A transversal study was conducted at the University City campus of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) in Mexico City, with the goal of estimating the university community preference for drinking either tap water or bottled water and the reasons for their selection. A representative sample of three university community subpopulations (students, workers/administrative staff, and academic personnel) were interviewed with respect to their water consumption habits. The results showed that 75% of the university community drinks only bottled water and that the consumption of tap water is low. The interviewees responded that the main reason for this preference is the organoleptic features of tap water independent of quality. In general, the participants in this study do not trust the quality of the tap water, which could be caused by the facilities that distribute bottled water encouraging a general disinterest in learning about the origin and management of the tap water that is distributed on campus.
BackgroundRNA viruses commonly infect bats and rodents, including mosquito-borne flaviviruses (MBFV) that affect human and animal health. Serological evidence suggests past interactions between these two mammalian orders with dengue viruses (DENV), West Nile virus (WNV), and yellow fever virus (YFV). Although in Mexico there are reports of these viruses in both host groups, we know little about their endemic cycles or persistence in time and space.MethodsRodents and bats were captured at the Cuitzmala River Basin on the Pacific coast of Jalisco state, Mexico, where MBFV, such as DENV, have been reported in both humans and bats. Samples were taken during January, June, and October 2014, at locations adjacent to the river. Tissue samples were collected from both bats and rodents and serum samples from rodents only. Highly sensitive serological and molecular assays were used to search for current and past evidence of viral circulation.ResultsOne thousand nine hundred forty-eight individuals were captured belonging to 21 bat and 14 rodent species. Seven hundred sixty-nine liver and 764 spleen samples were analysed by means of a specific molecular protocol used to detect flaviviruses. Additionally, 708 serum samples from rodents were examined in order to demonstrate previous exposure to dengue virus serotype 2 (which circulates in the region). There were no positive results with any diagnostic test.DiscussionTo our knowledge, this is the first survey of rodents and only the second survey of bats from the Pacific Coast of Mexico in a search for MBFV. We obtained negative results from all samples. We validated our laboratory tests with negative and positive controls. Our findings are consistent with other empirical and experimental studies in which these mammalian hosts may not replicate mosquito-borne flaviviruses or present low prevalence.ConclusionsTrue-negative results are essential for the construction of distribution models and are necessary to identify potential areas at risk. Negative results should not be interpreted as the local absence of MBFV in the region. On the contrary, we need to establish a long-term surveillance programme to find MBFV presence in the mosquito trophic networks, identifying the potential role of rodents and bats in viral dynamics.
Mexico City has a population of 9 million inhabitants and was settled on a lakebed with high seismic potential. It is currently embedded in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area, which encompasses 22 million inhabitants and which was self-sufficient in water in the past, but currently extracts 70% from the regional aquifers and imports about 30% of the water required by this megacity. Groundwater represents its main water source but its water quality is increasingly threatened. The purpose of this study was to determine the water quality in areas related to seismic fractures, which may increase the vulnerability of water provision, and to identify specific zones that could be affected. Official water quality data from the period 2002 to 2017 was analyzed and compared to recent data taken in wells in the city after the September 2017 earthquake. Physicochemical parameters were determined and compared to the existing data. Statistical and temporal analyses were performed in order to understand the evolution and spatial distribution of water quality. The results show that free chlorine was below the limits according to the Mexican regulatory framework, while the presence of fecal coliforms, aluminum, ammonia, iron, and manganese exceeded the standards. The presence of arsenic, boron, and chrome was detected in some areas. Clusters show specific parameters that increase with time: turbidity, sulfates, nitrates, arsenic, manganese, lead, and iron. These tendencies could imply the deterioration of groundwater quality and a potential effect on the health of the exposed population. Spatially, vulnerability was observed in Iztapalapa, Tláhuac, Xochimilco, and Coyoacán. Wells coincide spatially with some of the geological damaged areas from the earthquakes in Iztapalapa and Xochimilco. In addition to water quantity, water quality represents a challenge for the urban future, since water disinfection systems are limited to treating the diversity of compounds detected. The water quality-monitoring program must be changed to improve its capacities within a framework of sustainable water management in different regions of the city, and based on the season, considering the potential exposure to the city's population. This represents an opportunity to propose a strategic plan for the groundwater system in order to improve conditions toward a more equitable and sustainable pathway for Mexico City.
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