Water-related disasters, e.g. floods, threaten human health, not only due to direct impacts but also because these events increase the risk of infections by waterborne pathogens resulting in numerous cases and outbreaks. Ingestion of drinking water impacted by fecal pollution, originating from human and animal wastes, is considered to be the primary route of pathogen exposure. In order to prevent or minimize further infections, we need to understand the nature of waterborne disease risks associated with floods. In this talk, I will present a quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) framework to discuss 1) longer-term sources of pathogen exposures in the environments, e.g. flooded waters and soils, and 2) effectiveness of intervention efforts, e.g. chlorination of drinking water and providing bottles of water or hand sanitizers.
Presenter:
Tomoyuki Shibata, Ph. D.
Research Associate
Center for Advancing Microbial Risk Assessment
Michigan State University
Friday, January 18, 2008
11:00am
POST 723
Refreshments will be served after the seminar in POST 121
The Pacific Research Center for Marine Biomedicine (PRCMB) is a newly established center at the University of Hawaii dedicated to trans-disciplinary research designed to gain new knowledge about the profound impacts of the ocean on human health. The Center is funded by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.
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