scholarly journals Waterborne disease outbreak detection: an integrated approach using health administrative databases

2017 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 475-489 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Coly ◽  
N. Vincent ◽  
E. Vaissiere ◽  
M. Charras-Garrido ◽  
A. Gallay ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Detection Method ◽  
Tap Water ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Outbreak Detection ◽  
Administrative Databases ◽  
Waterborne Disease ◽  
Disease Outbreak Detection

Hundreds of waterborne disease outbreaks (WBDO) of acute gastroenteritis (AGI) due to contaminated tap water are reported in developed countries each year. Such outbreaks are probably under-detected. The aim of our study was to develop an integrated approach to detect and study clusters of AGI in geographical areas with homogeneous exposure to drinking water. Data for the number of AGI cases are available at the municipality level while exposure to tap water depends on drinking water networks (DWN). These two geographical units do not systematically overlap. This study proposed to develop an algorithm which would match the most relevant grouping of municipalities with a specific DWN, in order that tap water exposure can be taken into account when investigating future disease outbreaks. A space-time detection method was applied to the grouping of municipalities. Seven hundred and fourteen new geographical areas (groupings of municipalities) were obtained compared with the 1,310 municipalities and the 1,706 DWN. Eleven potential WBDO were identified in these groupings of municipalities. For ten of them, additional environmental investigations identified at least one event that could have caused microbiological contamination of DWN in the days previous to the occurrence of a reported WBDO.

scholarly journals A systematic review of waterborne disease burden methodologies from developed countries

2014 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 634-655 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. M. Murphy ◽  
K. D. M. Pintar ◽  
E. A. McBean ◽  
M. K. Thomas
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Drinking Water ◽  
Health Risks ◽  
Distribution System ◽  
National Level ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Extreme Weather Events ◽  
Treatment Level ◽  
Waterborne Disease ◽  
True Incidence

The true incidence of endemic acute gastrointestinal illness (AGI) attributable to drinking water in Canada is unknown. Using a systematic review framework, the literature was evaluated to identify methods used to attribute AGI to drinking water. Several strategies have been suggested or applied to quantify AGI attributable to drinking water at a national level. These vary from simple point estimates, to quantitative microbial risk assessment, to Monte Carlo simulations, which rely on assumptions and epidemiological data from the literature. Using two methods proposed by researchers in the USA, this paper compares the current approaches and key assumptions. Knowledge gaps are identified to inform future waterborne disease attribution estimates. To improve future estimates, there is a need for robust epidemiological studies that quantify the health risks associated with small, private water systems, groundwater systems and the influence of distribution system intrusions on risk. Quantification of the occurrence of enteric pathogens in water supplies, particularly for groundwater, is needed. In addition, there are unanswered questions regarding the susceptibility of vulnerable sub-populations to these pathogens and the influence of extreme weather events (precipitation) on AGI-related health risks. National centralized data to quantify the proportions of the population served by different water sources, by treatment level, source water quality, and the condition of the distribution system infrastructure, are needed.

scholarly journals Common themes contributing to recent drinking water disease outbreaks in affluent nations

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (6) ◽  
pp. 1767-1777 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. E. Hrudey ◽  
E. J. Hrudey
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Scientific Literature ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Disease Outbreak ◽  
Safe Drinking Water ◽  
Waterborne Disease ◽  
George Santayana ◽  
The Past ◽  
Recent Outbreak

Abstract New Zealand experienced its largest waterborne disease outbreak in modern history in August 2016 with 5,500 cases and four fatalities. This recent outbreak is one of 24 drinking-waterborne disease outbreaks in affluent nations that have been reported in the scientific literature since the infamous Walkerton, Ontario, Canada fatal outbreak (2,300 cases, seven fatalities) in May 2000. These disasters were all eminently preventable given the economic and intellectual resources existing in the countries where they occurred. These outbreaks are analysed according to major recurring themes, including: complacency, naiveté and ignorance, failure to learn from experience and chemophobia. Lessons that can be learned to improve preventive approaches for ensuring safe drinking water are based on an extensive and authentic body of evidence in support of meaningful improvements. Philosopher George Santayana captured this need with his famous quote: ‘Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.’

scholarly journals Drinking-water safety – challenges for community-managed systems

2008 ◽  
Vol 6 (S1) ◽  
pp. 33-41 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Rizak ◽  
Steve E. Hrudey
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Drinking Water ◽  
Failure Modes ◽  
Water System ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Warning Signs ◽  
Water Safety ◽  
Waterborne Disease ◽  
Drinking Water Safety ◽  
Weather Events

A targeted review of documented waterborne disease outbreaks over the past decades reveals some recurring themes that should be understood by drinking-water suppliers. Evidence indicates the outbreaks are often linked to some significant change in conditions that provides a sudden challenge to a water system. Severe weather events, such as heavy rainfall or runoff from snow melt, as well as treatment process and system changes, are common risk factors for drinking-water outbreaks. Failure to recognise warning signs and complacency are important contributors to drinking water becoming unsafe. Drinking-water suppliers must focus on competence and vigilance in maintaining effective multiple barriers appropriate to the challenges facing the drinking-water system. Understanding the risk factors and failure modes of waterborne disease outbreaks is an essential component for effective management of community drinking-water supplies and ensuring the delivery of safe drinking-water to consumers.

scholarly journals Drinking Water Standards and Their Implementation—A Critical Assessment

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (20) ◽  
pp. 2918
Author(s):  
Charikleia Tsaridou ◽  
Anastasios J. Karabelas
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Emerging Contaminants ◽  
Measurement Techniques ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Biological Species ◽  
Potential Health ◽  
Limit Values ◽  
Synthetic Chemicals ◽  
Scientific Technical

