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The screening wastewater for SARS-CoV-2 RNA has emerged in over 50 countries as a tool for tracking COVID-19 in population alongside traditional clinical monitoring, highlighting the usefulness of (waste)water-based epidemiology (WBE). Facing the significant problem of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), the monitoring of environmental AMR in epidemiologic aim is still poorly documented. As for COVID-19, WBE could be a proxy of AMR epidemiology in the context of lack of biological data i) at the community level in high income-country and ii) in lower middle-income country when resistance is often non-documented in human infections.

The aim of the study is to explore AMR from surface water running in or in the vicinity of two contrasted densely urbanized areas: Lez watershed, Montpellier, France and Djibi watershed, Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire.

From June to November 2015, we collected 24 water samples, on 2 urban rivers in the Heart of Montpellier city: 2 sampling sites around the university hospital of Montpellier, 1 site downstream a public park and 1 site in a residential area. From July 2018 to November 2019, we collected 11 water samples in Djibi watershed (n = 11): 2 peri-urban sampling sites just outside of the Abidjan-urban area, 1 site downstream a wetland area and 1 site upstream the Aghien Lagoon.

In both cities, 100% of samples were positive for bla_TEM, an endemic beta-lactamase-encoding gene. In Montpellier, bla_SHV and bla_CTX-M were positive in 21% of samples. In Djibi watershed, 54% and 27% of samples were positive to both bla_SHV and bla_CTX-M, respectively. For carbapenemase-encoding genes which confer emerging resistance to last resort antibiotics, data were more contrasted between Montpellier and Abidjan. These genes were sparingly detected in Montpellier when the carbapenemase-encoding genes bla_KPC, bla_NDM, bla_OXA-48 were each detected in 27% of samples in Djibi watershed samples.

The worrisome epidemiology of AMR requires to identify AMR environmental reservoirs. AMR in urban settings could represent a hot spot in the dynamics of the epidemiological cycle of AMR. The development of WBE could help to cartography AMR at a small-territory scale to help for medical decisions, alerts and implementation of preventive measures.

How to cite: Licznar-Fajardo, P., Bernaud, N., Almakki, A., Diaby, A., Bouazizi, I., Aujoulat, F., Toubiana, M., Masnou, A., Perrin, J.-L., Seguis, L., Coulibaly, K. J., and Jumas-Bilak, E.: Water based epidemiology: a new wave?, IAHS-AISH Scientific Assembly 2022, Montpellier, France, 29 May–3 Jun 2022, IAHS2022-250, https://doi.org/10.5194/iahs2022-250, 2022.

Many people in low-income countries and fragile states struggle to access the foundations of family and community health which we see as a three-way nexus of; access to safe water and sanitation, a sufficient and balanced diet and effective health services. These factors interact with each other to affect personal and community health in different ways mediated by environmental and social factors specific to local and national contexts. Our paper conceptually explores the hydrological foundations of safe water, food and health interactions that underpin individual, community and global health. In doing so we recognise the recursive dynamics of water and sanitation and health (WASH), food and diet systems, climate change, emergent diseases, conflict and freshwater ecosystems degradation, loss of biodiversity and migration.  Outbreaks of Ebola and the COVID-19 pandemic have demonstrated that localised community health problems, and the local freshwater needed to combat them, can emerge and quickly escalate to have global health, economic, social, and political consequences. Therefore, a focus on improving the foundations of health (improved water access, food and nutrition security and health services) in low-income communities (LIC) and fragile or conflict affected states (FCS) not only targets populations in greatest need and most likely to benefit but creates opportunities to strengthen and protect global health.

How to cite: Geere, J.-A. and Lankford, B.: The Water-Food-Health Nexus; Exploring the Water Foundations of Family to Community to Global Health., IAHS-AISH Scientific Assembly 2022, Montpellier, France, 29 May–3 Jun 2022, IAHS2022-595, https://doi.org/10.5194/iahs2022-595, 2022.

By 2050, bacterial infections could become the leading cause of death due to the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistant-bacteria (ARB) and -genes (ARG). Faced to this global problem, an integrative approach (human animal environment) is encouraged by the WHO. However, environmental antimicrobial resistance (AMR) remains insufficiently investigated, with a focus on wastewater and a disregard to current or emerging clinical concerns.

ARB and ARGs could be found in water intended for human consumption. Like many Mediterranean cities, Montpellier and surroundings (southeastern France) are predominantly supplied by water from karst aquifers that are vulnerable to contaminations above all in climatic changes context. In France, although the microbiological quality of drinking water is strictly monitored, AMR is not. This study is conducted at a local scale to i) test the concept of the use of the regulatory surveillance of drinking water to monitor AMR in a French area and ii) evaluate the dynamics of AMR in drinking water in relation with climatic events.

From 2024 samples (sanitary surveillance Aude and Hérault) conducted from January to April 2021, 85 Escherichia coli were isolated according to the regulatory protocol and studied for their antimicrobial resistance profile. bla_TEM, bla_SHV, bla_CTX-Mthat are the most frequent beta-lactamases-encoding ARG in human infections were researched in 37 cultivable Gram-negative community. Water was also sampled at the entering of drinking water treatment plant (Montpellier), under contrasted hydroclimatic conditions.

bla_TEM was found in 14% of E. coli while no E. coli carried bla_SHV or bla_CTX-M. bla_TEM, bla_SHV, bla_CTX-M were encountered in 43%, 3% and 0% of cultivable Gram-negative community respectively. The E. coli strains carrying the bla_TEM gene and the communities positive for bla_SHVcame mainly from karst aquifers.

