Hepatitis a Associated With a Hardware Store Water Fountain and a Contaminated Well in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, 1980

Gs, Bowen; Ma, McCarthy

doi:10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a113603

Cited by 32 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…This virus has been responsible for a number of groundwater-related outbreaks (11,12,21). Compared to other members of the Picornaviridae, which includes enteroviruses, HAV is stable to high temperature and low pH (14).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For 1997 and 1998, the years for which the data have been most recently compiled, 80% (12 of 15) waterborne outbreaks linked to an infectious agent were attributed to drinking contaminated well water (9). Norwalklike viruses (NLVs) (9,10,32,41) and hepatitis A virus (HAV) (11,12,21) have been the most frequently reported viral etiologic agents of groundwater-related outbreaks. Oftentimes, an etiologic agent was not identified in a groundwater-related outbreak, and some of these outbreaks were presumably viral in origin (18).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Incidence of Enteric Viruses in Groundwater from Household Wells in Wisconsin

Borchardt

Bertz

Spencer

et al. 2003

Appl Environ Microbiol

230

157

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Recent studies on the contamination of groundwater with human enteric viruses have focused on public water systems, whereas little is known about the occurrence of viruses in private household wells. The objective of the present study was to estimate the incidence of viruses in Wisconsin household wells located near septage land application sites or in rural subdivisions served by septic systems. Fifty wells in seven hydrogeologic districts were sampled four times over a year, once each season. Reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR), followed by Southern hybridization, was used to detect enteroviruses, rotavirus, hepatitis A virus (HAV), and Norwalk-like viruses (NLVs). In addition, cell culture was used to detect culturable enteroviruses. Companion water samples were collected for total coliforms, Escherichia coli, fecal enterococci, F-specific RNA coliphages, nitrate, and chloride analyses. Among the 50 wells, four (8%) were positive for viruses by RT-PCR. Three wells were positive for HAV, and the fourth well was positive for both rotavirus and NLV in one sample and an enterovirus in another sample. Contamination was transient, since none of the wells was virus positive for two sequential samples. Culturable enteroviruses were not detected in any of the wells. Water quality indicators were not statistically associated with virus occurrence, although some concordance was noted for chloride. The present study is the first in the United States to systematically monitor private household wells for virus contamination and, combined with data for public wells, provides further insight on the extent of groundwater contamination with human enteric viruses.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Incidence of Enteric Viruses in Groundwater from Household Wells in Wisconsin

Borchardt

Bertz

Spencer

et al. 2003

Appl Environ Microbiol

230

157

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Water treatment processes and dilution within municipal water systems are apparently sufficient to render HAV noninfectious, although no studies have demonstrated which specific treatment processes are the most effective. Outbreaks of hepatitis A among persons who use small private or community wells or swimming pools have been reported, and contamination by adjacent septic systems has been implicated as the source of contamination [49][50][51][52][53]. Although the potential for hepatitis A outbreaks after flooding-related sewage contamination of potable water sources is recognized, no such incidents have been reported in the United States in several decades.…”

Section: Characteristics Of Foodborne Transmissionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hepatitis A Transmitted by Food

2004

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Hepatitis A is caused by hepatitis A virus (HAV). Transmission occurs by the fecal-oral route, either by direct contact with an HAV-infected person or by ingestion of HAV-contaminated food or water. Foodborne or waterborne hepatitis A outbreaks are relatively uncommon in the United States. However, food handlers with hepatitis A are frequently identified, and evaluation of the need for immunoprophylaxis and implementation of control measures are a considerable burden on public health resources. In addition, HAV-contaminated food may be the source of hepatitis A for an unknown proportion of persons whose source of infection is not identified.

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“…Many studies of outbreaks of diseases caused by contamination of groundwater with human enteric viruses have focused on water‐supply wells (Melnick et al. 1978; Bowens and McCarthy 1983; Bloch et al. 1990; Lawson et al.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The association between rainfall rate and occurrence of an enterovirus epidemic due to a contaminated well

Jean¹,

Guo²,

Chen³

et al. 2006

J Appl Microbiol

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Aims: To determine the association between rainfall rate and occurrence of enterovirus infection related to contamination of drinking water. Methods and Results: One fatality case and three cases of severe illness were observed during the enterovirus epidemic in a village in southern Taiwan from 16 September to 3 October 1998. Groundwater samples were collected from the public well in the village after heavy rainfall to test for enterovirus using the reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) assay. The RT‐PCR assay detected the enterovirus in the groundwater sample collected on 26 September 1998. The logistic regression model also revealed a statistically significant association between the rainfall rate and the observation of cases of enterovirus infection. Conclusions: According to the fitted logistic regression model, the probability of detecting cases of enterovirus infection was greater than 50% at rainfall rates >31 mm h−1. The higher the rainfall rate, the higher the probability of enterovirus epidemic. Significance and Impact of the Study: Contamination of drinking water by the enterovirus may lead to epidemics that cause deaths and severe illness, and such contamination may be caused by heavy rainfall. The major finding in this study is that the enterovirus could be flushed to groundwater in an unconfined aquifer after a heavy rainfall. This work allows for a warning level so that an action can be taken to minimize future outbreaks and so protect public health.

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Hepatitis a Associated With a Hardware Store Water Fountain and a Contaminated Well in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, 1980

Cited by 32 publications

References 10 publications

Incidence of Enteric Viruses in Groundwater from Household Wells in Wisconsin

Incidence of Enteric Viruses in Groundwater from Household Wells in Wisconsin

Hepatitis A Transmitted by Food

The association between rainfall rate and occurrence of an enterovirus epidemic due to a contaminated well

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