Diminishing clean water resources and their pollution (due to human activities and climatic change) are of great concern on a global basis. Under such conditions, the adequacy of drinking water (DW) standards and their meticulous implementation are issues of utmost importance in safeguarding human health. Unfortunately, the significant number of disease outbreaks (and of other suspected/potential health effects) related to DW, even in developed countries, attests to the fact that these issues require vigilance and continuous re-appraisal, particularly considering the assorted emerging contaminants and the ever-improving technological tools to cope with them. Therefore, the present comprehensive assessment addresses the main issues and concerns regarding DW standards and implementation thereof. Emphasis is placed on identifying the inherent deficiencies of standards (due to neglect of potential toxic contaminants and to debatable specifications/limit values) and regulations for their implementation and the monitoring of DW quality (due to weaknesses of available analytical/measurement techniques and inadequacies of tools and protocols). Rather serious deficiencies on these aspects are evident regarding the main categories of contaminants, i.e., synthetic chemicals and biological species. In regard to addressing these issues, progress made in recent years at the scientific/technical level and the main challenges are outlined toward the goal of an improvement in standards and their implementation.

scholarly journals Waterborne Disease Outbreak Detection: A Simulation-Based Study

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (7) ◽  
pp. 1505 ◽  
Author(s):  
Damien Mouly ◽  
Sarah Goria ◽  
Michael Mounié ◽  
Pascal Beaudeau ◽  
Catherine Galey ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Insurance ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Detection Algorithm ◽  
Outbreak Detection ◽  
Public Health Issue ◽  
Gastrointestinal Infections ◽  
Waterborne Disease ◽  
Health Insurance Data ◽  
Simulation Based ◽  
Insurance Data

Waterborne disease outbreaks (WBDOs) remain a public health issue in developed countries, but to date the surveillance of WBDOs in France, mainly based on the voluntary reporting of clusters of acute gastrointestinal infections (AGIs) by general practitioners to health authorities, is characterized by low sensitivity. In this context, a detection algorithm using health insurance data and based on a space–time method was developed to improve WBDO detection. The objective of the present simulation-based study was to evaluate the performance of this algorithm for WBDO detection using health insurance data. The daily baseline counts of acute gastrointestinal infections were simulated. Two thousand simulated WBDO signals were then superimposed on the baseline data. Sensitivity (Se) and positive predictive value (PPV) were both used to evaluate the detection algorithm. Multivariate regression was also performed to identify the factors associated with WBDO detection. Almost three-quarters of the simulated WBDOs were detected (Se = 73.0%). More than 9 out of 10 detected signals corresponded to a WBDO (PPV = 90.5%). The probability of detecting a WBDO increased with the outbreak size. These results underline the value of using the detection algorithm for the implementation of a national surveillance system for WBDOs in France.

scholarly journals Quality of Source Water and Drinking Water in Urban Areas of Myanmar

2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hiroshi Sakai ◽  
Yatsuka Kataoka ◽  
Kensuke Fukushi
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Drinking Water ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Tap Water ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Least Developed Countries ◽  
Deep Wells ◽  
Quality Water ◽  
High Concentrations ◽  
Quality Assessments

Myanmar is one of the least developed countries in the world, and very little information is available regarding the nation’s water quality. This report gives an overview of the current situation in the country, presenting the results of various water-quality assessments in urban areas of Myanmar. River, dam, lake, and well water sources were examined and found to be of generally good quality. Both As andF-were present in relatively high concentrations and must be removed before deep wells are used. Heterotrophic plate counts in drinking water were highest in public pots, followed by nonpiped tap water, piped tap water, and bottled water. Measures need to be taken to improve low-quality water in pots and nonpiped tap waters.

scholarly journals A Systematic Review of Waterborne Disease Outbreaks Associated with Small Non-Community Drinking Water Systems in Canada and the United States

PLoS ONE ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. e0141646 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wendy Pons ◽  
Ian Young ◽  
Jenifer Truong ◽  
Andria Jones-Bitton ◽  
Scott McEwen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Drinking Water ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
The United States ◽  
Water Systems ◽  
Waterborne Disease ◽  
Drinking Water Systems

scholarly journals Disease Outbreak Detection Using Search Keywords Patterns

10.29007/z8tp ◽  
2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Izzat Alsmadi ◽  
Zaid Almubaid ◽  
Hisham Al-Mubaid
Keyword(s):  
Disease Surveillance ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Disease Outbreak ◽  
Outbreak Detection ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Disease Outbreak Detection ◽  
Target Disease ◽  
Query Patterns ◽  
Source Of Information

In the recent years, people are becoming more dependent on the Internet as their main source of information about healthcare. A number of research projects in the past few decades examined and utilized the internet data for information extraction in healthcare including disease surveillance and monitoring. In this paper, we investigate and study the potential of internet data like internet search keywords and search query patterns in the healthcare domain for disease monitoring and detection. Specifically, we investigate search keyword patterns for disease outbreak detection. Accurate prediction and detection of disease outbreaks in a timely manner can have a big positive impact on the entire health care system. Our method utilizes machine learning in identifying interesting patterns related to target disease outbreak from search keyword logs. We conducted experiments on the flu disease, which is the most searched disease in the interest of this problem. We showed examples of keywords that can be good predictors of outbreaks of the flu. Our method proved that the correlation between search queries and keyword trends are truly reliable in the sense that it can be used to predict the outbreak of the disease.

scholarly journals Surveillance for Waterborne Disease Outbreaks Associated with Drinking Water — United States, 2011–2012

2015 ◽  
Vol 64 (31) ◽  
pp. 842-848 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karlyn D. Beer ◽  
Julia W. Gargano ◽  
Virginia A. Roberts ◽  
Vincent R. Hill ◽  
Laurel E. Garrison ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Drinking Water ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Waterborne Disease
Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document