Estimation of norovirus and Ascaris infection risks to urban farmers in developing countries using wastewater for crop irrigation.
A quantitative microbial risk analysis-Monte Carlo method was used to estimate norovirus and Ascaris infection risks to urban farmers in developing countries watering their crops with wastewater. For a tolerable additional disease burden of <or=10(-4) DALY loss per person per year (pppy), equivalent to 1 percent of the diarrhoeal disease burden in developing countries, a norovirus reduction of 1-2 log units and an Ascaris egg reduction to 10-100 eggs per litre are required. These are easily achieved by minimal wastewater treatment-for example, a sequential batch-fed three tank/pond system. Hygiene improvement through education and regular deworming are essential complementary inputs to protect the health of urban farmers.
Mara
Duncan
D
Institute for Pathogen Control Engineering, School of Civil Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK. d.d.mara@leeds.ac.uk
Sleigh
Andrew
A
D000382:Agricultural Workers' Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000821:virology; D001196:Ascariasis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D017250:Caliciviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003906:Developing Countries; D006801:Humans; D009010:Monte Carlo Method; D029322:Norovirus; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D014505:Urban Population; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid; D014867:Water / Q000469:parasitology*; D014871:Water Microbiology
D014867:Water