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Li M, Chen L, Zhao F, Tang J, Bu Q, Feng Q, Yang L. An innovative risk evaluation method on soil pathogens in urban-rural ecosystem. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 459:132286. [PMID: 37595464 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.132286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2023] [Revised: 07/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/20/2023]
Abstract
The presence and reproduction of pathogens in soil environment have significant negative impacts on soil security and human health in urban-rural ecosystem. Rapid urbanization has dramatically changed the land use, soil ecosystems, and the presence of pathogens in soil environment, however, the risk associated with soil pathogens remains unknown. Identifying the potential risk of pathogens in soils in urban-rural ecosystem has become an urgent issue. In this study, we established a risk evaluation method for soil pathogens based on analytic hierarchy process and entropy methods to quantitatively estimate the potential risk of soil pathogens to children and adults in urban-rural ecosystem. The abundance and species number of soil pathogens, network structure of soil microbial community, and human exposure factors were considered with 12 indicators to establish the risk evaluation system. The results revealed that 19 potential pathogenic bacteria were detected in soils within a typical urban-rural ecosystem. Substantial differences were observed in both abundance and species of soil pathogens as well as network structure of soil microbial community from urban to rural areas. Urban areas exhibited relatively lower levels of soil pathogenic abundance, but the microbial network was considerably unstable. Rural areas supported relatively higher levels of soil pathogenic abundance and stable microbial networks. Notably, peri-urban areas showed relatively unstable microbial networks alongside higher levels of soil pathogenic abundance compared to other areas. The risk evaluation of soil pathogens for both adults and children showed that peri-urban areas presented the highest potential risk, with children being more susceptible than adults to threats posed by soil pathogens in both urban and peri-urban areas. The established evaluation system provides an innovative approach for quantifying risk of soil pathogens at regional scale and can be used as a reference for preventing soil pathogens contamination and enhancing soil health in areas with intense human activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Li
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environment Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Liding Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environment Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Fangkai Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environment Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; School of Ecology and Environmental Science, Yunnan University, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Jianfeng Tang
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China
| | - Qingwei Bu
- School of Chemical & Environmental Engineering, China University of Mining & Technology-Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Qingyu Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environment Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Lei Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environment Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
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Liu Z, Fan YM, Ashorn P, Chingwanda C, Maleta K, Hallamaa L, Hyöty H, Chaima D, Ashorn U. Lack of Associations between Environmental Exposures and Environmental Enteric Dysfunction among 18-Month-Old Children in Rural Malawi. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:10891. [PMID: 36078607 PMCID: PMC9517768 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191710891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2022] [Revised: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Environmental enteric dysfunction (EED) is common and contributes to linear growth faltering (stunting) and mortality among children in low-resource settings. A few studies on the environmental causes of EED have been conducted but the exact exposures that cause or predispose children to EED are context-specific and not clear. This study aimed to assess associations between selected environmental exposures and EED markers among 620 18-month-old children. This was a secondary analysis of data from Malawian children who participated in a randomized controlled trial (iLiNS-DYAD, registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01239693) from birth to 18 months of age. Data on environmental exposures, including drinking water source, sanitation, exposure to animals, housing materials, season, residential area, and food insecurity were collected at enrolment. Biomarkers of EED included concentrations of calprotectin, regenerating 1B protein (REG1B), and alpha-1-antitrypsin from stool samples to assess intestinal inflammation, repair, and permeability, respectively. We performed bivariate and multivariable analyses to assess associations between environmental exposures and EED biomarkers. Adjusting for possible confounders, we did not find associations between the selected environmental exposures and the three biomarkers. These results do not provide support for our hypothesis that the studied adverse environmental exposures are associated with increased concentrations of children's EED markers in rural Malawi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhifei Liu
- Center for Child, Adolescent and Maternal Health Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33014 Tampere, Finland
| | - Yue-Mei Fan
- Center for Child, Adolescent and Maternal Health Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33014 Tampere, Finland
| | - Per Ashorn
- Center for Child, Adolescent and Maternal Health Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33014 Tampere, Finland
- Department of Paediatrics, Tampere University Hospital, 33521 Tampere, Finland
| | - Chilungamo Chingwanda
- School of Public Health & Family Medicine, Kamuzu University of Health Sciences, Private Bag 360, Chichiri, Blantyre 3, Malawi
| | - Kenneth Maleta
- School of Public Health & Family Medicine, Kamuzu University of Health Sciences, Private Bag 360, Chichiri, Blantyre 3, Malawi
| | - Lotta Hallamaa
- Center for Child, Adolescent and Maternal Health Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33014 Tampere, Finland
| | - Heikki Hyöty
- Center for Child, Adolescent and Maternal Health Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33014 Tampere, Finland
- Fimlab Laboratories, Pirkanmaa Hospital District, 33521 Tampere, Finland
| | - David Chaima
- School of Public Health & Family Medicine, Kamuzu University of Health Sciences, Private Bag 360, Chichiri, Blantyre 3, Malawi
| | - Ulla Ashorn
- Center for Child, Adolescent and Maternal Health Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33014 Tampere, Finland
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Monira S, Zohura F, Bhuyian MSI, Parvin T, Barman I, Jubyda FT, Nahar KS, Sultana M, Ullah W, Biswas SK, Hasan MT, Rahman KZ, Masud J, Uddin IM, Thomas ED, Perin J, George CM, Alam M, Johura FT. Fecal Sampling of Soil, Food, Hand, and Surface Samples from Households in Urban Slums of Dhaka, Bangladesh: An Evidence-Based Development of Baby Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Interventions. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2022; 107:tpmd211041. [PMID: 35895354 PMCID: PMC9490676 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.21-1041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 09/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study was to identify the exposure pathways of fecal pathogens for a pediatric population living in the urban slums of Bangladesh. A total of 252 soil, food, surface, and hand rinse samples were collected from the pilot households with children less than 5 years of age. All samples were analyzed using the IDEXX Quanti-Tray System (Colilert-18) to enumerate fecal indicator bacteria Escherichia coli. Escherichia coli was detected in all soil samples collected from children play spaces (N = 46), 35% of objects and surfaces children frequently put in their mouths, and 31% of child food samples. Thirty-three percent of hand samples from the child and 46% of hand samples from the caregiver had detectable E. coli. These findings showed high fecal contamination of soil, food, and on hands and surfaces in households with young children and demonstrate the need for interventions reducing these exposure pathways for susceptible pediatric populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shirajum Monira
- icddr, b, formerly International Centre for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Fatema Zohura
- icddr, b, formerly International Centre for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Md Sazzadul Islam Bhuyian
- icddr, b, formerly International Centre for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Tahmina Parvin
- icddr, b, formerly International Centre for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Indrajeet Barman
- icddr, b, formerly International Centre for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Fatema Tuz Jubyda
- icddr, b, formerly International Centre for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Kazi Sumaita Nahar
- icddr, b, formerly International Centre for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Marzia Sultana
- icddr, b, formerly International Centre for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Wali Ullah
- icddr, b, formerly International Centre for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Shwapon Kumar Biswas
- icddr, b, formerly International Centre for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - M. Tasdik Hasan
- icddr, b, formerly International Centre for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Kazi Zillur Rahman
- icddr, b, formerly International Centre for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Jahed Masud
- icddr, b, formerly International Centre for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Ismat Minhaj Uddin
- icddr, b, formerly International Centre for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Elizabeth D. Thomas
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Jamie Perin
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Christine Marie George
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Munirul Alam
- icddr, b, formerly International Centre for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Fatema-Tuz Johura
- icddr, b, formerly International Centre for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
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Liu Z, Ashorn U, Chingwanda C, Maleta K, Hallamaa L, Matchado A, Kortekangas E, Dewey KG, Ashorn P, Fan Y. Provision of small‐quantity lipid‐based nutrient supplements does not improve intestinal health among rural Malawian children. MATERNAL & CHILD NUTRITION 2022; 18:e13331. [PMID: 35128820 PMCID: PMC9218311 DOI: 10.1111/mcn.13331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2021] [Revised: 01/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Zhifei Liu
- Center for Child, Adolescent and Maternal Health Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology Tampere University Tampere Finland
| | - Ulla Ashorn
- Center for Child, Adolescent and Maternal Health Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology Tampere University Tampere Finland
| | | | - Kenneth Maleta
- Department of Public Health University of Malawi Zomba Malawi
| | - Lotta Hallamaa
- Center for Child, Adolescent and Maternal Health Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology Tampere University Tampere Finland
| | - Andrew Matchado
- Department of Public Health University of Malawi Zomba Malawi
| | - Emma Kortekangas
- Center for Child, Adolescent and Maternal Health Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology Tampere University Tampere Finland
| | - Kathryn G Dewey
- Department of Nutrition University of California Davis CA USA
| | - Per Ashorn
- Center for Child, Adolescent and Maternal Health Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology Tampere University Tampere Finland
- Department of Paediatrics Tampere University Hospital Tampere Finland
| | - Yue‐Mei Fan
- Center for Child, Adolescent and Maternal Health Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology Tampere University Tampere Finland
