QUALITY OF WELL WATER INTENDED FOR WATERING PIGS: ANALYSES OF BACTERIOLOGICAL PARAMETERS AND PESTICIDE CONTENT

Water used for watering pigs, originating from five wells located in households in a settlement in Vojvodina, was inspected for its quality by the analysis of bacteriological parameters and pesticide content. Five samples were taken from each well at monthly intervals (n=25). In all water samples from three wells, coliform bacteria, including thermotolerant coliforms and Escherichia coli, indicators of faecal contamination, were repeatedly detected. In the water of all of the five wells organophosphate pesticides were detected, whose maximum allowed concentrations are not defined by the current Serbian Regulations on the quality of drinking water. Given the quantity of water consumed by pigs on a daily basis, water contaminated with coliform bacteria and organophosphate pesticides poses a risk to their health. Diminishing natural resources of drinking water and the growing environmental pollution, renders the assessment of the quality of water intended for domestic animals necessary as part of the integrated system of management in agricultural holdings.

Physicochemical water quality of the Mfoundi River watershed at Yaoundé, Cameroon, and its relevance to the distribution of bacterial indicators of faecal contamination

Water quality of the Mfoundi River and four of its tributaries was studied by assessing some physicochemical variables (temperature, pH, conductivity, chlorides, phosphates and nitrogen ammonia, dissolved oxygen and carbon dioxide, organic matter content and Biological Oxygen Demand) and their influence on the distribution of bacterial indicators of faecal contamination (total coliform, faecal coliform and faecal streptococci). For this, standard methods for the examination of physicochemical parameters in water were followed, and statistical analysis (Pearson correlations) used to establish any relationships between physicochemical and biological variables. Our results revealed that almost all of the examined physicochemical variables exceeded World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for recreational water. This was in agreement with a previous microbiological study indicating that these waters were not safe for human use or primary contact according to water quality standards established by the WHO. Results of our correlation analysis suggested that physicochemical and biological variables interact in complicated ways reflecting the complex processes occurring in the natural environment. It was also concluded that pollution in the Mfoundi River watershed poses an increased risk of infection for users and there exists an urgent need to control dumping of wastewater into this watershed.

Fate and transport of faecal contamination microbial indicators, pathogenic protozoa and Campylobacter in the artificially recharged fractured aquifer of Salento, Italy

The study investigates the fate and transport of microorganisms introduced by artificial groundwater recharge at the Nardò fractured aquifer in Salento, Italy. Microbial indicators of faecal contamination, parasitic protozoa (Giardia and Cryptosporidium) and pathogenic bacteria (Campylobacter spp.), were monitored into injected water and groundwater to test the efficiency of the “natural disinfection” into the fractured aquifer. A remarkable decrease of microbial indicators and pathogens was observed suggesting that pathogens removal or inactivation may be possible during water flow in fractured aquifer. The recently described PNA probe CJE195 (Lehtola et al. 2005) was utilised for the rapid and specific detection of Campylobacter spp. by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) after enrichment. FISH results were consistent with those of traditional cultural method (ISO 17995) applied in parallel: time required for Campylobacter identification was reduced of 4 days.

Waterborne outbreak of gastroenteritis in a religious summer camp in Norway, 2002

In July 2002 an outbreak of acute gastroenteritis occurred in a camp facility in western Norway during a 10-day seminar, with around 300 guests staying overnight and several day-time visitors. Environmental and epidemiological investigations were conducted to identify and eliminate the source of the outbreak, prevent further transmission and describe the impact of the outbreak. Of 205 respondents, 134 reported illness (attack rate, 65%). Multivariate analysis showed drinking water and taking showers at the camp-site to be significant risk factors. Secondary person-to-person spread among visitors or outside of the camp was found. Norovirus was identified in 8 out of the 10 stool samples analysed. Indicators of faecal contamination were found in samples from the private untreated water supply, but norovirus could not be identified. This outbreak investigation illustrates the importance of norovirus as a cause of waterborne illness and the additional exacerbation through person-to-person transmission in closed settings. Since aerosol transmission through showering contributed to the spread, intensified hygienic procedures such as isolation of cases and boiling of water may not be sufficient to terminate outbreaks with norovirus.