Application of quantitative microbial risk assessment to analyze the public health risk from poor drinking water quality in a low income area in Accra, Ghana

In Accra, Ghana, a majority of inhabitants lives in over-crowded areas with limited access to piped water supply, which is often also intermittent. This study assessed in a densely populated area the risk from microbial contamination of various sources of drinking water, by conducting a Quantitative...

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Main Authors: Machdar, E., Steen, N.P. van der, Raschid-Sally, Liqa, Lens, P.N.L.
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: Elsevier 2013
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/40280
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author Machdar, E.
Steen, N.P. van der
Raschid-Sally, Liqa
Lens, P.N.L.
author_browse Lens, P.N.L.
Machdar, E.
Raschid-Sally, Liqa
Steen, N.P. van der
author_facet Machdar, E.
Steen, N.P. van der
Raschid-Sally, Liqa
Lens, P.N.L.
author_sort Machdar, E.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description In Accra, Ghana, a majority of inhabitants lives in over-crowded areas with limited access to piped water supply, which is often also intermittent. This study assessed in a densely populated area the risk from microbial contamination of various sources of drinking water, by conducting a Quantitative Microbiological Risk Assessment (QMRA) to estimate the risk to human health from microorganism exposure and dose-response relationships. Furthermore the cost-effectiveness in reducing the disease burden through targeted interventions was evaluated. Five risk pathways for drinking water were identified through a survey (110 families), namely household storage, private yard taps, communal taps, communal wells and water sachets. Samples from each source were analyzed for Escherichia coli and Ascaris contamination. Published ratios between E. coli and other pathogenswere used for theQMRA and disease burden calculations. The major part of the burden of disease originated from E. coli O157:H7 (78%) and the least important contributor was Cryptosporidium (0.01%). Other pathogens contributed 16% (Campylobacter), 5% (Rotavirus) and 0.3% (Ascaris). The sum of the disease burden of these pathogens was 0.5 DALYs per person per year, which is much higher than the WHO reference level. The major contamination pathway was found to be household storage. Disinfection of water at household level was the most cost-effective intervention (b5 USD/DALY-averted) togetherwith hygiene education.Water supply network improvements were significantly less cost-effective.
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spelling CGSpace402802025-06-17T08:24:24Z Application of quantitative microbial risk assessment to analyze the public health risk from poor drinking water quality in a low income area in Accra, Ghana Machdar, E. Steen, N.P. van der Raschid-Sally, Liqa Lens, P.N.L. drinking water water quality public health biological contamination risk assessment water supply waterborne diseases households income cost effectiveness analysis escherichia coli In Accra, Ghana, a majority of inhabitants lives in over-crowded areas with limited access to piped water supply, which is often also intermittent. This study assessed in a densely populated area the risk from microbial contamination of various sources of drinking water, by conducting a Quantitative Microbiological Risk Assessment (QMRA) to estimate the risk to human health from microorganism exposure and dose-response relationships. Furthermore the cost-effectiveness in reducing the disease burden through targeted interventions was evaluated. Five risk pathways for drinking water were identified through a survey (110 families), namely household storage, private yard taps, communal taps, communal wells and water sachets. Samples from each source were analyzed for Escherichia coli and Ascaris contamination. Published ratios between E. coli and other pathogenswere used for theQMRA and disease burden calculations. The major part of the burden of disease originated from E. coli O157:H7 (78%) and the least important contributor was Cryptosporidium (0.01%). Other pathogens contributed 16% (Campylobacter), 5% (Rotavirus) and 0.3% (Ascaris). The sum of the disease burden of these pathogens was 0.5 DALYs per person per year, which is much higher than the WHO reference level. The major contamination pathway was found to be household storage. Disinfection of water at household level was the most cost-effective intervention (b5 USD/DALY-averted) togetherwith hygiene education.Water supply network improvements were significantly less cost-effective. 2013-04 2014-06-13T14:47:18Z 2014-06-13T14:47:18Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/40280 en Limited Access Elsevier Machdar, E.; van der Steen, N. P.; Raschid-Sally, Liqa; Lens, P. N. L. 2013. Application of quantitative microbial risk assessment to analyze the public health risk from poor drinking water quality in a low income area in Accra, Ghana. Science of the Total Environment, 449(1):134-142. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2013.01.048
spellingShingle drinking water
water quality
public health
biological contamination
risk assessment
water supply
waterborne diseases
households
income
cost effectiveness analysis
escherichia coli
Machdar, E.
Steen, N.P. van der
Raschid-Sally, Liqa
Lens, P.N.L.
Application of quantitative microbial risk assessment to analyze the public health risk from poor drinking water quality in a low income area in Accra, Ghana
title Application of quantitative microbial risk assessment to analyze the public health risk from poor drinking water quality in a low income area in Accra, Ghana
title_full Application of quantitative microbial risk assessment to analyze the public health risk from poor drinking water quality in a low income area in Accra, Ghana
title_fullStr Application of quantitative microbial risk assessment to analyze the public health risk from poor drinking water quality in a low income area in Accra, Ghana
title_full_unstemmed Application of quantitative microbial risk assessment to analyze the public health risk from poor drinking water quality in a low income area in Accra, Ghana
title_short Application of quantitative microbial risk assessment to analyze the public health risk from poor drinking water quality in a low income area in Accra, Ghana
title_sort application of quantitative microbial risk assessment to analyze the public health risk from poor drinking water quality in a low income area in accra ghana
topic drinking water
water quality
public health
biological contamination
risk assessment
water supply
waterborne diseases
households
income
cost effectiveness analysis
escherichia coli
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/40280
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