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Gizaw Z, Yalew AW, Bitew BD, Lee J, Bisesi M. Fecal biomarkers of environmental enteric dysfunction and associated factors among children aged 24-59 months in east Dembiya district, northwest Ethiopia. BMC Gastroenterol 2022; 22:172. [PMID: 35395735 PMCID: PMC8994394 DOI: 10.1186/s12876-022-02255-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Environmental enteric dysfunction is a subclinical intestinal disorder characterized by gut inflammation accompanied by morphological changes, such as blunted villi and crypt hyperplasia. This is a common illness in low and middle-income countries. However, environmental enteric dysfunction evidence is limited in Ethiopia. Accordingly, this study was conducted to measure fecal biomarkers of environmental enteric dysfunction and associated factors among children aged 24–59 months in rural northwest Ethiopia. Methods A community-based cross-sectional study was employed among 235 randomly selected children in a rural setting of the east Dembiya district. Stool samples were collected without fixative and analyzed for fecal biomarkers of environmental enteric dysfunction (Alpha-1-antitrypsin, neopterin, and myeloperoxidase) using commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits and analyzed for intestinal parasites using wet mount and Kato-Katz techniques. Child behaviors related with exposure to enteropathogens, condition of the living environment and socio-demographic information were collected using interviewer-administered questionnaire and structure observation. We fitted multivariable linear regression model to assess the association between environmental factors and concentration of fecal biomarkers of environmental enteric dysfunction in the stool. Statistically significant associations were declared based on adjusted betas with the corresponding 95% confidence interval and p-value < 0.05. Results The median concentration of fecal markers of environmental enteric dysfunction was 350 μg/ml for Alpha-1-antitrypsin, 3320.2 ng/ml for myeloperoxidase, and 1562 nmol/l for neopterin. The median concentration of Alpha-1-antitrypsin among 161 (68.5%), myeloperoxidase among 168 (71.5%), and neopterin among 188 (80%) of the stool samples were above the normal values in non-tropical settings. Moreover, 100 (42.6%) of the children had high EED disease activity score (above the median score). The elevated concentrations of fecal biomarkers of gut inflammation and the high EED disease activity score were significantly associated with open defecation practice, mouthing of soil contaminated materials, Escherichia coli (E. coli) contamination of drinking water, E. coli contamination of foods, E. coli contamination of soil, and intestinal parasites. Conclusion Overall, Alpha-1-antitrypsin, myeloperoxidase, and neopterin levels among the children in the studied region were highly elevated in comparison to populations in high-income countries. Moreover, the EED disease activity score in significant proportion of children was high, suggesting widespread intestinal inflammation and increased intestinal permeability. Extensive E. coli contamination of the living environment (drinking water, ready-to-eat foods, and courtyard soil), hygiene and sanitation behaviors (such as open defecation and mouthing of soil contaminated materials), and a high burden of intestinal parasites were identified as factors associated with the elevated concentration of fecal biomarkers of environmental enteric dysfunction. Parental care to children to avoid mouthing of soil contaminated materials and other risky behaviors that increase exposure enteric infections, and protecting the living environment (water, food and soil) from fecal contamination are important.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zemichael Gizaw
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety, Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia. .,Addis Continental Institute of Public Health, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. .,Global One Health Initiative (GOHi), The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
| | | | - Bikes Destaw Bitew
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety, Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
| | - Jiyoung Lee
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, College of Public Health, The Ohio State University, 1841 Neil Avenue, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA.,Department of Food Science and Technology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Michael Bisesi
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, College of Public Health, The Ohio State University, 1841 Neil Avenue, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
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Amin MB, Hoque KI, Roy S, Saha SR, Islam MR, Julian TR, Islam MA. Identifying the Sources of Intestinal Colonization With Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase-Producing Escherichia coli in Healthy Infants in the Community. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:803043. [PMID: 35432268 PMCID: PMC9008759 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.803043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The prevalence of fecal colonization with extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli (ESBL-Ec) among children in low- and middle-income countries is alarmingly high. This study aimed to identify the sources of ESBL-Ec colonization in children < 1 year old through comparative analysis of E. coli isolates from child stool, child’s mother stool, and point-of-use drinking water from 46 rural households in Bangladesh. The pairwise similarity in antibiotic susceptibility of E. coli from all three sources was evaluated, followed by phylogenetic clustering using enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus polymerase chain reaction and whole-genome sequence analysis of the isolates. Matching antibiotic susceptibility and enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus polymerase chain reaction patterns were found among ESBL-Ec isolates from child–mother dyads of 24 and 11 households, respectively, from child–water dyads of 5 and 4 households, respectively, and from child–mother–water triads of 3 and 4 households, respectively. Whole-genome sequence analysis of 30 isolates from 10 households revealed that ESBL-Ec from children in five households (50%) was clonally related to ESBL-Ec either from their mothers (2 households), drinking water sources (2 households), or both mother and drinking-water sources (1 household) based on serotype, phylogroup, sequence type, antibiotic resistance genes, mobile genetic elements, core single-nucleotide polymorphisms, and whole-genome multilocus sequence typing. Overall, this study provides empirical evidence that ESBL-Ec colonization in children is linked to the colonization status of mothers and exposure to the household environments contaminated with ESBL-Ec. Interventions such as improved hygiene practices and a safe drinking water supply may help reduce the transmission of ESBL-Ec at the household level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammed Badrul Amin
- Laboratory of Food Safety and One Health, Laboratory Sciences and Services Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr, b), Dhaka, Bangladesh
- *Correspondence: Mohammed Badrul Amin,
| | - Kazi Injamamul Hoque
- Laboratory of Food Safety and One Health, Laboratory Sciences and Services Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr, b), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Subarna Roy
- Laboratory of Food Safety and One Health, Laboratory Sciences and Services Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr, b), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Sumita Rani Saha
- Laboratory of Food Safety and One Health, Laboratory Sciences and Services Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr, b), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Md. Rayhanul Islam
- Laboratory of Food Safety and One Health, Laboratory Sciences and Services Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr, b), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Timothy R. Julian
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Mohammad Aminul Islam
- Laboratory of Food Safety and One Health, Laboratory Sciences and Services Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr, b), Dhaka, Bangladesh
- Paul G. Allen School for Global Health, Washington State University, Pullman, DC, United States
- Mohammad Aminul Islam,
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7
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Kortekangas E, Fan YM, Chaima D, Lehto KM, Malamba-Banda C, Matchado A, Chingwanda C, Liu Z, Ashorn U, Cheung YB, Dewey KG, Maleta K, Ashorn P. Associations between Gut Microbiota and Intestinal Inflammation, Permeability and Damage in Young Malawian Children. J Trop Pediatr 2022; 68:6527323. [PMID: 35149871 PMCID: PMC8846364 DOI: 10.1093/tropej/fmac012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Environmental enteric dysfunction (EED) is common in low- and middle-income countries and associated with childhood undernutrition. The composition of gut microbiota has been implicated in the pathogenesis of EED. Our aim was to assess the associations between gut microbiota and EED biomarkers in rural Malawian children. We hypothesized that there would be an inverse association between microbiota maturity and diversity and fecal concentrations of EED biomarkers. METHODS We used data from fecal samples collected at 6, 18 and 30 months from 611 children who were followed up during a nutrition intervention trial. The primary time point for analysis was 18 months. Microbiota data were obtained through 16S rRNA sequencing and variables included microbiota maturity and diversity, phylogenetic dissimilarity and relative abundances of individual taxa. EED biomarkers included calprotectin (marker of inflammation), alpha-1 antitrypsin (intestinal permeability) and REG1B (intestinal damage). RESULTS There was an inverse association between microbiota maturity and diversity and fecal concentrations of all 3 EED biomarkers at 18 months (p≤0.001). The results were similar at 30 months, while at 6 months inverse associations were found only with calprotectin and alpha-1 antitrypsin concentrations. At 18 months, EED biomarkers were not associated with phylogenetic dissimilarity, but at 6 and 30 months several associations were observed. Individual taxa predicting EED biomarker concentrations at 18 months included several Bifidobacterium and Enterobacteriaceae taxa as well as potentially displaced oral taxa. CONCLUSIONS Our findings support the hypothesis of an inverse association between microbiota maturity and diversity and EED in rural Malawian children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Kortekangas
- Center for Child, Adolescent and Maternal Health Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere 33014, Finland,Correspondence: Emma Kortekangas, Tampere Center for Child, Adolescent and Maternal Health Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Global Health, Tampere University, Arvo Ylpön katu 34, Arvo building, Tampere 33014, Finland. Tel: +358-3-355-111. Fax +358-3-213-4473. E-mail <>
| | - Yue-Mei Fan
- Center for Child, Adolescent and Maternal Health Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere 33014, Finland
| | - David Chaima
- School of Public Health and Family Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Malawi, Blantyre, Malawi
| | - Kirsi-Maarit Lehto
- Center for Child, Adolescent and Maternal Health Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere 33014, Finland
| | - Chikondi Malamba-Banda
- School of Public Health and Family Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Malawi, Blantyre, Malawi
| | - Andrew Matchado
- School of Public Health and Family Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Malawi, Blantyre, Malawi,Department of Nutrition and Institute for Global Nutrition, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Chilungamo Chingwanda
- School of Public Health and Family Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Malawi, Blantyre, Malawi
| | - Zhifei Liu
- Center for Child, Adolescent and Maternal Health Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere 33014, Finland
| | - Ulla Ashorn
- Center for Child, Adolescent and Maternal Health Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere 33014, Finland
| | - Yin Bun Cheung
- Program in Health Services & Systems Research and Centre for Quantitative Medicine, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore 169857, Singapore
| | - Kathryn G Dewey
- Department of Nutrition and Institute for Global Nutrition, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Kenneth Maleta
- School of Public Health and Family Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Malawi, Blantyre, Malawi
| | - Per Ashorn
- Center for Child, Adolescent and Maternal Health Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere 33014, Finland,Department of Pediatrics, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere 33520, Finland
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8
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Identifying psychosocial determinants of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) behaviors for the development of evidence-based Baby WASH interventions (REDUCE program). Int J Hyg Environ Health 2021; 238:113850. [PMID: 34673353 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2021.113850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2021] [Revised: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Diarrheal disease remains a leading cause of child mortality, globally. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), each year there are an estimated 45 million episodes of diarrhea in children under five years of age. The Reducing Enteropathy, Diarrhea, Undernutrition, and Contamination in the Environment (REDUCE) program seeks to develop theory-driven, evidence-based approaches to reduce diarrheal diseases among young children. The REDUCE prospective cohort study in Walungu Territory in Eastern DRC took guidance from the risks, attitudes, norms, abilities, and self-regulation model, the integrated behavioral model for water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH), and other behavior change theories to identify psychosocial factors associated with WASH behaviors. Psychosocial factors were measured among 417 caregivers at baseline and caregiver responses to child mouthing of dirty fomites and handwashing with soap was assessed by 5-hour structured observation at the 6-month follow-up. Caregivers who agreed that their child could become sick if they put dirt in their mouth (perceived susceptibility) and caregivers that agreed they could prevent their child from playing with dirty things outside (self-efficacy) were significantly more likely to stop their child from mouthing a dirty fomite. Higher perceived susceptibility, self-efficacy, and disgust, and lower dirty reactivity, were associated with higher handwashing with soap behaviors. This study took a theory-driven and evidence-based approach to identify psychosocial factors to target for intervention development. The findings from this study informed the development of the REDUCE Baby WASH Modules that have been delivered to over 1 million people in eastern DRC.
