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RAPIDLY-MEASURED INDICATORS OF RECREATIONAL WATER QUALITY ARE PREDICTIVE OF SWIMMING-ASSOCIATED GASTROINTESTINAL ILLNESS
Citation:
SAMS, E. A., T. J. WADE, R. L. CALDERON, M. BEACH, K. P. BRENNER, AND A. P. DUFOUR. RAPIDLY-MEASURED INDICATORS OF RECREATIONAL WATER QUALITY ARE PREDICTIVE OF SWIMMING-ASSOCIATED GASTROINTESTINAL ILLNESS. Presented at National Environmental Health Association 70th Annual Educational Conference (AEC), San Antonio, TX, June 25 - 28, 2006.
Description:
Fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) are used to monitor recreational water quality worldwide. Current methods of measuring FIB require at least 24-hours for growth of bacterial colonies. We conducted studies at four Great Lake beaches to examine the relationship between novel and faster ways of measuring water quality and swimming-associated illnesses.
Over the course of two summers, we completed 21,105 interviews with beachgoers and collected 1600 water samples. Swimmers had a higher incidence of rash, earache and gastrointestinal illness. One faster measure of water quality, Enterococcus measured by Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (QPCR), was positively associated with swimming-associated gastrointestinal illness.
A faster method of measuring water quality can better protect public health and increase the efficiency of beach monitoring programs. These studies demonstrated that one such method, Enterococcus measured by QPCR, is related to swimming-associated illness.
This is an abstract of a proposed presentation and does not necessarily reflect EPA policy.