Muddying the Waters: A New Area of Concern for Drinking Water Contamination in Cameroon

Jessica M. Healy Profitós, Arabi Mouhaman, Seungjun Lee, Rebecca Garabed, Mark Moritz, Barbara Piperata, Joe Tien, Michael Bisesi and Jiyoung Lee
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Jessica M. Healy Profitós: Division of Environmental Health Sciences, the Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
Arabi Mouhaman: Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Maroua, Maroua BP 46, Far North Region, Cameroon
Seungjun Lee: Department of Food Science and Technology, the Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
Rebecca Garabed: Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, the Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
Mark Moritz: Department of Anthropology, the Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
Barbara Piperata: Department of Anthropology, the Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
Joe Tien: Department of Mathematics, the Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
Michael Bisesi: Division of Environmental Health Sciences, the Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
Jiyoung Lee: Division of Environmental Health Sciences, the Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA

IJERPH, 2014, vol. 11, issue 12, 1-19

Abstract: In urban Maroua, Cameroon, improved drinking water sources are available to a large majority of the population, yet this water is frequently distributed through informal distribution systems and stored in home containers ( canaries ), leaving it vulnerable to contamination. We assessed where contamination occurs within the distribution system, determined potential sources of environmental contamination, and investigated potential pathogens. Gastrointestinal health status (785 individuals) was collected via health surveys. Drinking water samples were collected from drinking water sources and canaries . Escherichia coli and total coliform levels were evaluated and molecular detection was performed to measure human-associated faecal marker, HF183; tetracycline-resistance gene, tet Q; Campylobacter spp.; and Staphylococcus aureus . Statistical analyses were performed to evaluate the relationship between microbial contamination and gastrointestinal illness. Canari samples had higher levels of contamination than source samples. HF183 and tet Q were detected in home and source samples. An inverse relationship was found between tet Q and E. coli . Presence of tet Q with lower E. coli levels increased the odds of reported diarrhoeal illness than E. coli levels alone. Further work is warranted to better assess the relationship between antimicrobial-resistant bacteria and other pathogens in micro-ecosystems within canaries and this relationship’s impact on drinking water quality.

Keywords: diarrhoeal illness; drinking water quality; microbial source tracking; drinking water storage; drinking water distribution (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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