Concentration of soil-transmitted helminth eggs in sludge from South Africa and Senegal: A probabilistic estimation of infection risks associated with agricultural application

Journal of Environmental Management
Isaac Dennis AmoahThor Axel Stenström

Abstract

The use of sludge in agriculture has been encouraged as a means of increasing soil nutrient content and improving the water holding capacity. On the negative side, major public health concerns with sludge application prevail, mainly due to the high concentration of pathogenic microorganisms. Soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) are of major health concern in this regard, especially in endemic regions, mainly due to the high environmental resistant of the eggs combined with a low infectious dose. In this study the concentration of STH eggs in two months dried sludge from Durban, South Africa and Dakar, Senegal was determined and compared. Sampling was carried out from January to October 2016 and in September 2016 for Dakar. Ascaris spp, hookworm, Trichuris spp, Taenia spp and Toxocara spp were the commonly recorded STH eggs. STH egg concentrations were higher in Dakar than in Durban, with viable STH egg concentrations exceeding both local and international guidelines. Due to the high concentration of viable STH eggs, risks of Ascaris spp infection was very high for farmers applying this sludge on their farms in both Durban (7.9 × 10-1 (±1.7 × 10-2)) and Dakar (9.9 × 10-1 (±1.3 × 10-5)). Consumption of lettuce grown on sludge amende...Continue Reading

Citations

Jul 1, 2018·Biological Trace Element Research·Hamid Reza ShamsollahiMahmood Yousefi
May 21, 2018·Tropical Medicine & International Health : TM & IH·Isaac Dennis AmoahThor Axel Stenström
Nov 18, 2020·Environmental Science and Pollution Research International·Amal An-NoriMohamed Hafidi

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