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Health effects and water quality at marine sites: Results from the National Epidemiologic and Environmental Assessment of Recreational Water
Citation:
WADE, T. J., E. A. SAMS, K. P. BRENNER, L. J. WYMER, R. A. HAUGLAND, A. P. DUFOUR, AND A. P. DUFOUR. Health effects and water quality at marine sites: Results from the National Epidemiologic and Environmental Assessment of Recreational Water. Presented at BEACHES conference, Huntington, CA, April 20 - 22, 2009.
Impact/Purpose:
research results
Description:
Since 2003, we have conducted a series of epidemiological studies at beach sites impacted by treated sewage discharge. The goal was to evaluate the association between swimming-associated illness and novel and faster methods of measuring water quality. In 2005 and 2007, we expanded our study sites to include three marine beaches in Mississippi, Rhode Island, and Alabama. We surveyed beachgoers on weekends and holidays during the summer months. Ten to twelve days later, we telephoned participants to determine the incidence of any new illnesses. We collected 18 water samples each day and tested them for fecal indicator organisms using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and other methods. A total of 6350 interviews were completed, with an overall response rate of 70%. We collected and tested over 1200 water samples. Eleven ofthe 70 days studied exceeded current marine guidelines for Enterococcus as measured by the current standard method (EPA Method 1600). Swimmers exposed to water quality above the current guidelines reported more gastrointestinal symptoms (11%) compared to non-swimmers (6%) (Odds ratio==1.93, p=0005). Swimming¬associated gastrointestinal illness was also associated with average densities of Bacteroidales spp. and Clostridium spp. qPCR Calibrator Cell Equivalents (CCE). The preliminary results from marine beach sites support our previous observations of an association between swimming associated gastrointestinal illness and faster methods of measuring fecal indicator bacteria as measured by qPCR. This is anabstract ojaproposedpresentation anddoes not necessarilyreflect EPApolicy