Are There Seasonal Variations in Faecal Contamination of Exposure Pathways? An Assessment in a Low-Income Settlement in Uganda.

Patrick Ronoh,Richard Mugambe,Claire Furlong,Frank Kansiime,Damir Brdjanovic

doi:10.3390/ijerph17176355

Abstract

Sanitation infrastructure are not able to cope with the increasing population in low-income countries, which leaves populations exposed to faecal contamination from multiple pathways. This study evaluated public health risk (using SaniPath) in a low-income community during the dry season, to identify the dominant exposure pathways, and compare this data to existing data for the rainy season, questioning the assumption that risk of faecal contamination is higher in the rainy season. SaniPath was used to collect and assess exposure and environmental data, and to generate risk profiles for each pathway. In the dry season the highest exposure frequency was for bathing and street food, exposure frequency generally increased, and seasonal variation was found in five pathways. The highest hazards in the dry season were through contact with drains, soil, and street food. Seasonal variation was found in the contamination of open drains and street food, with higher levels of Escherichia coli (E. coli) in the dry season. Open drains were identified as the most dominant risk pathway in both seasons, but risk was higher in the dry season. This highlights the complex nature of seasonal variation of faecal risk, and questions the assumption that risk is higher in the rainy season.

Highlights

Urbanization, the migration of people from rural areas to cities is one of the crucial demographic trends
This study evaluated seasonal variation in public health risks from faecal contamination in a low-income community, and identified the most dominant exposure pathways in both seasons, to aid evidence based decision making in terms of sanitation investments
Exposure frequency between the two seasons was significantly different for most of the pathways, it is clear that the behavior of people in this particular low-income community is affected by season

Summary

Introduction

Urbanization, the migration of people from rural areas to cities is one of the crucial demographic trends. In low-income countries the highest increases are found in slums, which have growth rates of 4.5% per annum [3]. It is estimated that about two thirds of the global population live in slums, with the highest prevalence in Sub-Saharan Africa, at 62% [4]. This rapid urbanization and general population growth puts pressure on existing sanitary facilities and many cities are struggling to provide adequate services [5]. Low-income settlements add a huge burden to city authorities who usually struggle to provide basic services such as sanitation

Methods

Results

Conclusion