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George CM, Parvin T, Islam Bhuyian MS, Thomas ED, Monira S, Zohura F, Hasan MT, Perin J, Alam M, Tofail F. Child Mouthing of Soil and Contaminated Fomites and Unimproved Sanitation are Associated with Subsequent Poor Child Developmental Outcomes in Urban Bangladesh (CHoBI7 Program). J Pediatr 2021; 235:184-189. [PMID: 33895208 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2021.04.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2021] [Revised: 03/30/2021] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the relationship between mouthing of soil and living in unsanitary conditions and child cognitive development in urban Bangladesh. STUDY DESIGN This prospective cohort study of 224 children under 5 years of age was conducted in urban Dhaka, Bangladesh. Developmental outcomes were assessed by communication, fine motor, gross motor, personal social, problem solving, and combined developmental scores measured by the Extended Ages and Stages Questionnaire (EASQ) at a 12-month follow-up visit. RESULTS Children who had caregiver reports of puting soil in their mouths at the majority of surveillance visits had significantly lower combined EASQ Z scores (coefficient, -0.53; 95% CI, -0.83 to -0.22) at the 12-month follow-up visit. Children who had caregiver reports of putting visibly dirty objects in their mouths at the majority of visits had significantly lower combined EASQ Z scores (-0.50; 95% CI, -0.79 to -0.22). Children in households with unimproved sanitation had significantly lower combined EASQ Z scores (-0.63; 95% CI, -1.11 to -0.16). CONCLUSIONS Children found to frequently put soil and visibly dirty objects in their mouths, and those who resided in households using unimproved sanitation, had lower subsequent cognitive developmental outcomes. These findings demonstrate the importance of interventions targeting child mouthing behaviors and sanitation infrastructure to decrease exposure to fecal pathogens and improve child cognitive developmental outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Marie George
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD.
| | - Tahmina Parvin
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | | | - Elizabeth D Thomas
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
| | - Shirajum Monira
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Fatema Zohura
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - M Tasdik Hasan
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Jamie Perin
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
| | - Munirul Alam
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Fahmida Tofail
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka, Bangladesh
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Budge S, Hutchings P, Parker A, Tyrrel S, Norton S, Garbutt C, Woldemedhin F, Jemal MY, Moges M, Hussen S, Beyene H. A randomised controlled feasibility trial of a BabyWASH household playspace: The CAMPI study. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021; 15:e0009514. [PMID: 34260591 PMCID: PMC8312948 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2020] [Revised: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) interventions should support infant growth but trial results are inconsistent. Frequently, interventions do not consider behaviours or transmission pathways specific to age. A household playspace (HPS) is one intervention component which may block faecal-oral transmission. This study was a two-armed, parallel-group, randomised, controlled feasibility trial of a HPS in rural Ethiopia. It aimed to recommend proceeding to a definitive trial. Secondary outcomes included effects on infant health, injury prevention and women’s time. Methods November 2019−January 2020 106 households were identified and assessed for eligibility. Recruited households (N = 100) were randomised (blinded prior to the trial start) to intervention or control (both n = 50). Outcomes included recruitment, attrition, adherence, and acceptability. Data were collected at baseline, two and four weeks. Findings Recruitment met a priori criteria (≥80%). There was no loss to follow-up, and no non-use, meeting adherence criteria (both ≤10%). Further, 48.0% (95% CI 33.7−62.6; n = 24) of households appropriately used and 56.0% (41.3−70.0; n = 28) cleaned the HPS over four weeks, partly meeting adherence criteria (≥50%). For acceptability, 41.0% (31.3−51.3; n = 41) of infants were in the HPS during random visits, failing criteria (≥50%). Further, the proportion of HPS use decreased during some activities, failing criteria (no decrease in use). A modified Barrier Analysis described good acceptability and multiple secondary benefits, including on women’s time burden and infant injury prevention. Interpretation Despite failing some a priori criteria, the trial demonstrated mixed adherence and good acceptability among intervention households. A definitive trial to determine efficacy is warranted if recommended adjustments are made. Funding People In Need; Czech Development Agency. Trial registration RIDIE-ID-5de0b6938afb8. This research tested a new way to protect infants and young children from infections that are caused by pathogens in human and animal faeces. It tested the feasibility of using a household playspace to reduce infection by creating a hygienic environment for children to play-in in rural Ethiopia. The results show that the household playspace was well accepted, used regularly and cleaned well by participants in the study. The study also suggests a potential positive impact in reducing diarrhoea. Based on these results, we suggest that a larger scale trial be conducted to conclusively assess whether a household playspace can protect young children and infants from infection in rural Ethiopia or similar contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Budge
- Cranfield Water Science Institute, Cranfield University, Cranfield, United Kingdom
| | - Paul Hutchings
- Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
| | - Alison Parker
- Cranfield Water Science Institute, Cranfield University, Cranfield, United Kingdom
| | - Sean Tyrrel
- Cranfield Water Science Institute, Cranfield University, Cranfield, United Kingdom
| | - Sam Norton
- Psychology Department, Institute of Psychiatry Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | | | | | | | - Mathewos Moges
- Hawassa University College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Hawassa, Ethiopia
| | - Siraj Hussen
- Hawassa University College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Hawassa, Ethiopia
| | - Hunachew Beyene
- Hawassa University College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Hawassa, Ethiopia
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11
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Vila-Guilera J, Parikh P, Chaturvedi H, Ciric L, Lakhanpaul M. Towards transformative WASH: an integrated case study exploring environmental, sociocultural, economic and institutional risk factors contributing to infant enteric infections in rural tribal India. BMC Public Health 2021; 21:1331. [PMID: 34229646 PMCID: PMC8262041 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-021-11353-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite clear linkages between poor Water, Sanitation, Hygiene (WASH) and enteric disease, the design of effective WASH interventions that reduce child enteric infections and stunting rates has proved challenging. WASH factors as currently defined do not capture the overall exposure factors to faecal pathogens through the numerous infection transmission pathways. Understanding the multiple and multifaceted factors contributing to enteric infections and their interconnectedness is key to inform future interventions. This study aimed to perform an in-depth holistic exploration of the environmental, socio-cultural, economic and institutional context surrounding infants to develop an integrated understanding of enteric infection drivers in rural tribal Banswara, in Rajasthan State, India. METHODS This study relied on the triangulation of mixed-methods to capture critical influences contributing to infant enteric infection transmission. We conducted structured observations and exploratory qualitative research across 9 rural tribal villages, including transect walks, household observations, interviews with frontline health workers and group discussions with mothers. The emergent social themes and identified factors were mapped based on the scale of agency (individual, family or community-level factor) and on their nature (environmental, socio-cultural, economic and institutional factors). RESULTS Infants aged 5 to 24 months were seen to have constant exposures to dirt via mouthing of soil, soiled hands, soiled objects and food. Rudimentary household environments with dirt floors and domestic animals lacked a hygiene-enabling environment that hindered hygienic behaviour adoption. Several unsafe behaviours failing to interrupt infants' exposures to pathogens were captured, but caregivers reported a lack of self-efficacy skills to separate children from faecal exposures due to the rural farming environments where they lived. Conceptual mapping helped understand how wider-level societal factors such as socio-economic limitations, caste inequalities, and political corruption may have trickle-down effects on the caregivers' motivation and perceived self-efficacy for improving hygiene levels around children, highlighting the influence of interconnected broader factors. CONCLUSIONS Conceptual mapping proved useful to develop an integrated understanding of the interlinked factors across socio-ecological levels and domains, highlighting the role of wider sociocultural, economic and institutional factors contributing to infant's enteric infection risks. Future WASH interventions are likely to require similar integrated approaches that account for the complex factors at all levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Vila-Guilera
- Population, Policy and Practice, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, WC1N 1EH, UK.
| | - Priti Parikh
- Engineering for International Development Centre, The Bartlett, UCL Faculty of the Built Environment, London, WC1H 0QB, UK
| | - Hemant Chaturvedi
- Aceso Global Health Consultants Ltd., Chanakya Place 1, New Delhi, 110059, India
| | - Lena Ciric
- Healthy Infrastructure Research Group, UCL Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Monica Lakhanpaul
- Population, Policy and Practice, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, WC1N 1EH, UK
- Whittington Health NHS Trust, London, N19 5NF, UK
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12
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Philippon J, Serrano-Martínez E, Poirotte C. Environmental and individual determinants of fecal avoidance in semi-free ranging woolly monkeys (Lagothrix lagotricha poeppigii). AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2021; 176:614-624. [PMID: 34169505 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2020] [Revised: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 05/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Parasite selection pressures have driven the evolution of numerous behavioral defenses in host species, but recent studies revealed individual variation in their expression. As little is known about the factors causing heterogeneity among individuals in infection-avoidance behaviors, we investigated in woolly monkeys (Lagothrix lagotricha poeppigii) the influence of several environmental and individual characteristics on the tendency to avoid food contaminated by soil and by their own and conspecifics' feces. MATERIALS AND METHODS We conducted feeding tests on 40 semi-free ranging individuals rescued from the pet trade. Using generalized linear mixed models, we investigated the effect of season, sex, age, dominance rank, and exposure to non-natural living conditions on feeding decisions. RESULTS Woolly monkeys did not avoid soil-contaminated food and equally avoided food contaminated by their own and conspecifics' feces. Individuals varied greatly in their level of fecal avoidance. Only females exhibited strong avoidance of fecally contaminated food, but adapted their behavior to food availability, highlighting the trade-off between nutritional intake and parasite avoidance. Additionally, low-ranking females, less competitive over food resources, exhibited lower avoidance than dominant ones. Juveniles were more cautious than adults, possibly to compensate for a higher parasite susceptibility. Finally, we reported an unknown effect of exposure to non-natural living conditions on behavioral defenses, as animals kept as household pets for an extended period apparently lost their ability to avoid fecally contaminated food. CONCLUSION We argue that striving to understand variation in infection-avoidance behaviors in natural populations is crucial to predict disease spread and inform conservation policies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justine Philippon
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnics, Cayetano Heredia Peruvian University, Lima, Peru
| | - Enrique Serrano-Martínez
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnics, Cayetano Heredia Peruvian University, Lima, Peru
| | - Clémence Poirotte
- Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology Unit, German Primate Center, Göttingen, Germany
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13
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Parvin T, Thomas ED, Bhuyian MSI, Uddin IM, Hasan MT, Rahman Z, Barman I, Zohura F, Masud J, Sultana M, Westin A, Johura FT, Monira S, Biswas SK, Sack DA, Perin J, Alam M, George CM. Fecal Contamination on the Household Compound and in Water Sources are Associated with Subsequent Diarrhea in Young Children in Urban Bangladesh (CHoBI7 Program). Am J Trop Med Hyg 2021; 105:261-266. [PMID: 34097647 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.20-1516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2020] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
We investigated the environmental and individual-level risk factors for diarrheal disease among young children in slum areas of Dhaka, Bangladesh. A prospective cohort study was conducted among 884 children under 5 years of age. Caregiver reports were collected on sociodemographic factors and hygiene behaviors. Diarrhea surveillance data was collected monthly based on caregiver-reported diarrhea for children in the past 2 weeks during the 12-month study period. Unannounced spot checks of the household compound were performed at 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after enrollment to check for the presence of feces (animal or human) and the presence of animals in the child's sleeping space, to assess child and caregiver hands for the presence of dirt, and to collect samples of the household's source and stored drinking water. Children with feces found on the household compound during spot checks had a significantly higher odds of diarrhea (odds ratio: 1.71; 95% confidence interval: 1.23-2.38). Children residing in households with > 100 colony forming units/100 mL Escherichia coli in source drinking water had a significantly higher odds of diarrhea (OR: 1.43; 95% CI: 1.06-1.92). The presence of feces on the household compound and source drinking water with > 100 colony forming units/100 mL E. coli were significant risk factors for diarrheal disease for children < 5 years of age in slum areas of Dhaka, Bangladesh. These findings demonstrate the urgent need for comprehensive interventions to reduce fecal contamination on the household compound to protect the health of susceptible pediatric populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tahmina Parvin
- 1International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Elizabeth D Thomas
- 2Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | | | - Ismat Minhaj Uddin
- 1International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | | | - Zillur Rahman
- 1International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Indrajeet Barman
