Eyles Rebekah, Niyogi Dev, Townsend Colin, Benwell George, Weinstein Philip
Ecology and Health Research Centre, Department of Public Health, Wellington School of Medicine, PO Box 7343, Wellington South, New Zealand.
J Environ Qual. 2003 Sep-Oct;32(5):1820-8. doi: 10.2134/jeq2003.1820.
New Zealand's freshwater ecosystems are subject to microbial contamination from a predominantly agricultural landscape. This study examines the spatial and temporal distribution of the human pathogen Campylobacter in the lower Taieri River, South Island (New Zealand). Enumeration of thermophilic Campylobacter from river samples was performed using a most probable number (MPN) method. Seasonal variation in Campylobacter levels was evident, with higher median levels detected in summer, when human exposure through recreational water use is maximal. Campylobacter levels varied significantly among the 10 sampling sites, increasing below a major tributary entering the river and then showing a downstream decrease. These changes probably resulted from inputs from adjacent farms and instream Campylobacter losses (settling, death). Two main peaks in the flux of Campylobacter were observed, one in winter and one in summer. A decrease in notified cases of campylobacteriosis in the human population was observed when levels of Campylobacter at the main recreational bathing site on the river were low. Continuing land use change and intensification in New Zealand may lead to further increases in microbial contamination of freshwaters, and an associated increase in waterborne enteric diseases such as campylobacteriosis.
新西兰的淡水生态系统受到主要来自农业景观的微生物污染。本研究调查了南岛（新西兰）泰里河下游人类病原体弯曲杆菌的时空分布。采用最大可能数（MPN）法对河流样本中的嗜热弯曲杆菌进行计数。弯曲杆菌水平存在明显的季节性变化，夏季检测到的中位数水平较高，此时通过娱乐用水接触的人群最多。在10个采样点中，弯曲杆菌水平差异显著，在一条汇入河流的主要支流下游增加，然后呈下游递减趋势。这些变化可能是由于邻近农场的输入以及河流中弯曲杆菌的损失（沉降、死亡）所致。观察到弯曲杆菌通量有两个主要峰值，一个在冬季，一个在夏季。当河流主要休闲浴场的弯曲杆菌水平较低时，观察到人群中弯曲杆菌病的报告病例有所减少。新西兰持续的土地利用变化和集约化可能导致淡水微生物污染进一步增加，以及诸如弯曲杆菌病等水源性肠道疾病的相关增加。
