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Exposure to sewage contaminated soil, water or other materials poses a serious health risk. Sewage can contain many pathogenic organisms such as hepatitis, cholera, typhoid, Salmonella, Giardia, and others, but E. coli is the easiest to test for and is commonly used as a screening test. What is E. coli? E. coli is short for Escherichia coli. It is a bacteria that is commonly found in the intestines of humans and animals. The presence of E. coli in water is a strong indication that recent contamination by black-water, sewage, or animal waste has occurred. Why is it important? Exposure to sewage contaminated soil, water or other materials poses a serious health risk, and E. coli is used as an indicator of this type of contamination. Most types of E. coli are actually quite harmless, but sewage can contain many other much more pathogenic organisms such as hepatitis, cholera, typhoid, Salmonella, Giardia, and others. These pathogenic organisms tend to be much more difficult to test for directly and can easily be missed by laboratory analysis, even though in even very small amounts these organisms can cause significant health problems. E. coli on the other hand, is much easier to detect and identify, and because of this it is an important marker for sewage contamination. Is E. coli by itself a concern? The degree of risk depends on the level of contamination and which type of this bacteria is involved. For example, there are several different types, or strains, of E. coli. Most are harmless to humans while others are extremely pathogenic. The most well known of the pathogenic strains is E. coli O157:H7. This enterohemorrahagic strain releases endotoxins which can cause severe gastrointestinal illness involving diarrhea, cramping and occasionally kidney failure and death. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), an estimated 73,000 cases of this strain are diagnosed each year with an average of 61 leading to death. In normal healthy adults, the disease is self limiting in about 5-10 days. It is young children and the elderly however, that are most at risk. When they are infected, they are more likely to develop a condition known as hemolytic uremic syndrome which destroys red blood cells and leads to kidney failure. Other harmful E.coli include the enteroinvasive E. coli which cause watery diarrhea with blood and mucus, enteropathogenic E.coli which causes fever, vomiting and diarrhea and the enterotoxigenic E. coli which cause watery diarrhea and dehydration. Where can you find E. coli? E. coli, as stated above, normally exists as a bacteria that lives in the intestines of mammals where it aids in digestion. It is when this bacteria is located in the environment that there is cause for concern. The only time that E. coli would be located in the environment would be through fecal contamination. Fecal matter can get into the environment through a variety of ways. Some of these being leaking sewage lines or septic tanks, raw sewage overflow, or partially treated wastewater. During rainfall, these bacteria and other pathogens can further infiltrate the environment by runoff into creeks, streams, lakes, or other natural recreational waters. Fecal accidents in pools can introduce the bacteria to swimmers. This regularly happens in pools with toddler aged children who have accidents or by fecal matter on the body that gets washed off into the water. Improperly chlorinated pools can allow for the introduction of not only E. coli, but many other harmful bacteria. Public pools with multiple bathers can be a major source of bacterial contamination. Sewage contamination in or around houses or other buildings is also a major source of environmental E. coli and other pathogens. It can seep into carpet, contaminate groundwater, or be tracked into other areas by foot traffic. Contaminated food products, a common source of the bacteria, also are a result of fecal contamination. This mostly occurs during processing at meat plants or from fruits and vegetables grown in human waste fertilizers. These food products can contaminate kitchen utensils, countertops, etc... which can also serve as a source of infection. How do you get an E. coli infection? Humans become infected with E. coli by inhalation, ingestion or through open wounds. Swimming in contaminated pools or other recreational waters is another source of E. coli infection, usually by swallowing the water. It can be contracted by drinking contaminated water or eating contaminated food. Infections from the well known strain E. coli O157:H7 usually result from contaminated ground meat. Sewage leaks or floods create a bacteria rich environment allowing for increased risk of infection. If a house has been incurred a sewage leak, then just one person with pathogens on his hands could spread the these to the rest of his family. The main means of infection being hand to mouth and person to person. What should you do about sewage contamination? Whenever fecal or sewage contamination is a possibility, extreme caution should be exercised. Testing should be done to determine if E. coli is present and in what quantity. When the contamination is localized to a small are such as a countertop, then a simple disinfectant can be used to kill the bacteria. Proper sanitation measures such as washing fruits and vegetables and hand washing are helpful in controlling the spread of bacteria and other pathogens. If the extent of contamination is greater, for example, due to sewage pipe leakage in a building, remediation must be done quickly and efficiently so as not to spread the bacteria and other pathogens further. Sometimes the occupants may have to be relocated depending on the extent of the contamination. In such a case, a professional remediator should be consulted. Further Reading Escherichia coli O157:H7 outbreak associated with an improperly chlorinated swimming pool.
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Sewage
can contain many other much more pathogenic organisms such as hepatitis,
cholera, typhoid, Salmonella, Giardia, and others E.
coli is an important marker for sewage contamination Business hours Monday thru Friday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm Central time zone. We accept samples hand-delivered in the Dallas / Ft. Worth metroplex as well as those shipped from anywhere in the world.
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