- 1International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Fatema Zohura
- 1International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Jahed Masud
- 1International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Marzia Sultana
- 1International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Anne Westin
- 2Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Fatema-Tuz Johura
- 1International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Shirajum Monira
- 1International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Shwapon Kumar Biswas
- 1International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka, Bangladesh.,4Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - David A Sack
- 2Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Jamie Perin
- 2Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Munirul Alam
- 1International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Christine Marie George
- 2Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
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14
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Gharpure R, Mor SM, Viney M, Hodobo T, Lello J, Siwila J, Dube K, Robertson RC, Mutasa K, Berger CN, Hirai M, Brown T, Ntozini R, Evans C, Hoto P, Smith LE, Tavengwa NV, Joyeux M, Humphrey JH, Berendes D, Prendergast AJ. A One Health Approach to Child Stunting: Evidence and Research Agenda. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2021; 104:1620-1624. [PMID: 33684062 PMCID: PMC8103449 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.20-1129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Stunting (low height for age) affects approximately one-quarter of children aged < 5 years worldwide. Given the limited impact of current interventions for stunting, new multisectoral evidence-based approaches are needed to decrease the burden of stunting in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Recognizing that the health of people, animals, and the environment are connected, we present the rationale and research agenda for considering a One Health approach to child stunting. We contend that a One Health strategy may uncover new approaches to tackling child stunting by addressing several interdependent factors that prevent children from thriving in LMICs, and that coordinated interventions among human health, animal health, and environmental health sectors may have a synergistic effect in stunting reduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Radhika Gharpure
- Division of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Siobhan M. Mor
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- International Livestock Research Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Mark Viney
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Behaviour, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | | | - Joanne Lello
- College of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Joyce Siwila
- School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Kululeko Dube
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Harare, Zimbabwe
| | | | - Kuda Mutasa
- Zvitambo Institute for Maternal and Child Health Research, Harare, Zimbabwe
| | - Cedric N. Berger
- College of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | | | - Tim Brown
- School of Geography, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Robert Ntozini
- Zvitambo Institute for Maternal and Child Health Research, Harare, Zimbabwe
| | - Ceri Evans
- Blizard Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
- Zvitambo Institute for Maternal and Child Health Research, Harare, Zimbabwe
| | - Patience Hoto
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Harare, Zimbabwe
| | - Laura E. Smith
- Zvitambo Institute for Maternal and Child Health Research, Harare, Zimbabwe
- Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York
| | - Naume V. Tavengwa
- Zvitambo Institute for Maternal and Child Health Research, Harare, Zimbabwe
| | | | - Jean H. Humphrey
- Zvitambo Institute for Maternal and Child Health Research, Harare, Zimbabwe
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - David Berendes
- Division of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Andrew J. Prendergast
- Blizard Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
- Zvitambo Institute for Maternal and Child Health Research, Harare, Zimbabwe
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
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15
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Formative research for the development of baby water, sanitation, and hygiene interventions for young children in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (REDUCE program). BMC Public Health 2021; 21:427. [PMID: 33648466 PMCID: PMC7923459 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-021-10246-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2020] [Accepted: 01/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Research exploring the unique exposure pathways to fecal pathogens for young children and innovative water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) interventions for susceptible pediatric populations is needed to reduce the burden of diarrheal diseases and stunting globally. The Reducing Enteropathy, Diarrhea, Undernutrition, and Contamination in the Environment (REDUCE) program seeks to 1) identify exposure pathways to fecal pathogens that are significant contributors to morbidity for young children in South Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and 2) develop and evaluate scalable interventions that reduce fecal contamination and exposure from these pathways. The formative research portion of the project sought to identify feasible and acceptable WASH interventions to modify behaviors found to be associated with diarrheal disease and impaired growth in our REDUCE cohort study. METHODS Ninety-one semi-structured interviews, 6 focus group discussions, and a pilot study of 102 households were conducted during 24 months of formative research. Thirty-one interviews and six focus group discussions were conducted with caregivers, community health workers, and village leaders to explore existing WASH practices and to identify barriers and facilitators to WASH behaviors. Findings were organized using the Integrated Behavioral Model for Water, Sanitation and Hygiene to facilitate interpretation and identify determinants to Baby WASH behaviors in this setting. Care Group modules and enabling technology were developed based on exploratory findings and then revised during a two-part, iterative pilot study. Sixty interviews were conducted with participants in a pilot study of the REDUCE Baby WASH Care Group modules to learn about their experiences with the intervention. RESULTS Six REDUCE Baby WASH Care Group modules were developed based on formative research findings and covered the following topics: 1) living with animals; 2) child mouthing of fomites and feces; 3) composting animal feces; 4) child feces disposal; 5) handwashing with soap; and 6) water treatment. CONCLUSION This study took a theory-driven and evidence-based approach to formative research and the development of the REDUCE Baby WASH Care Group modules. Intervention design focused on interrupting the exposure routes for infants and young children to fecal pathogens in the environment and promoting low-cost, low-burden Baby WASH behavioral recommendations and enabling technology. These developed REDUCE Baby WASH Care Group modules are currently being rolled out to over 1,000,000 beneficiaries in Democratic Republic of the Congo.
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16
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Biswas SK, Thomas ED, Masud J, Zohura F, Hasan T, Parvin T, Islam Bhuyian MS, Minhaj MI, Johura F, Sultana M, Tahmina S, Monira S, Perin J, Alam M, George CM. Formative Research for the Design of a Baby Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Mobile Health Program in Bangladesh (CHoBI7 Mobile Health Program). Am J Trop Med Hyg 2021; 104:357-371. [PMID: 33025876 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.20-0456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Poor food hygiene practices, child feces not being disposed of in a latrine, child mouthing of contaminated fomites, and poor hand hygiene of caregivers have been associated with diarrheal diseases, environmental enteropathy, and impaired growth in young children. Mobile health (mHealth) programs present a low-cost approach to delivering water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) programs. We conducted a theory-driven and evidence-based approach to formative research and intervention development to design and pilot test a Baby WASH mHealth program targeting food hygiene, child mouthing, and child feces disposal behaviors in urban Dhaka, Bangladesh. Formative research activities included 31 semi-structured interviews, five group discussions, six mHealth workshops, and a three-phase iterative pilot study among 102 households. Findings from semi-structured interviews and group discussions indicate that caregivers of young children have relatively high awareness of the need for safer food hygiene, child mouthing, and child feces disposal practices, but are limited by existing household responsibilities and restricted access to enabling technology that would facilitate practicing recommended behaviors. The piloted Baby WASH mHealth program was well-received by households. This study presents a theory-driven and evidence-based approach for intervention development that can be implemented for the development of future WASH mHealth programs in low-resource settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shwapon Kumar Biswas
- 1International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh.,2Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Elizabeth D Thomas
- 3Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Jahed Masud
- 1International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Fatema Zohura
- 1International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Tasdik Hasan
- 1International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Tahmina Parvin
- 1International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | | | - Md Ismat Minhaj
- 1International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Fatema Johura
- 1International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Marzia Sultana
- 1International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Sanya Tahmina
- 2Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Shirajum Monira
- 1International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Jamie Perin
- 2Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Munirul Alam
- 1International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Christine Marie George
- 3Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
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17
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Budge S, Parker A, Hutchings P, Garbutt C, Rosenbaum J, Tulu T, Woldemedhin F, Jemal M, Engineer B, Williams L. Multi-Sectoral Participatory Design of a BabyWASH Playspace for Rural Ethiopian Households. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2021; 104:884-897. [PMID: 33534743 PMCID: PMC7941829 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.20-0945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 10/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Growing evidence suggests current water, sanitation, and hygiene interventions do not improve domestic hygiene sufficiently to improve infant health, nor consider the age-specific behaviors which increase infection risk. A household playspace (HPS) is described as one critical intervention to reduce direct fecal-oral transmission within formative growth periods. This article details both the design and development (materials and methods), and testing (results) of a HPS for rural Ethiopian households. Design and testing followed a multi-sectoral, multistep participatory process. This included a focus group discussion (FGD), two user-centered and participatory design workshops in the United Kingdom and Ethiopia, discussions with local manufacturers, and a Trials by Improved Practices (TIPs) leading to a final prototype design. Testing included the FGD and TIPs study and a subsequent randomized controlled feasibility trial in Ethiopian households. This multi-sectoral, multistage development process demonstrated a HPS is an acceptable and feasible intervention in these low-income, rural subsistence Ethiopian households. A HPS may help reduce fecal-oral transmission and infection-particularly in settings where free-range domestic livestock present an increased risk. With the need to better tailor interventions to improve infant health, this article also provides a framework for future groups developing similar material inputs and highlights the value of participatory design in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Budge
- Cranfield Water Science Institute, Cranfield University, Cranfield, United Kingdom
| | - Alison Parker
- Cranfield Water Science Institute, Cranfield University, Cranfield, United Kingdom
| | - Paul Hutchings
- Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | | | - Julia Rosenbaum
- FHI360/United States Agency for International Development WASHPaLS Project, Washington, District of Columbia
| | | | | | | | | | - Leon Williams
- Centre for Competitive Creative Design, Cranfield University, Cranfield, United Kingdom
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18
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George CM, Cirhuza LB, Kuhl J, Williams C, Coglianese N, Thomas E, Bauler S, François R, Saxton R, Presence AS, Birindwa A, Jean Claude BR, Perin J, Mirindi P. Child Mouthing of Feces and Fomites and Animal Contact are Associated with Diarrhea and Impaired Growth Among Young Children in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: A Prospective Cohort Study (REDUCE Program). J Pediatr 2021; 228:110-116.e1. [PMID: 32918918 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2020.09.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Revised: 08/04/2020] [Accepted: 09/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To identify exposure pathways to fecal pathogens that are significant contributors to diarrheal diseases and impaired growth in young children, and to evaluate scalable interventions to reduce fecal contamination from these pathways. STUDY DESIGN Reducing Enteropathy, Undernutrition, and Contamination in the Environment (REDUCE) was a prospective cohort study of 370 children <5 years of age was conducted in Walungu Territory, South Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Child mouthing behaviors were assessed through caregiver reports and 5-hour structured observations. Caregiver reports of child contact with animals and child diarrhea were also obtained. Anthropometric measurements were collected at baseline and at a 6-month follow-up. RESULTS Children observed putting soil in their mouth during structured observation at baseline had a significantly higher odds of diarrhea at the 6-month follow-up (OR, 1.79; 95% CI, 1.04 to 3.07). Children observed mouthing feces during structured observation had a significant reduction in height-for-age z-score (HAZ) from baseline to the 6-month follow-up (ΔHAZ, -0.69; 95% CI, -1.34 to -0.04). A significant reduction in HAZ was also observed for children with caregiver reports of touching guinea pigs (-0.33; 95% CI, -0.58 to -0.08) and rabbits (-0.34; 95% CI, -0.64 to -0.04) and children with feces in their sleeping space during unannounced spot checks (-0.41; 95% CI, -0.74 to -0.09). CONCLUSIONS These findings emphasize the urgent need for infant water, sanitation, and hygiene interventions targeting child mouthing behaviors, fecal contamination in child living spaces, and child contact with domestic animals to reduce exposure to fecal pathogens among susceptible populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Marie George
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins School Bloomberg of Public Health, Baltimore, MD.
