Quantification of multiple waterborne pathogens in drinking water, drainage channels, and surface water in Kampala, Uganda, during seasonal variation

• Published in: Geohealth Vol. 1; no. 6; pp. 258 - 269
• Main Authors: Sadik, Nora J., Uprety, Sital, Nalweyiso, Amina, Kiggundu, Nicholas, Banadda, Noble E., Shisler, Joanna L., Nguyen, Thanh H.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01.08.2017; John Wiley and Sons Inc; American Geophysical Union (AGU)
• Subjects: Biogeosciences; Climate change; Disease transmission; Drainage; Drinking water; E coli; enteric; Environmental monitoring; Genes; Infrastructure; Ingestion; Microbe/Mineral Interactions; Microbiology and Microbial Ecology; Microbiology: Ecology, Physiology and Genomics; Microorganisms; Oceanography: Biological and Chemical; pathogen; Pathogens; Public health; Relative abundance; Sanitation; Seasonal variations; seasonality; Seasons; Security services; Studies; Surface water; water; Water pollution; Water Quality; Water quality management; Waterborne diseases; Uganda; Kampala Uganda; Lake Victoria; pathogen; seasonality; water; enteric
• ISSN: 2471-1403; 2471-1403
• DOI: 10.1002/2017GH000081

Longitudinal water quality monitoring is important for understanding seasonal variations in water quality, waterborne disease transmission, and future implications for climate change and public health. In this study, microfluidic quantitative polymerase chain reaction (MFQPCR) was used to quantify genes from pathogens commonly associated with human intestinal infections in water collected from protected springs, a public tap, drainage channels, and surface water in Kampala, Uganda, from November 2014 to May 2015. The differences in relative abundance of genes during the wet and dry seasons were also assessed. All water sources tested contained multiple genes from pathogenic microorganisms, with drainage channels and surface waters containing a higher abundance of genes as compared to protected spring and the public tap water. Genes detected represented the presence of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli, Shigella spp., Salmonella spp., Vibrio cholerae, and enterovirus. There was an increased presence of pathogenic genes in drainage channels during the wet season when compared to the dry season. In contrast, surface water and drinking water sources contained little seasonal variation in the quantity of microbes assayed. These results suggest that individual water source types respond uniquely to seasonal variability and that human interaction with contaminated drainage waters, rather than direct ingestion of contaminated water, may be a more important contributor to waterborne disease transmission. Furthermore, future work in monitoring seasonal variations in water quality should focus on understanding the baseline influences of any one particular water source given their unique complexities. Plain Language Summary Individual water source types respond uniquely to seasonal variability and that human interaction with contaminated drainage waters, rather than direct ingestion of contaminated water, may be a more important contributor to waterborne disease transmission. Key Points Pathogenic genes associated with human infections were quantified in water samples collected over seven months in Kampala, Uganda An increased presence of pathogenic bacterial and viral genes in drainage channels in wet season was observed Human interaction with contaminated drainage water could contribute to waterborne disease transmission