Faecal pathogen flows and their public health risks in urban environments: A proposed approach to inform sanitation planning

Mills, F; Willetts, J; Petterson, S; Mitchell, C; Norman, G

Faecal pathogen flows and their public health risks in urban environments: A proposed approach to inform sanitation planning

Mills, F Willetts, J

Petterson, S Mitchell, C

Norman, G

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Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2018, 15 (2)
Issue Date:: 2018-02-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Mills, F	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Willetts, J https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3975-9642	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Petterson, S	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Mitchell, C https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9842-540X	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Norman, G	en_US
dc.date.available	2018-01-16	en_US
dc.date.issued	2018-02-01	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2018, 15 (2)	en_US
dc.identifier.issn	1661-7827	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/129312
dc.description.abstract	© 2018 by the author. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. Public health benefits are often a key political driver of urban sanitation investment in developing countries, however, pathogen flows are rarely taken systematically into account in sanitation investment choices. While several tools and approaches on sanitation and health risks have recently been developed, this research identified gaps in their ability to predict faecal pathogen flows, to relate exposure risks to the existing sanitation services, and to compare expected impacts of improvements. This paper outlines a conceptual approach that links faecal waste discharge patterns with potential pathogen exposure pathways to quantitatively compare urban sanitation improvement options. An illustrative application of the approach is presented, using a spreadsheet-based model to compare the relative effect on disability-adjusted life years of six sanitation improvement options for a hypothetical urban situation. The approach includes consideration of the persistence or removal of different pathogen classes in different environments; recognition of multiple interconnected sludge and effluent pathways, and of multiple potential sites for exposure; and use of quantitative microbial risk assessment to support prediction of relative health risks for each option. This research provides a step forward in applying current knowledge to better consider public health, alongside environmental and other objectives, in urban sanitation decision making. Further empirical research in specific locations is now required to refine the approach and address data gaps.	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health	en_US
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.3390/ijerph15020181	en_US
dc.subject.classification	Toxicology	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Feces	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Humans	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Risk	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Sanitation	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Public Health	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Cities	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Sewage	en_US
dc.title	Faecal pathogen flows and their public health risks in urban environments: A proposed approach to inform sanitation planning	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	2	en_US
utslib.citation.volume	15	en_US
utslib.for	0502 Environmental Science and Management	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/DVC (Research)
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/DVC (Research)/Institute For Sustainable Futures
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - ISF - Institute for Sustainable Futures
utslib.copyright.status	open_access
pubs.issue	2	en_US
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US
pubs.volume	15	en_US

Abstract:

© 2018 by the author. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. Public health benefits are often a key political driver of urban sanitation investment in developing countries, however, pathogen flows are rarely taken systematically into account in sanitation investment choices. While several tools and approaches on sanitation and health risks have recently been developed, this research identified gaps in their ability to predict faecal pathogen flows, to relate exposure risks to the existing sanitation services, and to compare expected impacts of improvements. This paper outlines a conceptual approach that links faecal waste discharge patterns with potential pathogen exposure pathways to quantitatively compare urban sanitation improvement options. An illustrative application of the approach is presented, using a spreadsheet-based model to compare the relative effect on disability-adjusted life years of six sanitation improvement options for a hypothetical urban situation. The approach includes consideration of the persistence or removal of different pathogen classes in different environments; recognition of multiple interconnected sludge and effluent pathways, and of multiple potential sites for exposure; and use of quantitative microbial risk assessment to support prediction of relative health risks for each option. This research provides a step forward in applying current knowledge to better consider public health, alongside environmental and other objectives, in urban sanitation decision making. Further empirical research in specific locations is now required to refine the approach and address data gaps.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/129312