| | - Lucien Bisimwa Cirhuza
- Food for the Hungry, Phoenix, AZ; Unit for Research and Training in Ecology and Control of Infectious Diseases, Microbiology Department, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Jennifer Kuhl
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins School Bloomberg of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
| | - Camille Williams
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins School Bloomberg of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
| | | | - Elizabeth Thomas
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins School Bloomberg of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
| | | | - Ruthly François
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins School Bloomberg of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
| | - Ronald Saxton
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins School Bloomberg of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
| | | | | | | | - Jamie Perin
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins School Bloomberg of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
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George CM, Cirhuza LB, Birindwa A, Williams C, Beck S, Julian T, Kuhl J, Coglianese N, Thomas E, Bauler S, François R, Saxton R, Presence AS, Rusanga JCB, Perin J, Mirindi P. Child hand contamination is associated with subsequent pediatric diarrhea in rural Democratic Republic of the Congo (REDUCE Program). Trop Med Int Health 2020; 26:102-110. [PMID: 33151587 DOI: 10.1111/tmi.13510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The Reducing Enteropathy, Undernutrition, and Contamination in the Environment (REDUCE) program focuses on identifying exposure pathways to faecal pathogens for young children in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and on developing scalable interventions to reduce faecal contamination from these pathways. METHODS A prospective cohort study of 690 participants was conducted to investigate the association between hand, food, and environmental faecal contamination and diarrhoeal disease prevalence among young children in Walungu Territory, South Kivu, DRC. A total of 1923 hand rinse, soil, food, object, surface, stored water and water source samples were collected during unannounced spot checks after baseline enrolment and analysed for Escherichia coli. Caregiver reports of diarrhoea were obtained from children < 5 years at a 6-month follow-up. RESULTS E.coli was detected in 73% of child and caregiver hand-rinse samples, 69% of soil samples from child play spaces, 54% of child food samples, 38% of objects and surfaces children were observed putting in their mouths, 74% of stored water samples, and 40% of source water samples. Children < 5 years with E. coli on their hands had significantly higher odds of diarrhoea at the 6-month follow-up (odds ratio: 2.03 (95% confidence interval: 1.05, 3.92)). CONCLUSION The cohort study findings from the REDUCE program have shown that child hand contamination is associated with diarrhoeal disease in rural DRC, and that there is high faecal contamination in child plays spaces and food. These findings provide evidence demonstrating the urgent need to provide clean play spaces for young children and interventions targeting hand hygiene to reduce paediatric exposure to faecal pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Marie George
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins School Bloomberg of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Lucien Bisimwa Cirhuza
- Food for the Hungry, Phoenix, Arizona, USA.,URF-ECMI, Microbiology Department, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kinshasa
| | | | - Camille Williams
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins School Bloomberg of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Sara Beck
- Department of Environmental Microbiology, Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Duebendorf, Switzerland
| | - Timothy Julian
- Food for the Hungry, Phoenix, Arizona, USA.,Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland.,University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Jennifer Kuhl
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins School Bloomberg of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Elizabeth Thomas
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins School Bloomberg of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Sarah Bauler
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins School Bloomberg of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,Food for the Hungry, Phoenix, Arizona, USA
| | - Ruthly François
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins School Bloomberg of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Ronald Saxton
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins School Bloomberg of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | | | | | - Jamie Perin
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins School Bloomberg of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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Monira S, Bhuyian MSI, Parvin T, Uddin IM, Zohura F, Hasan MT, Biswas SK, Hasan K, Masud J, Rashid M, Rahman Z, Papri N, Rafique R, Islam A, Barman I, Jubyda FT, Johura F, Sultana M, Sanin KI, Sack DA, Perin J, Alam M, George C. Child mouthing of soil and presence of animals in child sleeping spaces are associated with growth faltering among young children in Dhaka, Bangladesh (CHoBI7 Program). Trop Med Int Health 2020; 25:1016-1023. [DOI: 10.1111/tmi.13417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Shirajum Monira
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh Dhaka Bangladesh
| | | | - Tahmina Parvin
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh Dhaka Bangladesh
| | - Ismat Minhaj Uddin
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh Dhaka Bangladesh
| | - Fatema Zohura
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh Dhaka Bangladesh
| | - M. Tasdik Hasan
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh Dhaka Bangladesh
| | - Shwapon K. Biswas
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh Dhaka Bangladesh
| | - Khaled Hasan
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh Dhaka Bangladesh
| | - Jahed Masud
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh Dhaka Bangladesh
| | - Mahamud‐ur Rashid
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh Dhaka Bangladesh
| | - Zillur Rahman
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh Dhaka Bangladesh
| | - Nowshin Papri
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh Dhaka Bangladesh
| | - Raisa Rafique
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh Dhaka Bangladesh
| | - Aminul Islam
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh Dhaka Bangladesh
| | - Indrajeet Barman
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh Dhaka Bangladesh
| | - Fatema Tuz Jubyda
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh Dhaka Bangladesh
| | - Fatema‐Tuz Johura
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh Dhaka Bangladesh
| | - Marzia Sultana
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh Dhaka Bangladesh
| | - Kazi Istiaque Sanin
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh Dhaka Bangladesh
| | - David A. Sack
- Department of International Health Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Baltimore MD USA
| | - Jamie Perin
- Department of International Health Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Baltimore MD USA
| | - Munirul Alam
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh Dhaka Bangladesh
| | - Christine George
- Department of International Health Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Baltimore MD USA
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21
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Parvin T, Minhaj Uddin I, Islam Bhuyian MS, Saxton R, Zohura F, Sultana M, Johura FT, Monira S, Hasan MT, Papri N, Haque MA, Biswas SK, Sack DA, Perin J, Alam M, George CM. Prospective cohort study of child mouthing of faeces and fomites in Dhaka, Bangladesh (CHoBI7 Program). Trop Med Int Health 2020; 25:976-984. [PMID: 32406964 DOI: 10.1111/tmi.13413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To characterise childhood mouthing and handling behaviours and to assess the association between hand-to-object and object-to-mouth contacts and diarrhoea prevalence in young children in urban Dhaka, Bangladesh. METHODS A prospective cohort study was conducted among 494 children under 5 years of age in Dhaka, Bangladesh. This study was nested within the randomised controlled trial of the Cholera Hospital-Based Intervention for 7 Days (CHoBI7) mobile health (mHealth) program. The CHoBI7 mHealth program focuses on promoting handwashing with soap and water treatment to diarrhoea patients and their household members through mobile messages and a single in person visit. Mouthing and handling of faeces and fomites among young children was measured by five-hour structured observation and caregiver reports. Diarrhoea surveillance data was collected monthly for 12 months. RESULTS Fifty five percent of caregivers reported that their child put a visibly dirty fomite (object or soil) in their mouth in the past week. Caregivers reported that 50% of children had mouthed visibly dirty objects, 26% had mouthed dirt, and 2% had mouthed faeces. Forty five percent of children were observed mouthing a visibly dirty fomite during structured observation, 40% of children were observed mouthing a visibly dirty object, 10% were observed mouthing soil, and one child (0.2%) was observed mouthing faeces. Mouthing of visibly dirty fomites was highest for children 12-18 months of age with 69% of these children having caregiver reports and 54% having observed events. Children with caregiver reports of mouthing faeces had a significantly higher odds of diarrhoea over the subsequent month (Odds Ratio: 4.54; 95% Confidence Interval: 1.06, 19.48). CONCLUSION These findings demonstrate that mouthing of contaminated fomites among young children is frequent in urban environments in Bangladesh, and that mouthing faeces is associated with a significantly higher odds of diarrhoea. Interventions are urgently needed to protect young children from faecal pathogens in their play spaces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tahmina Parvin
- International Center for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Ismat Minhaj Uddin
- International Center for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | | | - Ronald Saxton
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Fatema Zohura
- International Center for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Marzia Sultana
- International Center for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Fatema-Tuz Johura
- International Center for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Shirajum Monira
- International Center for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Md Tasdik Hasan
- International Center for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka, Bangladesh.,University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Nowshin Papri
- International Center for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Md Ahshanul Haque
- International Center for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Shwapon K Biswas
- International Center for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka, Bangladesh.,Rangpur Medical College and Hospital, Rangpur, Bangladesh
| | - David A Sack
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jamie Perin
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Munirul Alam
- International Center for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Christine Marie George
- International Center for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka, Bangladesh
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Budge S, Barnett M, Hutchings P, Parker A, Tyrrel S, Hassard F, Garbutt C, Moges M, Woldemedhin F, Jemal M. Risk factors and transmission pathways associated with infant Campylobacter spp. prevalence and malnutrition: A formative study in rural Ethiopia. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0232541. [PMID: 32384130 PMCID: PMC7209302 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0232541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2019] [Accepted: 04/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Early infection from enteropathogens is recognised as both a cause and effect of infant malnutrition. Specifically, evidence demonstrates associations between growth shortfalls and Campylobacter infection, endemic across low-income settings, with poultry a major source. Whilst improvements in water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) should reduce pathogen transmission, interventions show inconsistent effects on infant health. This cross-sectional, formative study aimed to understand relationships between infant Campylobacter prevalence, malnutrition and associated risk factors, including domestic animal husbandry practices, in rural Ethiopia. Thirty-five households were visited in Sidama zone, Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' region. Infant and poultry faeces and domestic floor surfaces (total = 102) were analysed for presumptive Campylobacter spp. using selective culture. Infant anthropometry and diarrhoeal prevalence, WASH facilities and animal husbandry data were collected. Of the infants, 14.3% were wasted, 31.4% stunted and 31.4% had recent diarrhoea. Presumptive Campylobacter spp. was isolated from 48.6% of infant, 68.6% of poultry and 65.6% of floor surface samples. Compared to non-wasted infants, wasted infants had an increased odds ratio (OR) of 1.41 for a Campylobacter-positive stool and 1.81 for diarrhoea. Positive infant stools showed a significant relationship with wasting (p = 0.026) but not stunting. Significant risk factors for a positive stool included keeping animals inside (p = 0.027, OR 3.5), owning cattle (p = 0.018, OR 6.5) and positive poultry faeces (p<0.001, OR 1.34). Positive floor samples showed a significant correlation with positive infant (p = 0.023), and positive poultry (p = 0.013, OR 2.68) stools. Ownership of improved WASH facilities was not correlated with lower odds of positive stools. This formative study shows a high prevalence of infants positive for Campylobacter in households with free-range animals. Findings reaffirm contaminated floors as an important pathway to infant pathogen ingestion and suggest that simply upgrading household WASH facilities will not reduce infection without addressing the burden of contamination from animals, alongside adequate separation in the home.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Megan Barnett
