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Overview of Recent Marine and Freshwater Recreational Epidemiology Studies and Their Findings
Citation:
Wade, Tim, E. Sams, Rich Haugland, AND A. Dufour. Overview of Recent Marine and Freshwater Recreational Epidemiology Studies and Their Findings. Presented at WEFTEC, Chicago, IL, October 05 - 09, 2013.
Impact/Purpose:
Summary and overview of nine recreational water epidemiology studies for the 86th Annual Water Environment Federation Technical Exhibition and Conference (WEFTEC).
Description:
Overview of Recent Marine and Freshwater Recreational Epidemiology Studies and Their Findings Timothy J. Wade, Elizabeth A. Sams, Rich Haugland, Alfred P. Dufour The National Epidemiologic and Environmental Assessment of Recreational Water Study was conducted to address aspects of the 2000 BEACH Act amendments to the Clean Water Act. These amendments required the EPA to conduct studies to assess the human health risks associated with coastal recreation waters and to develop appropriate and effective pathogen indicators that can be detected in a timely manner. Nine marine and freshwater coastal beaches were studied. Over 50,000 beach-goers were enrolled and over 3,000 water samples were collected and tested for indicators of fecal contamination. The results demonstrated a consistent exposure-response relationship between quantities of the fecal indicator organism (FIO) Enterococcus, measured by a rapid, molecular method, and gastrointestinal symptoms among swimmers. These studies also provided detailed assessments of swimming exposures and health risks in children, quantification of the occurrence of non-enteric symptoms and characterizations of FIOs across a range of beaches. This abstract does not necessarily reflect EPA policy