Effect of Some Environmental Factors on the Survival Time of Escherichia coli in Human Feces Deposited on the Soil

Abstract

Indiscriminate defecation in open places is still a common practice in Agbani, Nkanu West Local Government Area, and Enugu State Nigeria. It is obvious that the practice does not only pollute the environment but also some of these people that defecate in the open places may be carriers of infections and may deposit enteric pathogens into the agricultural soils and in the process infecting the healthy community. Effect of some environmental factors on the survival time of Escherichia coli in human faces deposited in the soil was studied. Early morning fresh faecal samples were collected randomly in Agbani Nkanu West L.G.A. Enugu State. The enteric organisms were isolated from the faecal sample using standard cultural techniques and characterized, morphologically and molecularly and identified as Escherichia coli. The survival time of Escherichia coli exposed to sunlight, shade, pH and temperature was monitored for fifty days and the results showed that there was a decrease in number of Escherichia coli exposed to sunlight, shade, pH and temperature from day seven. Escherichia coli showed little or no growth on day fifty Hence, sunlight, shade, pH and temperature had a lethal effect on the survival of Escherichia coli that had stayed up to fifty days in fecal soil. However, elimination of enteric pathogens present in open defecated feces in soil by sunlight and other environmental factors may be slow, but it is cheap and lead to environmentally friendly agricultural products. However, Open defecation is not recommended because of the health hazards associated with it.