- British Geological Survey, Environmental Science Centre, Keyworth, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Sean Tyrrel
- Cranfield University, Cranfield, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Mathewos Moges
- Department of Environmental Health, Hawassa University College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Hawassa, Ethiopia
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Morse T, Tilley E, Chidziwisano K, Malolo R, Musaya J. Health Outcomes of an Integrated Behaviour-Centred Water, Sanitation, Hygiene and Food Safety Intervention-A Randomised before and after Trial. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:E2648. [PMID: 32294881 PMCID: PMC7215646 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17082648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2020] [Revised: 03/31/2020] [Accepted: 04/08/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Diarrhoeal disease in children under five in low income settings has been associated with multiple environmental exposure pathways, including complementary foods. Conducted from February to December 2018 in rural Malawi, this before and after trial with a control used diarrhoeal disease as a primary outcome, to measure the impact of a food hygiene intervention (food hygiene + handwashing) relative to a food hygiene and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) intervention (food hygiene + handwashing + faeces management + water management). The 31-week intervention was delivered by community-based coordinators through community events (n = 2), cluster group meetings (n = 17) and household visits (n = 14). Diarrhoeal disease was self-reported and measured through an end line survey, and daily diaries completed by caregivers. Difference-in-differences results show a 13-percentage point reduction in self-reported diarrhoea compared to the control group. There were also significant increases in the presence of proxy measures in each of the treatment groups (e.g., the presence of soap). We conclude that food hygiene interventions (including hand washing with soap) can significantly reduce diarrhoeal disease prevalence in children under five years in a low-income setting. Therefore, the promotion of food hygiene practices using a behaviour-centred approach should be embedded in nutrition and WASH policies and programming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tracy Morse
- Centre for Water, Environment, Sustainability and Public Health, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow G1 1XJ, UK;
- Centre for Water, Sanitation, Health and Appropriate Technology Development (WASHTED), University of Malawi (Polytechnic), Blantyre, Malawi;
| | - Elizabeth Tilley
- Department of Environmental Health, University of Malawi (Polytechnic), Blantyre, Malawi;
- Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag), CH-8600 Duebendorf, Switzerland
| | - Kondwani Chidziwisano
- Centre for Water, Environment, Sustainability and Public Health, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow G1 1XJ, UK;
- Centre for Water, Sanitation, Health and Appropriate Technology Development (WASHTED), University of Malawi (Polytechnic), Blantyre, Malawi;
- Department of Environmental Health, University of Malawi (Polytechnic), Blantyre, Malawi;
| | - Rossanie Malolo
- Centre for Water, Sanitation, Health and Appropriate Technology Development (WASHTED), University of Malawi (Polytechnic), Blantyre, Malawi;
| | - Janelisa Musaya
- Department of Biochemical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Malawi, Blantyre, Malawi;
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24
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Stevenson LC, Allen T, Mendez D, Sellars D, Gould GS. Is open defaecation in outdoor recreation and camping areas a public health issue in Australia? A literature review. Health Promot J Austr 2019; 31:525-532. [PMID: 31608519 PMCID: PMC7586839 DOI: 10.1002/hpja.300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2019] [Revised: 08/13/2019] [Accepted: 10/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Issue addressed In Australia, natural areas used for outdoor recreation activities or camping often have limited or no sanitation infrastructure. Recreationist and campers may use open defaecation practices where toilets are not provided. Contaminated soils and watercourses are associated with gastrointestinal illnesses. This review aims to determine if open defaecation is a public health issue in outdoor recreation and camping areas in Australia. Method A literature review was conducted using the following search engines: CINAHL, Informit Database, Scopus, ProQuest Science & Technology, Medline (Ovid) and EBSCOhost. Inclusion criteria for this review were both experimental and observational research designs for studies describing the public health issues associated with open defaecation practice. Results Out of 12 147 papers identified, only three studies met the inclusion criteria, showing a lack of research into this area. Included were two studies that addressed human waste management practices in outdoor environments and the breakdown of human waste in alpine regions of Tasmania. The third study measured water contamination at a freshwater beach on K'gari‐Fraser Island, Queensland. Visitors to natural areas are potentially at high risk of illness due to exposure to faecal contamination from other visitors using unsafe open defaecation practices in high‐use camping areas. Conclusion The limited number of studies addressing open defaecation in the outdoor recreation and camp areas in Australia indicates this review is a starting point to identify critical areas that may be of concern when managing visitors in an outdoor recreation setting. This review recommends investigating barriers and enablers motivating human disposal waste in these settings to help formulate health promotion content; environmental management policies related to sanitation and hygiene should be also underpinned by public health policy; and providing appropriate sanitation options depending on the ecological and visitor numbers to natural areas. So what‐relevance of findings Outdoor recreation activities offer physical and mental health benefits for communities. The popularity of outdoor recreation activities is on the increase in Australia. With the rise in visitation to natural areas, management of human waste needs to be addressed to reduce the public health risk of illness.
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25
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Budge S, Hutchings P, Parker A, Tyrrel S, Tulu T, Gizaw M, Garbutt C. Do domestic animals contribute to bacterial contamination of infant transmission pathways? Formative evidence from Ethiopia. JOURNAL OF WATER AND HEALTH 2019; 17:655-669. [PMID: 31638018 DOI: 10.2166/wh.2019.224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Child stunting is associated with poor water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), partly due to the effect of infection on intestinal nutrient absorption. WASH interventions, however, show little effect on growth. A hypothesis is that bacterial contamination of hands and floors from domestic animals and their faeces, and subsequent ingestion via infant hand-to-mouth behaviours, may explain this. This formative study used microbial testing and survey and observational data from 20 households in Ethiopia to characterise principle bacterial transmission pathways to infants, considering WASH facilities and practices, infant behaviours and animal exposure. Microbial swabbing showed the contamination of hands and floor surfaces from thermotolerant coliform bacteria. Animal husbandry practices, such as keeping animals inside, contributed significantly (all p < 0.005). There was no evidence that latrine facilities mitigated contamination across infant (p = 0.76) or maternal (p = 0.86) hands or floor surfaces (p = 0.36). This small study contributes to the evidence that animal faeces are an important source of domestic bacterial contamination. The results imply that interventions aiming to reduce pathogen transmission to infants should think beyond improving WASH and also consider the need to separate infants and animals in the home. Intervention studies will be required to determine whether this reduces infant infection and improves linear growth.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Paul Hutchings
- Water Science, Cranfield Water Science Institute, Cranfield University, Vincent Building, Cranfield, Bedford MK43 0AL, UK E-mail:
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Abstract
In 2017, an estimated 1 in every 4 (23%) children aged < 5 years were stunted worldwide. With slow progress in stunting reduction in many regions and the realization that a large proportion of stunting is not due to insufficient diet or diarrhea alone, it remains that other factors must explain continued growth faltering. Environmental enteric dysfunction (EED), a subclinical state of intestinal inflammation, can occur in infants across the developing world and is proposed as an immediate causal factor connecting poor sanitation and stunting. A result of chronic pathogen exposure, EED presents multiple causal pathways, and as such the scope and sensitivity of traditional water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) interventions have possibly been unsubstantial. Although the definite pathogenesis of EED and the mechanism by which stunting occurs are yet to be defined, this paper reviews the existing literature surrounding the proposed pathology and transmission of EED in infants and considerations for nutrition and WASH interventions to improve linear growth worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Budge
- Cranfield Water Science Institute, Cranfield University, Bedfordshire, United Kingdom
| | - Alison H Parker
- Cranfield Water Science Institute, Cranfield University, Bedfordshire, United Kingdom
| | - Paul T Hutchings
- Cranfield Water Science Institute, Cranfield University, Bedfordshire, United Kingdom
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27
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Wolf J, Johnston R, Hunter PR, Gordon B, Medlicott K, Prüss-Ustün A. A Faecal Contamination Index for interpreting heterogeneous diarrhoea impacts of water, sanitation and hygiene interventions and overall, regional and country estimates of community sanitation coverage with a focus on low- and middle-income countries. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2019; 222:270-282. [PMID: 30503228 PMCID: PMC6417992 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2018.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2018] [Revised: 10/26/2018] [Accepted: 11/19/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The impact on diarrhoea of sanitation interventions has been heterogeneous. We hypothesize that this is due to the level of prevailing faecal environmental contamination and propose a Faecal Contamination Index (FAECI) of selected WASH indicators (objective 1). Additionally, we provide estimates of the proportion of the population living in communities above certain sanitation coverage levels (objective 2). METHODS Objective 1: Faecal contamination post-intervention was estimated from WASH intervention reports. WASH indicators composing the FAECI included eight water, sanitation and hygiene practice indicators, which were selected for their relevance for health and data availability at study- and country-level. The association between the estimated level of faecal environmental contamination and diarrhoea was examined using meta-regression. Objective 2: A literature search was conducted to identify health-relevant community sanitation coverage thresholds. To estimate total community coverage with basic sanitation in low- and middle-income countries, at relevant thresholds, household surveys with data available at primary sampling unit (PSU)-level were analysed according to the identified thresholds, at country-, regional- and overall level. RESULTS Objective 1: We found a non-linear association between estimated environmental faecal contamination and sanitation interventions' impact on diarrhoeal disease. Diarrhoea reductions were highest at lower faecal contamination levels, and no diarrhoea reduction was found when contamination increased above a certain level. Objective 2: Around 45% of the population lives in communities with more than 75% of coverage with basic sanitation and 24% of the population lives in communities above 95% coverage, respectively. CONCLUSIONS High prevailing faecal contamination might explain interventions' poor effectiveness in reducing diarrhoea. The here proposed Faecal Contamination Index is a first attempt to estimate the level of faecal contamination in communities. Much of the world's population currently lives in faecally contaminated environments as indicated by low community sanitation coverage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennyfer Wolf
- Department of Public Health, Environment and Social Determinants of Health, World Health Organization, 20 Avenue Appia, Geneva, Switzerland.