Antibiotic resistance in drinking water in France had never been explored on this large scale. We showed the wide diffusion of TEM producing E. coli in drinking water as described in human samples. With this preliminary study we prove that the existing nation-wide regulatory surveillance network could be used with slight modifications to monitor AMR in an environmental compartment that directly expose human populations.

How to cite: Licznar-Fajardo, P., Aujoulat, F., Robert, M., Batiot-Guilhe, C., Guillerez, L., Zorgniotti, I., Hantova, S., and Jumas-Bilak, E.: Dynamics of antimicrobial resistance in drinking water: a territorial study, IAHS-AISH Scientific Assembly 2022, Montpellier, France, 29 May–3 Jun 2022, IAHS2022-181, https://doi.org/10.5194/iahs2022-181, 2022.

In 2017, diarrheal diseases were responsible for 1.57 million deaths, including 606 024 deaths in Sub-Saharan Africa. This situation is due to domestic use of polluted surface waters, deficits in hygiene, access to healthcare and drinking water, and to weak environmental and health monitoring infrastructures. Moreover, climate change is expected to impact water resources by boosting the presence, dissemination and transmission of pathogens. Finally, Sub-Saharan Africa is undergoing major changes in terms of land uses, and demographic growth especially in rural areas.

Escherichia coli (E. coli) is an indicator for the enteric pathogens that cause many diarrheal diseases. This case study, carried out Bagre Reservoir, aims at filling the knowledge gap by analyzing the environmental variables that play a role in the dynamics of E. coli, and cases of diarrhea in West Africa.

Samples of surface water were routinely collected to measure E. coli, enterococci and suspended particulate matter (SPM) at a monitoring point (Kapore) during one year. In addition, satellite data were used to estimate precipitation, water level, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and SPM. Monthly epidemiological data for cases of diarrhea from three health centers were also collected and compared with microbiological and environmental data.

A positive correlation between E. coli and enterococci in surface waters was found indicating that E. coli is an acceptable indicator of fecal contamination in this region.

E. coli and diarrheal diseases were strongly correlated with monsoonal precipitation, in situ SPM, and Near Infra-Red (NIR) band between March and November. Partial least squares regression showed that E. coli concentration was strongly associated with precipitation, Sentinel-2 reflectance in the NIR and SPM, and that the cases of diarrhea were strongly associated with precipitation, NIR, E. coli, SPM, and to a lesser extent with NDVI.

Moreover, E. coli dynamics were reproduced using satellite data alone, particularly from February to mid-December (R² = 0.60) as were cases of diarrhea throughout the year (R² = 0.76). This implies that tele-epidemiology approach through the use of satellite data could provide an important contribution to water quality monitoring, and thus contribute to the establishment of warning systems.

How to cite: Robert, E., Grippa, M., Nikiema, D. E., Kergoat, L., Koudougou, H., Auda, Y., and Rochelle-Newall, E.: Bacterial water pollution and diarrheal diseases in West Africa, IAHS-AISH Scientific Assembly 2022, Montpellier, France, 29 May–3 Jun 2022, IAHS2022-151, https://doi.org/10.5194/iahs2022-151, 2022.

Drinking of safety water is of utmost importance for the good health of communities. Over years, in addition to tap water there has been an increase in the consumption of water packaging in bottles and sachets by the populations in Sahelian Africa.  This study aimed at assessing the safety of tap, bottle and sachet water produced and consumed in Ouagadougou, the capital city of Burkina Faso. A site inspection of the packaged water production units was carried out to assess the process and conditions for their production. The evaluation of water quality was made through household surveys by questionnaire according to the consumer and key informant interview. For assessing microbiological quality, a total of 330 samples water (including 257 packaged sachet water, 41 bottle water and 32 tap water) were submitted for laboratory analysis. With QMRA method, a quantitative estimate of the microbiological risk was carried out. The results showed a similar process and hygienic practices for the production of drinking water in Ouagadougou. However, possible hazardous events were found in the sachet water production units which may compromise water quality. The results of surveys have shown that, for all surveyed, the water produced at the tap and in the bottle is of good quality. While, for 49,52% of consumers packaged sachet water is not good quality. This opinion is confirmed by laboratory analyzes according to which 23% of the samples water in sachets do not comply with the standard respectively, do not comply with both Burkina Faso and WHO standard. Compared to the disease burden by Cryptosporidium parvum (7,37.10^-7 DALY), the disease burden by Escherichia coli O157: H7 (1,42.10^-1 DALY) and by rotavirus (4,79.10^-3 DALY) are higher and exceed the reasonable level of reference risk established by WHO (10^-6 DALY). Based on these, appropriate mitigation and monitoring were proposed for action in sachet water production units. This study will allow decisions to be made on the treatment and robust hygienic conditions for producing drinking water in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

How to cite: Sossou, S., Bidi, F.-C., Ouattara, B., and Kabre, E.: Quantitative Microbiological Risk Assessment of drinking water produced in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, IAHS-AISH Scientific Assembly 2022, Montpellier, France, 29 May–3 Jun 2022, IAHS2022-708, https://doi.org/10.5194/iahs2022-708, 2022.