Content Type ◽  
York State ◽  
E Coli

ABSTRACTIn the United States, surface water is commonly used to irrigate a variety of produce crops and can harbor pathogens responsible for food-borne illnesses and plant diseases. Understanding when pathogens infest water sources is valuable information for produce growers to improve the food safety and production of these crops. In this study, prevalence data along with regression tree analyses were used to correlate water quality parameters (pH, temperature, turbidity), irrigation site properties (source, the presence of livestock or fowl nearby), and precipitation data to the presence and concentrations ofEscherichia coli,Salmonellaspp., and hymexazol-insensitive (HIS) oomycetes (PhytophthoraandPythiumspp.) in New York State surface waters. A total of 123 samples from 18 sites across New York State were tested forE. coliandSalmonellaspp., of which 33% and 43% were positive, respectively. Additionally, 210 samples from 38 sites were tested for HIS oomycetes, and 88% were found to be positive, with 10 species ofPhytophthoraand 11 species ofPythiumbeing identified from the samples. Regression analysis found no strong correlations between water quality parameters, site factors, or precipitation to the presence or concentration ofE. coliin irrigation sources. ForSalmonella, precipitation (≤0.64 cm) 3 days before sampling was correlated to both presence and the highest counts. Analyses for oomycetes found creeks to have higher average counts than ponds, and higher turbidity levels were associated with higher oomycete counts. Overall, information gathered from this study can be used to better understand the food safety and plant pathogen risks of using surface water for irrigation.

scholarly journals Spatiotemporal variation of bacterial water quality and the relationship with pasture land cover

2017 ◽  
Vol 15 (6) ◽  
pp. 839-848 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erin E. Scott ◽  
Mansoor D. K. Leh ◽  
Brian E. Haggard
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Land Cover ◽  
Best Management Practices ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
The United States ◽  
Illinois River ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Pasture Land ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract Pathogens are a major cause of water quality impairment and public health concern world-wide. In the United States, each state is tasked with developing water quality standards (WQS) to protect the designated use(s) of waterbodies. Several streams in the Illinois River Watershed in northwest Arkansas are currently listed as impaired due to elevated levels of pathogens. Our objective was to evaluate Escherichia coli (E. coli) numbers at 29 stream sites, compare these numbers to the applicable WQS, and investigate the relationship between E. coli numbers and land cover variables. E. coli numbers in samples collected at most sites were within allowable limits, although there were several instances of violations of the WQS. Violations were variable from year to year at some sites, and elevated levels of E. coli were spatially localized during baseflow. Violations also were positively related to pasture land cover in the drainage area, and particularly within the riparian buffer area. This relationship was non-linear, or threshold based, where there was a significant increase in the mean E. coli exceedances when riparian pasture land cover was greater than approximately 50%. These results can be used to identify specific stream reaches where E. coli numbers might be elevated and the implementation of best management practices can be geographically targeted.

Dispersion and Survival of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella Typhimurium during the Production of Marinated Beef Inside Skirt Steaks and Tri-Tip Roasts

2012 ◽  
Vol 75 (2) ◽  
pp. 255-260 ◽  
Author(s):  
TIFFANY M. MURAS ◽  
KERRI B. HARRIS ◽  
LISA M. LUCIA ◽  
MARGARET D. HARDIN ◽  
JEFFREY W. SAVELL
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Food Safety ◽  
Salmonella Typhimurium ◽  
Escherichia Coli O157 ◽  
Refrigerated Storage ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Safety Risks ◽  
Beef Products ◽  
Potential Food

To determine the depth of pathogen dispersion and the ability of pathogens to survive in enhanced beef products and spent marinade, beef inside skirt steaks and tri-tip roasts were vacuum tumbled with two commercial marinades. The marinades were inoculated with Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella Typhimurium, resulting in an approximate count of 5.2 log CFU/ml. Both inside skirt steaks and tri-tip roasts were vacuum tumbled for 1 h and sampled immediately after tumbling (day 0), or were vacuum packaged, stored (ca. 4°C), and sampled on days 7 and 14. Samples of the spent marinade were taken after tumbling (day 0) and on days 3 and 7. For both marinades, Salmonella Typhimurium and E. coli O157:H7 were dispersed throughout the inside skirt steaks during vacuum tumbling. Although Salmonella Typhimurium and E. coli O157:H7 for the skirt steaks were still detectable after 14 days of storage, the log values were lower than those on days 0 and 7. For the tri-tip roasts, the pathogen distribution varied, depending on the thickness of the roasts, and pathogens were detectable on days 0, 7, and 14. The spent marinade sampled on days 0, 3, and 7 showed that the pathogens survived at refrigerated temperatures. Because pathogens can transfer to the interior of beef inside skirt steaks and tri-tip roasts when vacuum tumbled with contaminated marinade and survived during refrigerated storage, establishments should consider the potential food safety risks associated with reuse of marinade during the production of vacuum-tumbled beef products.

Water quality and food safety: a review and discussion of risks

Water Policy ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 680-695 ◽  
Author(s):  
Puja Jawahar ◽  
Claudia Ringler
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Developing Countries ◽  
Food Safety ◽  
Water Use ◽  
Water Quality Management ◽  
High Water ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Animal Products ◽  
Main Research ◽  
Safety Risks

While increased diversification of developing-country diets as a result of agricultural and economic growth has improved nutritional status and human health, the increased consumption of high-value products—particularly fresh fruits, vegetables, dairy and animal products—has lead to significant food safety risks associated with unsafe management and use of water resources These risks are both magnified and masked in developing countries due to a lack of regulation combined with a dearth of data and information on the relations between water use, water quality and food safety risks. Given the likely estimated rapid increase in production, trade, and consumption of agricultural commodities with high water-related food safety risks, avoiding contamination and maintaining water quality and food safety are becoming growing public health issues in developing countries. This paper introduces the linkages between water quality and food safety, describes the causes for declining water quality levels, and identifies the various stages of the production process that are vulnerable to contamination due to water use. It concludes with a review of constraints to food safety and water quality management and identifies the main research gaps relevant to agricultural water management in developing countries.

scholarly journals The Model of Odonate Diversity Relationship with Environmental Factors Based on Path Analysis

el–Hayah ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 07
Author(s):  
Bambang Feriwibisono ◽  
Marsoedi Marsoedi ◽  
Amin Setyo Leksono
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Light Intensity ◽  
Structural Equation Model ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Equation Model ◽  
Water Velocity ◽  
Microsoft Excel ◽  
Vegetation Characteristics ◽  
The Relationship

This study aims to analyze and describe the relationship between altitude, aerial variables (temperature, light intensity, humidity), water qualities (water temperature, pH, BOD, COD, DO, TOM, and water velocity), and vegetation with the diversity of Odonate assemblages. Odonate samplings were conducted at six survey sites based on altitude and vegetation characteristics. Measurement of altitude, aerial variables, water qualities and vegetation characteristics were replicate in the first day and third day. Analysis of correlations of all environmental factors with the odonate diversity was done through structural equation model using Partial Least Squares (PLS), Open source Smart Software and Microsoft Excel. The aerial variables and water qualities affected indirectly on odonate diversity. The aerial variables directly or with interaction to other factor affected the water qualities and vegetation characteristics. The vegetation characteristics directly influenced to odonate diversity. Water flow affected water quality, light intensity affected the aerial, while morning period observation affected the odonate diversity. Predictive relevance (Q2) for a model designed amounted to 99.95%, while the rest of 0.05% are explained by other variables.<p> </p>

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