Impact of Water Quality, Sanitation, Handwashing, and Nutritional Interventions on Enteric Infections in Rural Zimbabwe: The Sanitation Hygiene Infant Nutrition Efficacy (SHINE) Trial

• Published in: The Journal of infectious diseases Vol. 221; no. 8; pp. 1379 - 1386
• Main Authors: Rogawski McQuade, Elizabeth T, Platts-Mills, James A, Gratz, Jean, Zhang, Jixian, Moulton, Lawrence H, Mutasa, Kuda, Majo, Florence D, Tavengwa, Naume, Ntozini, Robert, Prendergast, Andrew J, Humphrey, Jean H, Liu, Jie, Houpt, Eric R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: US Oxford University Press 28.03.2020
• Subjects: Diarrhea; Diarrhea - etiology; Editor's Choice; Female; Gastrointestinal Tract - microbiology; Gastrointestinal Tract - virology; Hand Disinfection; Humans; Hygiene; Infant; Infant nutrition; Infant, Newborn; Infections; Infections - etiology; Major and Brief Reports; Male; Nutritional Status - physiology; Pathogens; Rural Population; Sanitation; Statistical analysis; Water; Water Quality; Zimbabwe; Zimbabwe; sanitation; enteric infections; environmental enteric dysfunction; stunting; hygiene
• ISSN: 0022-1899; 1537-6613
• DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiz179

Abstract Background We assessed the impact of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) and infant and young child feeding (IYCF) interventions on enteric infections in the Sanitation Hygiene Infant Nutrition Efficacy (SHINE) trial in rural Zimbabwe. Methods We tested stool samples collected at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months of age and during diarrhea using quantitative molecular diagnostics for 29 pathogens. We estimated the effects of the WASH, IYCF, and combined WASH + IYCF interventions on individual enteropathogen prevalence and quantity, total numbers of pathogens detected, and incidence of pathogen-attributable diarrhea. Results WASH interventions decreased the number of parasites detected (difference in number compared to non-WASH arms, –0.07 [95% confidence interval, –.14 to –.02]), but had no statistically significant effects on bacteria, viruses, or the prevalence and quantity of individual enteropathogens after accounting for multiple comparisons. IYCF interventions had no significant effects on individual or total enteropathogens. Neither intervention had significant effects on pathogen-attributable diarrhea. Conclusions The WASH interventions implemented in SHINE (improved pit latrine, hand-washing stations, liquid soap, point-of-use water chlorination, and clean play space) did not prevent enteric infections. Transformative WASH interventions are needed that are more efficacious in interrupting fecal–oral microbial transmission in children living in highly contaminated environments. The water, sanitation, and hygiene and infant and young child feeding interventions tested in the Sanitation Hygiene Infant Nutrition Efficacy (SHINE) trial in rural Zimbabwe had no effects on enteric infections or pathogen-specific causes of diarrhea.