| | - Richard Johnston
- Department of Public Health, Environment and Social Determinants of Health, World Health Organization, 20 Avenue Appia, Geneva, Switzerland.
| | - Paul R Hunter
- The Norwich School of Medicine, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK; Department of Environmental Health, Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria, South Africa.
| | - Bruce Gordon
- Department of Public Health, Environment and Social Determinants of Health, World Health Organization, 20 Avenue Appia, Geneva, Switzerland.
| | - Kate Medlicott
- Department of Public Health, Environment and Social Determinants of Health, World Health Organization, 20 Avenue Appia, Geneva, Switzerland.
| | - Annette Prüss-Ustün
- Department of Public Health, Environment and Social Determinants of Health, World Health Organization, 20 Avenue Appia, Geneva, Switzerland.
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28
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Montealegre MC, Roy S, Böni F, Hossain MI, Navab-Daneshmand T, Caduff L, Faruque ASG, Islam MA, Julian TR. Risk Factors for Detection, Survival, and Growth of Antibiotic-Resistant and Pathogenic Escherichia coli in Household Soils in Rural Bangladesh. Appl Environ Microbiol 2018; 84:e01978-18. [PMID: 30315075 PMCID: PMC6275341 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01978-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2018] [Accepted: 10/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Soils in household environments in low- and middle-income countries may play an important role in the persistence, proliferation, and transmission of Escherichia coli Our goal was to investigate the risk factors for detection, survival, and growth of E. coli in soils collected from household plots. E. coli was enumerated in soil and fecal samples from humans, chickens, and cattle from 52 households in rural Bangladesh. Associations between E. coli concentrations in soil, household-level risk factors, and soil physicochemical characteristics were investigated. Susceptibility to 16 antibiotics and the presence of intestinal pathotypes were evaluated for 175 E. coli isolates. The growth and survival of E. coli in microcosms using soil collected from the households were also assessed. E. coli was isolated from 44.2% of the soil samples, with an average of 1.95 log10 CFU/g dry soil. Soil moisture and clay content were associated with E. coli concentrations in soil, whereas no household-level risk factor was significantly correlated. Antibiotic resistance and pathogenicity were common among E. coli isolates, with 42.3% resistant to at least one antibiotic, 12.6% multidrug resistant (≥3 classes), and 10% potentially pathogenic. Soil microcosms demonstrate growth and/or survival of E. coli, including an enteropathogenic extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing isolate, in some, but not all, of the household soils tested. In rural Bangladesh, defined soil physicochemical characteristics appear more influential for E. coli detection in soils than household-level risk factors. Soils may act as reservoirs in the transmission of antibiotic-resistant and potentially pathogenic E. coli and therefore may impact the effectiveness of water, sanitation, and hygiene interventions.IMPORTANCE Soil may represent a direct source or act as an intermediary for the transmission of antibiotic-resistant and pathogenic Escherichia coli strains, particularly in low-income and rural settings. Thus, determining risk factors associated with detection, growth, and long-term survival of E. coli in soil environments is important for public health. Here, we demonstrate that household soils in rural Bangladesh are reservoirs for antibiotic-resistant and potentially pathogenic E. coli strains and can support E. coli growth and survival, and defined soil physicochemical characteristics are drivers of E. coli survival in this environment. In contrast, we found no evidence that household-level factors, including water, sanitation, and hygiene indicators, were associated with E. coli contamination of household soils.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Subarna Roy
- Enteric and Food Microbiology Laboratory, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Franziska Böni
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Muhammed Iqbal Hossain
- Enteric and Food Microbiology Laboratory, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Tala Navab-Daneshmand
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Lea Caduff
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - A S G Faruque
- Nutrition and Clinical Services Division (NCSD), International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Mohammad Aminul Islam
- Enteric and Food Microbiology Laboratory, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Timothy R Julian
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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Vonaesch P, Randremanana R, Gody JC, Collard JM, Giles-Vernick T, Doria M, Vigan-Womas I, Rubbo PA, Etienne A, Andriatahirintsoa EJ, Kapel N, Brown E, Huus KE, Duffy D, Finlay B, Hasan M, Hunald FA, Robinson A, Manirakiza A, Wegener-Parfrey L, Vray M, Sansonetti PJ. Identifying the etiology and pathophysiology underlying stunting and environmental enteropathy: study protocol of the AFRIBIOTA project. BMC Pediatr 2018; 18:236. [PMID: 30025542 PMCID: PMC6053792 DOI: 10.1186/s12887-018-1189-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2018] [Accepted: 06/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Globally one out of four children under 5 years is affected by linear growth delay (stunting). This syndrome has severe long-term sequelae including increased risk of illness and mortality and delayed psychomotor development. Stunting is a syndrome that is linked to poor nutrition and repeated infections. To date, the treatment of stunted children is challenging as the underlying etiology and pathophysiological mechanisms remain elusive. We hypothesize that pediatric environmental enteropathy (PEE), a chronic inflammation of the small intestine, plays a major role in the pathophysiology of stunting, failure of nutritional interventions and diminished response to oral vaccines, potentially via changes in the composition of the pro- and eukaryotic intestinal communities. The main objective of AFRIBIOTA is to describe the intestinal dysbiosis observed in the context of stunting and to link it to PEE. Secondary objectives include the identification of the broader socio-economic environment and biological and environmental risk factors for stunting and PEE as well as the testing of a set of easy-to-use candidate biomarkers for PEE. We also assess host outcomes including mucosal and systemic immunity and psychomotor development. This article describes the rationale and study protocol of the AFRIBIOTA project. METHODS AFRIBIOTA is a case-control study for stunting recruiting children in Bangui, Central African Republic and in Antananarivo, Madagascar. In each country, 460 children aged 2-5 years with no overt signs of gastrointestinal disease are recruited (260 with no growth delay, 100 moderately stunted and 100 severely stunted). We compare the intestinal microbiota composition (gastric and small intestinal aspirates; feces), the mucosal and systemic immune status and the psychomotor development of children with stunting and/or PEE compared to non-stunted controls. We also perform anthropological and epidemiological investigations of the children's broader living conditions and assess risk factors using a standardized questionnaire. DISCUSSION To date, the pathophysiology and risk factors of stunting and PEE have been insufficiently investigated. AFRIBIOTA will add new insights into the pathophysiology underlying stunting and PEE and in doing so will enable implementation of new biomarkers and design of evidence-based treatment strategies for these two syndromes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pascale Vonaesch
- Unité de Pathogénie Microbienne Moléculaire, Institut Pasteur, 28 Rue du Dr. Roux, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Rindra Randremanana
- Unité d’Epidémiologie et de Recherche Clinique, Institut Pasteur de Madagascar, BP 1274 Ambatofotsikely, Avaradoha, 101 Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | - Jean-Chrysostome Gody
- Centre Pédiatrique de Bangui, Avenue de l’Indépendance, Bangui, Central African Republic
| | - Jean-Marc Collard
- Unité de Bactériologie Expérimentale, Institut Pasteur de Madagascar, BP 1274 Ambatofotsikely, Avaradoha, 101 Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | - Tamara Giles-Vernick
- Unité d’Epidémiologie des Maladies Emergentes, Institut Pasteur, 28 Rue du Dr. Roux, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Maria Doria
- Unité de Pathogénie Microbienne Moléculaire, Institut Pasteur, 28 Rue du Dr. Roux, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Inès Vigan-Womas
- Unité d’Immunologie des Maladies Infectieuses, Institut Pasteur de Madagascar, BP 1274 Ambatofotsikely, Avaradoha, 101 Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | - Pierre-Alain Rubbo
- Laboratoire d’Analyses Médicales, Institut Pasteur de Bangui, Avenue de l’Indépendance, Bangui, Central African Republic
| | - Aurélie Etienne
- Unité d’Epidémiologie et de Recherche Clinique, Institut Pasteur de Madagascar, BP 1274 Ambatofotsikely, Avaradoha, 101 Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | - Emilson Jean Andriatahirintsoa
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Mère-Enfant de Tsaralalàna (CHUMET), rue Patrice Lumumba, Tsaralalàna, 101 Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | - Nathalie Kapel
- Laboratoire de Coprologie Fonctionnelle, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, 47-83 Bd de l’Hôpital, 75013 Paris, France
| | - Eric Brown
- Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, 2185 East Mall, Vancouver, V6T1Z4 Canada
| | - Kelsey E. Huus
- Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, 2185 East Mall, Vancouver, V6T1Z4 Canada
| | - Darragh Duffy
- Unité de la Biologie des Cellules Dendritiques, Institut Pasteur, 25 Rue du Dr. Roux, 75015 Paris, France
| | - B.Brett Finlay
- Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, 2185 East Mall, Vancouver, V6T1Z4 Canada
| | - Milena Hasan
- Centre de Recherche Translationnelle, Institut Pasteur, 28 Rue du Dr. Roux, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Francis Allen Hunald
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Joseph Ravoahangy Andrianavalona (CHUJRA), Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | - Annick Robinson
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Mère Enfant de Tsaralalana, Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | - Alexandre Manirakiza
- Unité d’Epidémiologie, Institut Pasteur de Bangui, Avenue de l’Indépendance, Bangui, Central African Republic
| | - Laura Wegener-Parfrey
- Departments of Botany and Zoology, and Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia, 3200-6270 University Boulevard, Vancouver, V6T1Z4 Canada
| | - Muriel Vray
- Unité d’Epidémiologie des Maladies Emergentes, Institut Pasteur, 28 Rue du Dr. Roux, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Philippe J. Sansonetti
- Unité de Pathogénie Microbienne Moléculaire, Institut Pasteur, 28 Rue du Dr. Roux, 75015 Paris, France
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Sarabian C, Belais R, MacIntosh AJJ. Feeding decisions under contamination risk in bonobos. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2018; 373:20170195. [PMID: 29866924 PMCID: PMC6000142 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2017.0195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/12/2018] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Threats from parasites and pathogens are ubiquitous, and many use pathways that exploit host trophic interactions for their transmission. As such, host organisms have evolved a behavioural immune system to facilitate contamination-risk assessment and avoidance of potential contaminants in various contexts, including feeding. Detecting pathogen threats can rely on different sensory modalities allowing animals to screen for a wide array of contaminants. Here, we present a series of experiments in which bonobos showed clear avoidance of contaminated food items, and were sensitive to risk along a contamination probability gradient. Across experiments, bonobos appeared to use multisensorial cues to inform their feeding decisions. In addition, bonobos showed reduced tactile, gustatory and tool use activities when in the presence of contaminant versus control odours in a challenging foraging context. Our experiments build on previous work conducted in Japanese macaques and chimpanzees aiming at a better understanding of the ways in which the behavioural immune system operates in primates.This article is part of the Theo Murphy meeting issue 'Evolution of pathogen and parasite avoidance behaviours'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecile Sarabian
- Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, 41-2 Kanrin, Inuyama 484-8506, Japan
| | - Raphael Belais
- Amis des bonobos du Congo, Lola ya Bonobo Sanctuary, Les petites chutes de la Lukaya, Kimwenza, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Andrew J J MacIntosh
- Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, 41-2 Kanrin, Inuyama 484-8506, Japan
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Bauza V, Byrne DM, Trimmer JT, Lardizabal A, Atiim P, Asigbee MAK, Guest JS. Child soil ingestion in rural Ghana - frequency, caregiver perceptions, relationship with household floor material and associations with child diarrhoea. Trop Med Int Health 2018. [PMID: 29537690 DOI: 10.1111/tmi.13050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The objectives of this work were to evaluate (i) the prevalence and frequency of caregiver-reported soil ingestion by children, (ii) whether household flooring material in the bedroom (earth vs. concrete) affected caregiver-reported soil ingestion, (iii) whether caregiver-reported soil ingestion was associated with caregiver-reported diarrhoea and (iv) caregivers' perceptions of their children ingesting soil. METHODS We conducted 309 household surveys in northern Ghana, including 529 children under five (249 children aged 6-36 months), and measured faecal contamination in soil from 31 households. RESULTS Among all children, 15% were reported to have directly ingested soil in the past week, including 28% of children aged 6-36 months. Among children reported to have ingested soil, the median frequency was 14 times in the past week, and the median amount of soil ingested each time was half a handful. There was no association between household floor material and whether the caregiver observed a child directly ingesting soil. After adjusting for household floor material and other potential confounding variables, caregiver-reported soil ingestion was associated with caregiver-reported diarrhoea for children under five [adjusted odds ratio (adj. OR) = 3.13, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.76-3.55] and children aged 6-36 months (adj. OR = 2.61, 95% CI 2.01-3.39). Approximately 83% of caregivers whose children ingested soil reported they thought it was unsafe and were more likely to report stopping their child from ingesting soil, but these responses did not affect the quantity of soil ingested. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest direct soil ingestion is associated with diarrhoea independent of household floor material, and separate interventions may be necessary to prevent exploratory soil ingestion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valerie Bauza
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Diana M Byrne
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - John T Trimmer
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Amanda Lardizabal
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | | | | | - Jeremy S Guest
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
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Navab-Daneshmand T, Friedrich MND, Gächter M, Montealegre MC, Mlambo LS, Nhiwatiwa T, Mosler HJ, Julian TR. Escherichia coli Contamination across Multiple Environmental Compartments (Soil, Hands, Drinking Water, and Handwashing Water) in Urban Harare: Correlations and Risk Factors. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2018; 98:803-813. [PMID: 29363444 PMCID: PMC5930891 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.17-0521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2017] [Accepted: 11/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Escherichia coli pathotypes (i.e., enteropathogenic and enterotoxigenic) have been identified among the pathogens most responsible for moderate-to-severe diarrhea in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Pathogenic E. coli are transmitted from infected human or animal feces to new susceptible hosts via environmental reservoirs such as hands, water, and soil. Commensal E. coli, which includes nonpathogenic E. coli strains, are widely used as fecal bacteria indicator, with their presence associated with increased likelihood of enteric pathogens and/or diarrheal disease. In this study, we investigated E. coli contamination in environmental reservoirs within households (N = 142) in high-population density communities of Harare, Zimbabwe. We further assessed the interconnectedness of the environmental compartments by investigating associations between, and household-level risk factors for, E. coli contamination. From the data we collected, the source and risk factors for E. coli contamination are not readily apparent. One notable exception is the presence of running tap water on the household plot, which is associated with significantly less E. coli contamination of drinking water, handwashing water, and hands after handwashing. In addition, E. coli levels on hands after washing are significantly associated with handwashing water contamination, hand contamination before washing, and diarrhea incidence. Finally, we observed that animal ownership increases E. coli contamination in soil, and E. coli in soil are correlated with contamination on hands before washing. This study highlights the complexity of E. coli contamination in household environments within LMICs. More, larger, studies are needed to better identify sources and exposure pathways of E. coli-and enteric pathogens generally-to identify effective interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tala Navab-Daneshmand
- School of Chemical, Biological, and Environmental Engineering, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon
- Department of Environmental Microbiology, Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Max N. D. Friedrich
- Department of Environmental Social Sciences, Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Marja Gächter
- Department of Environmental Microbiology, Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Maria Camila Montealegre
- Department of Environmental Microbiology, Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Linn S. Mlambo
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe
| | - Tamuka Nhiwatiwa
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe
| | - Hans-Joachim Mosler
- Department of Environmental Social Sciences, Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Timothy R. Julian
- Department of Environmental Microbiology, Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
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Harper KM, Mutasa M, Prendergast AJ, Humphrey J, Manges AR. Environmental enteric dysfunction pathways and child stunting: A systematic review. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2018; 12:e0006205. [PMID: 29351288 PMCID: PMC5792022 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0006205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 123] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2017] [Revised: 01/31/2018] [Accepted: 01/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Environmental enteric dysfunction (EED) is commonly defined as an acquired subclinical disorder of the small intestine, characterized by villous atrophy and crypt hyperplasia. EED has been proposed to underlie stunted growth among children in developing countries. A collection of biomarkers, organized into distinct domains, has been used to measure different aspects of EED. Here, we examine whether these hypothesized relationships, among EED domains and between each domain and stunting, are supported by data from recent studies. METHODOLOGY A systematic literature search was conducted using PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, and CINAHL between January 1, 2010 and April 20, 2017. Information on study objective, design, population, location, biomarkers, and results were recorded, as well as qualitative and quantitative definitions of EED. Biomarkers were organized into five EED domains, and the number of studies that support or do not support relationships among domains and between each domain with stunting were summarized. RESULTS There was little evidence to support the pathway from intestinal permeability to microbial translocation and from microbial translocation to stunting, but stronger support existed for the link between intestinal inflammation and systemic inflammation and for intestinal inflammation and stunting. There was conflicting evidence for the pathways from intestinal damage to intestinal permeability and intestinal damage to stunting. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that certain EED biomarkers may require reconsideration, particularly those most difficult to measure, such as microbial translocation and intestinal permeability. We discuss several issues with currently used biomarkers and recommend further analysis of pathogen-induced changes to the intestinal microbiota as a pathway leading to stunting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaitlyn M. Harper
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Maxine Mutasa
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada
| | - Andrew J. Prendergast
- Blizard Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
- Zvitambo Institute for Maternal and Child Health Research, Harare, Zimbabwe
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Jean Humphrey
- Zvitambo Institute for Maternal and Child Health Research, Harare, Zimbabwe
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Amee R. Manges
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
- British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, Canada
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George CM, Burrowes V, Perin J, Oldja L, Biswas S, Sack D, Ahmed S, Haque R, Bhuiyan NA, Parvin T, Bhuyian SI, Akter M, Li S, Natarajan G, Shahnaij M, Faruque AG, Stine OC. Enteric Infections in Young Children are Associated with Environmental Enteropathy and Impaired Growth. Trop Med Int Health 2017; 23:26-33. [PMID: 29121442 DOI: 10.1111/tmi.13002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate the relationship between faecal contamination in child play spaces, enteric infections, environmental enteropathy (EE) and impaired growth among young children. METHODS A prospective cohort study was conducted of 203 children 6-30 months of age in rural Bangladesh. Stool samples were analysed by quantitative PCR for Shigella, Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC), Campylobacter jejuni, Giardia intestinalis and Cryptosporidium spp. Four faecal markers of intestinal inflammation were also measured: alpha-1-antitrypsin, myeloperoxidase, neopterin and calprotectin. Child growth was measured at baseline and 9 months after enrolment. E. coli was measured in soil in child play spaces. RESULTS Forty-seven percent of study children had three or more enteric pathogens in their stool. Thirty five percent (71/203) of children had Shigella, 30% (61/203) had ETEC, 73% (148/203) had C. jejuni, 79% (160/203) had Giardia intestinalis and none had Cryptosporidium. Children with ETEC had significantly higher calprotectin concentrations (Coefficient: 1.35, 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 1.005, 1.82). Children with Shigella had a significantly higher odds of being stunted at our 9-month follow-up (OR: 2.01, 95% CI: 1.02, 3.93). Children with Giardia intestinalis had significantly higher E.coli counts in the soil collected from their play spaces (OR: 1.23, 95% CI: 1.02, 1.48). CONCLUSION Enteric infections were significantly associated with EE and impaired growth in rural Bangladesh. These findings provide further evidence to support the hypothesis that contaminated soil in child play spaces can lead to enteric infections, many of which are likely subclinical, resulting in EE and impaired growth in young children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Marie George
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Vanessa Burrowes
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jamie Perin
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Lauren Oldja
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Shwapon Biswas
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh.,Department of Internal Medicine, Rangpur Medical College Hospital, Rangpur, Bangladesh
| | - David Sack
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Shahnawaz Ahmed
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Rashidul Haque
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Nurul Amin Bhuiyan
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Tahmina Parvin
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | | | - Mahmuda Akter
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Shan Li
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Gayathri Natarajan
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Mohammad Shahnaij
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Abu G Faruque
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - O Colin Stine
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
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