Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA.
Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Veterinary Public Health, Addis Ababa University, Bishoftu P.O. Box 34, Ethiopia.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2024 Oct 12;21(10):1351. doi: 10.3390/ijerph21101351.
Public spaces in countries with limited societal development can be contaminated with feces containing pathogenic microbes from animals and people. Data on contamination levels, spatial distribution, and the diversity of enteric pathogens in the public settings of low- and middle-income neighborhoods are crucial for devising strategies that minimize the enteric infection burden. The objective of this study was to compare spatial-temporal differences in the detection rate and diversity of enteric pathogens in the public spaces of low- and middle-income neighborhoods of Nairobi, Kenya. TaqMan array card (TAC) molecular assays were employed to analyze soil samples for 19 enteropathogens, along with a selective bacterial culture for pathogenic Enterobacteriaceae. An observational assessment was conducted during every site visit to document the hygienic infrastructure and sanitation conditions at the sites. We detected at least one pathogen in 79% (127/160) and ≥2 pathogens in 67.5% (108/160) of the soil samples tested. The four most frequently detected pathogens were EAEC (67.5%), ETEC (59%), EPEC (57.5%), and STEC (31%). The detection rate (91% vs. 66%) and mean number of enteric pathogens (5 vs. 4.7) were higher in low-income Kibera than in middle-income Jericho. The more extensive spatial distribution of pathogens in Kibera resulted in increases in the detection of different enteric pathogens from within-site (area < 50 m) and across-site (across-neighborhood) movements compared to Jericho. The pathogen detection rates fluctuated seasonally in Jericho but remained at sustained high levels in Kibera. While better neighborhood conditions were linked with lower pathogen detection rates, pathogenic remained prevalent in the public environment across both neighborhoods. Future studies should focus on identifying how the sources of pathogen contamination are modified by improved environmental sanitation and hygiene and the role of these contaminated public environments in enteric infections in children.
在社会发展有限的国家，公共空间可能受到来自动物和人类的致病微生物污染。有关低和中收入社区公共环境中污染水平、空间分布和肠病原体多样性的数据，对于制定最大限度减少肠感染负担的策略至关重要。本研究的目的是比较肯尼亚内罗毕低和中收入社区公共空间中肠病原体检测率和多样性的时空差异。TaqMan 阵列卡 (TAC) 分子检测法用于分析土壤样本中的 19 种肠病原体，以及针对致病性肠杆菌科的选择性细菌培养。在每次现场访问期间进行观察性评估，以记录现场的卫生基础设施和卫生条件。我们在 79%（127/160）的土壤样本中至少检测到一种病原体，在 67.5%（108/160）的样本中检测到≥2 种病原体。四种最常检测到的病原体是 EAEC（67.5%）、ETEC（59%）、EPEC（57.5%）和 STEC（31%）。低收入基贝拉的检测率（91%对 66%）和平均肠病原体数量（5 对 4.7）高于中收入杰里科。基贝拉病原体更广泛的空间分布导致与杰里科相比，来自同一地点（面积 < 50 米）和跨地点（跨社区）运动的不同肠病原体的检测率增加。在杰里科，病原体的检测率呈季节性波动，但在基贝拉保持在持续高水平。虽然更好的社区条件与较低的病原体检测率相关，但在两个社区的公共环境中，病原体仍然普遍存在。未来的研究应重点确定改善环境卫生和卫生条件如何改变病原体污染的来源，以及这些受污染的公共环境在儿童肠感染中的作用。
