You are here:
Use of Microbial Source Tracking Tools in Waterborne Disease Outbreak Response
Citation:
Shanks, O. Use of Microbial Source Tracking Tools in Waterborne Disease Outbreak Response. SSWR Webinar, Cincinnati, OH, June 27, 2018.
Impact/Purpose:
This presentation is for the EPA Water Research Program Webinar Series and focuses on the use of microbial source tracking tools in waterborne disease outbreak response (see attached fact sheet). The EPA Office of Research and Development, Safe and Sustainable Water Resources research program hosts a monthly webinar series to share current research with the public (i.e. utilities, academia, consultants, technical assistance providers, non-governmental organizations, associations, manufacturers, distributors, and others), as well as federal, local, and tribal governments. Fecal pollution in recreational and drinking source waters can result in outbreaks leading to the transmission of disease. Information on the sources of fecal pollution is important because the level of human health risk can change from one pollution source to another. Understanding the source of disease causing enteric pathogens (e.g., norovirus) in outbreak environments is vital for determining and prioritizing remediation strategies. General fecal indicators such as E. coli and enterococci are typically used to assess fecal pollution, however these methodologies do not discriminate between pollution sources. Recent advancements in the field of molecular biology have led to the development of microbial source tracking (MST) tools that can characterize fecal pollution from different animal groups. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is utilizing MST tools developed by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) scientists for environmental investigations of waterborne outbreaks. For this webinar, Dr. Orin Shanks (EPA) will provide an overview on EPA's MST method development activities, and Dr. Mia Mattioli (CDC) will highlight a CDC response to a recent waterborne outbreak where an EPA developed human-associated MST procedure was employed to help confirm a source of norovirus. This case scenario demonstrates how EPA and CDC interagency collaborations provide invaluable assistance to state environmental investigations of waterborne outbreaks.
Description:
This presentation is for the EPA Water Research Program Webinar Series and focuses on the use of microbial source tracking tools in waterborne disease outbreak response (see attached fact sheet). The EPA Office of Research and Development, Safe and Sustainable Water Resources research program hosts a monthly webinar series to share current research with the public (i.e. utilities, academia, consultants, technical assistance providers, non-governmental organizations, associations, manufacturers, distributors, and others), as well as federal, local, and tribal governments. Fecal pollution in recreational and drinking source waters can result in outbreaks leading to the transmission of disease. Information on the sources of fecal pollution is important because the level of human health risk can change from one pollution source to another. Understanding the source of disease causing enteric pathogens (e.g., norovirus) in outbreak environments is vital for determining and prioritizing remediation strategies. General fecal indicators such as E. coli and enterococci are typically used to assess fecal pollution, however these methodologies do not discriminate between pollution sources. Recent advancements in the field of molecular biology have led to the development of microbial source tracking (MST) tools that can characterize fecal pollution from different animal groups. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is utilizing MST tools developed by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) scientists for environmental investigations of waterborne outbreaks. For this webinar, Dr. Orin Shanks (EPA) will provide an overview on EPA's MST method development activities, and Dr. Mia Mattioli (CDC) will highlight a CDC response to a recent waterborne outbreak where an EPA developed human-associated MST procedure was employed to help confirm a source of norovirus. This case scenario demonstrates how EPA and CDC interagency collaborations provide invaluable assistance to state environmental investigations of waterborne outbreaks.