Indicators of fecal pollution in agricultural ecosystems: Persistence and identification of appropriate pathogen indicators

Deterioration to the health of the environment and ecosystems can have serious consequences for human health. The World Health Organization estimates that water-related illness results in 3.4 million deaths globally per year (Medema et al., 2003), placing waterborne illness as one of the world's most urgent health issues. The burden of waterborne illness affects both developing and developed nations. Water-borne illness remains a significant threat to the health of Canadians, and in particular to those residing in rural regions. Nationally, gastroenteritis from verotoxigenic E. coli, Salmonella, and Campylobacter are estimated to occur as high as 3.3, 6.9, and 19.3 per 1000 population, respectively (Thomas et al., 2006). Increasing demands on agriculture production (ie intensive livestock operations), changes to fertilizer practices, and climate change are all forecast to negatively impact water quality in Canada. To prevent future Walkerton and North Battleford-like outbreaks we must minimize fecal contamination of water sources and better understand the pathogenic risks associated with fecal contamination. Therefore new approaches are urgently needed to quantify specific sources of fecal contamination and accurately predict the human health risks associated with these sources of fecal pollution. The outcomes of the proposed research will help guide policy decisions for measuring risks of pathogen infection associated with fecal pollution as well as provide critical data required for implementing the most effective policies for mitigation of fecal contamination in agriculturally influenced watersheds.