Water‐related (borne) diseases are categorized into four different classes: waterborne, water‐washed, water‐based, and water‐related insect vectors. The Pacific Institute Research Report (http://www.pacinst.org/) speculates that by 2020 a global mortality rate of 34‐76 million people will be observed due to water related diseases. One of the main sources for water in Southwest Texas is the Rio Grande River which receives its water influx from Las Vacas, Rio Conchos, Rio Rodrigo, and Rio Salado tributaries from Mexico. The Rio Grande River flows through the southwest border and is stored in the Amistad Reservoir located in Del Rio, Texas. The “Texas Clean Rivers Program” a collaborative program operated by The Amistad Reservoir ‐ International Boundary and Water Commission, US section(USIBWC) ‐ The Rio Grande Basin and The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality(TCEQ) monitor the microbial and water quality issues in Texas. As per the 2012 Basin Highlights Report for the Rio Grande Basin in Texas show that there were between 14,200 colonies/100 ml and 3,800,000 colony forming units/100ml of the fecal coli form bacteria in the water samples. High levels of Biological Oxygen Demand, and Chemical Oxygen Demand were also detected in the water samples tested in the urban areas of Del Rio, Eagle Pass and Laredo. Taken together the severity of the contamination, BOD and COD increases the mutagenic potential in the microbial pathogens (bacteria) to acquire antibiotic resistance through known and unknown mechanisms. Grant Funding Source: PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPEMENT FUNDS ‐
The USDA‐APHIS sponsored US Fever Tick Eradication Program essentially employs tick riders to look for animals that are infested with ticks and employ quarantine. Methods to control infected animals as an effective tick control strategy; the tick infested animal is subjected to “Dirty Dipping” for a 14 day interval followed by “Clean Dipping”. With appropriate medical evaluations the tick free animal is released to the “Owner” on to its normal environment. The main concern with these methods is that pre‐existing bacterial pathogens in tick infested animals, such as Borrelia burgdorferi, (Lyme borreliosis) Francisella tularensis, Bartonella spp., Rickettsioses, and Anaplasma phagocytophilum. Become resistant to treatments. If these pathogens have acquired antibacterial resistance, subsequent infections in animals or humans via vector borne contamination or by Zoonosis will be more difficult to cure. Through the efforts of the Vector Control Department of The City Administration and County agents sponsored by the Texas Agricultural and Mechanical University, in College Station, the incidence of such bacterial infections are monitored and reported immediately to the City, County, State and Federal authorities; however the existing chemical means to eradicate these bacterial pathogens has become inept. Developing new pesticides specifically aimed at controlling disease vectors, without bioaccumulation and no effect on non‐target organisms with a high virulence and low susceptibility to resistance, would be beneficial in controlling the AR pathogen induced infectious diseases. Grant Funding Source: Professional Development Funds ‐ SWTJC, Eagle Pass, Texas
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