Is It Human or Animal? The Origin of Pathogenic E. coli in the Drinking Water of a Low-Income Urban Community in Bangladesh

This study aimed to investigate the origin of diverse pathotypes of E. coli, isolated from communal water sources and from the actual drinking water vessel at the point-of-drinking inside households in a low-income urban community in Arichpur, Dhaka, Bangladesh, using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Forty-six percent (57/125, CI 95%: 41−58) of the isolates in the point-of-drinking water and 53% (55/103, CI 95%: 45−64) of the isolates in the source water were diarrheagenic E. coli. Among the pathotypes, enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) was the most common, 81% (46/57) of ETEC was found in the point-of-drinking water and 87% (48/55) was found in the communal source water. Phylogenetic group B1, which is predominant in animals, was the most frequently found isolate in both the point-of-drinking water (50%, 91/181) and in the source (50%, 89/180) water. The phylogenetic subgroup B23, usually of human origin, was more common in the point-of-drinking water (65%, 13/20) than in the source water (35%, 7/20). Our findings suggest that non-human mammals and birds played a vital role in fecal contamination for both the source and point-of-drinking water. Addressing human sanitation without a consideration of fecal contamination from livestock sources will not be enough to prevent drinking-water contamination and thus will persist as a greater contributor to diarrheal pathogens.

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The genetic relatedness of E. coli associated with post- collection drinking water contamination in rural households

Water SA ◽

10.4314/wsa.v34i1.180869 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 34 (1) ◽

pp. 107 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

M Du Preez ◽

W Le Roux ◽

N Potgieter ◽

SN Venter

Keyword(s):

Drinking Water ◽

Water Contamination ◽

Genetic Relatedness ◽

Rural Households ◽

Drinking Water Contamination ◽

E Coli

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Overview of Major Bacterial Contaminants of Drinking Water in Nigeria: A Review

International Journal of Pathogen Research ◽

10.9734/ijpr/2019/v2i330074 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 1-9

Author(s):

Oche Joseph Otorkpa

Keyword(s):

Drinking Water ◽

Water Contamination ◽

Enterobacter Aerogenes ◽

Salmonella Typhi ◽

Human Consumption ◽

National Agency ◽

Drinking Water Contamination ◽

E Coli ◽

Bacterial Contaminants ◽

And Control

Aim and Objectives: The objective of this study was to provide an overview of the microorganisms implicated in the contamination of household drinking water in Nigeria, their pattern of distribution and the regulatory gap(s) if any that is responsible for the cases of drinking water contamination and water borne diseases in Nigeria. Study Design and Methodology: The methodology employed for this study involved a comprehensive and critical review of ten randomly selected studies to identify the major bacterial contaminants of drinking water in Nigeria and their distribution. This review was restricted to microbiological measures of drinking water contamination excluding chemical aspects of water quality. Results: Escherchia coli was found to be the predominant microbial contaminant of drinking water in the studies reviewed with 70%, Klebsiella sp 60%, Pseudomonas aeruginos 60%, Staphylococcus aureus 50%, Proteus sp 50%, Enterobacter aerogenes 40%, Streptococcus fecalis 30%, Salmonella typhi 30% and 10% for Vibrio cholerae and Shigella sp. Conclusion: The presence of microbes in drinking water especially E. coli reported in 70 percent of the studies reviewed is a source of concern. The presence of toxin producing strains of E. coli like the O157:H7 in drinking water can result in fatal consequences like hemorrhagic diarrhea and kidney failure. The widespread presence of other disease-causing organisms further confirms that a good number of the drinking water presented as safe for consumption across Nigeria are actually not fit for human consumption. The gaps reported in most of the studies reviewed were mainly oversight gaps in monitoring by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and control, NAFDAC, the agency charged with monitoring food and drugs in the country.

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Comparative Assessment of Fecal Contamination in Piped-To-Plot Communal Source and Point-Of-Drinking Water

Water ◽

10.3390/w13091139 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (9) ◽

pp. 1139

Author(s):

Jannatul Ferdous ◽

Rebeca Sultana ◽

Ridwan Bin Rashid ◽

Sabera Saima ◽

Anowara Begum ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Drinking Water ◽

Low Income ◽

Water Samples ◽

Membrane Filtration ◽

Fecal Contamination ◽

Paired Data ◽

Culture Methods ◽

E Coli ◽

Wide Mouth ◽

Hygiene Education

The aim of this study was to compare the water quality of piped-to-plot source water with point-of-drinking water in the households of a low-income urban area in Bangladesh. A total of 430 low-income households and 78 communal sources connected to these households were selected from the East Arichpur area of Dhaka. The water samples were collected from point-of-drinking vessels (household members’ preferred drinking vessels i.e., a mug, glass, or bottle) in households and from linked sources at six-week intervals between September 2014 and December 2015. Water samples were processed using standard membrane filtration and culture methods to quantify E. coli. Analysis of paired data from source and point-of-drinking water collected on the same day showed that fecal contamination increased from source to point-of-drinking water in the households in 51% (626/1236) of samples. Comparison between bottles vs. other wide-mouth vessels (i.e., glasses, mugs, jugs) showed significantly lower odds (p = 0.000, OR = 0.58, (0.43–0.78)) of fecal contamination compared to other drinking vessels. The findings suggest that recontamination and post-treatment contamination at the point of drinking play a significant role in water contamination in households. Hygiene education efforts in the future should target the promotion of narrow-mouth drinking vessels to reduce contamination.

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