Recreational water contamination *
Jamie Bartram, Rachel Baum, Peter A. Coclanis, David M. Gute, David Kay, Stéphanie McFadyen, Katherine Pond, William Robertson, Michael J. Rouse in Routledge Handbook of Water and Health, 2015
Surface waters impacted by nonpoint source pollution often reflect the surrounding watershed. For instance, water systems surrounded by urban development tend to have a strong association with human pathogens including polyomavirus, adenoviruses, norovirus and human sewage specific DNA markers. Rurally located systems are usually impacted by pathogens associated with agriculture animal waste such as Cryptosporidium, Salmonella, Giardia and E. coli O157. Impaired water quality can also result from failing infrastructure systems. A significant correlation exists between failing wastewater systems and fecal indicator bacteria concentrations at beaches (Lipp et al. 2001), but far less research has been conducted on the impacts of failing infrastructure compared to contaminated runoff.
Recent Trends in Bio-Medical Waste, Challenges and Opportunities
K. Gayathri Devi, Kishore Balasubramanian, Le Anh Ngoc in Machine Learning and Deep Learning Techniques for Medical Science, 2022
Any solid, or liquid waste, including its container and any intermediate product, generated during the diagnosis, treatment, or immunisation of humans or animals, in related research, or in the production or testing of biological and animal waste from slaughterhouses or other similar establishments, “according to the definition of bio-medical waste.” Medical waste is described as “any waste generated in the diagnosis, treatment, or immunisation of people or animals, in associated research, or in the production or testing of biological products.” Antibiotics, cytotoxics, caustic chemicals, and radioactive substances are all utilised in today's hospitals and health care institutions, including research institutes, and all of them end up in hospital garbage. In hospitals, the introduction of disposables has resulted in a host of issues, including incorrect recycling, unauthorised and illegal re-use, and an increase in waste volume. Medicine, Surgery, Orthopedics, Eye, Radiotherapy, Physiotherapy, and Electro Medical Diagnosis all have their own Outpatient Departments (OPDs) (which includes ECG, EEG, TMT, Endoscopic treatments, and other procedures). (Pathology/Microbiology/Biochemistry) are also close to the OPD blocks for the convenience of OPD patients. A separate blood bank and antirabic immunisation section are also available.
Pollution As a Geomedical Factor
Jul Låg in Geomedicine, 2017
Industrial countries, most of them densely populated (>2 men/ha) suffer especially from the mechanics of building their prosperity, which requires importation of large quantities of bulky raw materials, re-export of smaller-size commodities of high value, and having to cope with unproportionally large amounts of wastes. In addition, the economically well-to-do populations (often called “throw-away societies”) are producing ever-increasing volumes of garbage. Since they prefer proteinaceous adequate food of animal origin to bulky vegetarian nutritives, the import of feed-stuff, especially grains and correspondingly the production of “imported sewage, sludge and manure” also contributes to aggravation of the waste disposal problem. Due to rising nutrient inputs in all agronomic and husbandry systems, the eutro-phication of lakes, rivers, harbor basins (and, recently, even the sea) produces constantly increasing subhydrous organic matter and reduced muds which require dredging, excavation, and space for disposal. Poisonous spores of butylitis may kill water birds, and other biotypes are even dangerous for human beings swimming or working in the muddy layer, which gives the matter additional drama and urgency.
Global emerging resistance in pediatric infections with TB, HIV, and gram-negative pathogens
Published in Paediatrics and International Child Health, 2021
Leslie A. Enane, John C. Christenson
Misuse of antibiotics in humans and animals and their presence in the environment are responsible for the emergence of resistance [80]. Food contamination with resistant organisms with poor food preparation, along with widespread environmental pollution, especially in LMIC, contribute to their sustainment and eventual spread. Disposal of inadequately treated water and contact with animal waste and inappropriately disposed of medical waste worsen the problem. An increase in small-scale farming in countries with limited resources has resulted in an increase in resistant organisms as antibiotic agents are frequently used and families live closer to their herds and flocks. A good example of this is the observation that backyard chickens in Ecuador were found to be a source of resistant organisms [81].
The rumen microbiome: a crucial consideration when optimising milk and meat production and nitrogen utilisation efficiency
Published in Gut Microbes, 2019
Chloe Matthews, Fiona Crispie, Eva Lewis, Michael Reid, Paul W. O’Toole, Paul D. Cotter
The usage of antibiotics in animal production systems has encouraged the abundance of antimicrobial resistance genes in farm environments to increase. It is a current threat to both human and animal health. Antibiotics are used therapeutically to treat or prevent specific diseases and those that are not entirely absorbed are excreted in the faeces and urine.90 As animal manure is collected in large pits for use as a high nutrient fertiliser, antimicrobial compounds can then be transferred to the soil.91 This may result in the possible uptake of these compounds by plants. Different land uses may require higher quantities of manure in order to provide higher concentrations of nutrients needed by specific plants. For example, land with which will be used for ensiling of grass may have larger quantities of manure applied in comparison to land used for seasonal grazing. This, in turn may result in varying abundances of AMR genes found in animals. In a study carried out by,92 the influence of diet on the ruminal resistome and abundance of pathogenicity genes was examined. The animals used in the study were antibiotic-free beef cattle on two different diets consisting of different levels of concentrate. Over 200 genes associated with antimicrobial resistance were detected across 4966 metagenomic genes, with results showing a higher diversity and abundance of these genes in animals fed a higher level of concentrate than animals on lower levels of concentrate. These results suggest, therefore, that not only does diet impact the microbial ecosystem but it also has the potential to impact antimicrobial resistance in the gut.
An ethical investigation into the microbiome: the intersection of agriculture, genetics, and the obesity epidemic
Published in Gut Microbes, 2020
Around 60% of human pathogens have zoonotic (primarily livestock) origins.37 It is not a far reach to think that gut bacteria are similarly transferrable between animals and humans. In fact, there are studies that support this idea and demonstrate that domesticated animals and humans share gut microbes with one another.16,17 We also have several mechanisms through which livestock gut microbiota can be transferred to humans. First, U.S. livestock animals alone produce 2 billion tons of manure per year, management of which is variably regulated state by state.38 Raw cattle manure is frequently spread over fields harvested for human food, and many farms reuse animal feces as components of feed for their livestock.