Spatiotemporal assessment of pathogenic Leptospira in subtropical coastal watersheds.

The World Health Organization classifies leptospirosis as a significant public health concern, predominantly affecting impoverished and unsanitary regions. By using the Pensacola Bay System as a case study, this study examines the underappreciated susceptibility of developed subtropical coastal ecosystems such as the Pensacola Bay System to neglected zoonotic pathogens such as Leptospira. We analyzed 132 water samples collected over 12 months from 44 distinct locations with high levels of Escherichia coli (>410 most probable number/100 mL). Fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) concentrations were assessed using IDEXX Colilert-18 and Enterolert-18, and an analysis of water physiochemical characteristics and rainfall intensity was conducted. The LipL32 gene was used as a quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) indicator to identify the distribution of Leptospira interrogans. The results revealed 12 instances of the presence of L. interrogans at sites with high FIB over various land cover and aquatic ecosystem types. Independent of specific rainfall events, a seasonal relationship between precipitation and elevated rates of fecal bacteria and leptospirosis was found. These findings highlight qPCR's utility in identifying pathogens in aquatic environments and the widespread conditions where it can be found in natural and developed areas.

Environmental risk assessment for fecal contamination sources in urban and peri-urban estuaries, in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties, FL, USA.

Fecal pollution of estuaries and adjacent creeks and streams is of significant concern along the Gulf of Mexico. The prospective threat to human life and water quality impairment via fecal pollution is a substantial danger to the strength and resistance of coastline areas. Pensacola, FL, has a prosperous coastal tourism industry that is utilized for numerous other uses, such as recreational watersports and boating, seafood, and shellfish harvesting. However, the frequency and severity of fecal contamination present possible socio-economic issues, specifically financial hardships. Therefore, understanding the source, abundance, and fate of fecal microbial pollutants in aquatic systems signifies an imperative initial stage for detecting the host sources and techniques to lessen their transport from the landscape. This research aimed to quantify the fecal indicator bacteria (FIB), Escherichia coli, and perform microbiological fecal source tracking to verify if the fecal inputs are of either animal or human host origin. Surface water samples were taken from urban and peri-urban creeks for two sampling periods (February 2021 and January 2022), and IDEXX Colilert-18 (USEPA Standard Method 9223) was used for E. coli enumeration. DNA extractions were obtained from each sample, and quantitative PCR was utilized for fecal microbial source tracking (MST) to detect human, dog, ruminant, and bird host-specific Bacteroides DNA. The result indicates elevated quantities of FIB, E. coli, that surpass the threshold considered safe regarding human health. E. coli at six sites over the two sampling periods exceeded the impairment threshold, reaching as high as 866.4 MPN/100 ml. Fecal source tracking identified human host fecal contamination at four of nine sites, dogs at three of nine, and birds at one site. However, those sites with sources identified via MST all had E. coli levels below impairment thresholds. No sites were determined to be positive for ruminant as a source or for the pathogen Helicobacter pylori. No canine host fecal inputs were found in January 2022, and only one site with human sewage. Our results highlight the utility of MST in assessing bacterial inputs to water bodies and the challenges.

Opportunities and constraints for cleaner production policy in the developing world: a case study of Sindh Region, Pakistan.

The current industrial and economic activities in Sindh Province, Pakistan, polluted the region's water, air, soil, and marine resources. However, there is a rising demand for eco-friendly production, and it is important to develop new policies and tools to combat environmental degradation and enhance economic development. Cleaner Production (CP) provides opportunities to address many of these issues. Employed method for this study was based on three approaches: a literature review and stakeholder mapping; a collection of data and information from key stakeholders through focal group discussions, consultative workshops, and one-on-one meetings; and analysis and synthesis of data that were gathered from different sources. The analysis of collected information provides an overview of CP strategies moving forward. Participant workshops gave in-depth information on policy implementation, technological impediments to methods that have been employed elsewhere, and needed capacity building as well as financial consequences of policy implementation. Through increasing financial resources and institutional resources, the expansion of CP will help to replace the conventional methods of waste treatment with an eco-efficiency approach to preventing pollution at the source, thus reducing the need for expensive pollution control and management costs for environmental compliance. Experiences, achievements, and implementation pitfalls from this study can provide a lesson to other developing countries to improve their economic and environmental sustainability.