International journal of hygiene and environmental health最新文献

{"title":"Rainfall and temperature influence effectiveness of on-site sanitation intervention against E. coli contamination in Bangladeshi households","authors":"Caitlin G. Niven ,&nbsp;Mahfuza Islam ,&nbsp;Anna Nguyen ,&nbsp;Andrew Mertens ,&nbsp;Amy J. Pickering ,&nbsp;Laura H. Kwong ,&nbsp;Mahfuja Alam ,&nbsp;Debashis Sen ,&nbsp;Sharmin Islam ,&nbsp;Mahbubur Rahman ,&nbsp;Leanne Unicomb ,&nbsp;Alan E. Hubbard ,&nbsp;Stephen P. Luby ,&nbsp;Jessica A. Grembi ,&nbsp;John M. Colford Jr. ,&nbsp;Benjamin F. Arnold ,&nbsp;Jade Benjamin-Chung ,&nbsp;Ayse Ercumen","doi":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2025.114731","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2025.114731","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Weather can influence the environmental spread and survival of fecal pathogens, potentially affecting the effectiveness of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) interventions. We assessed whether rainfall and temperature modified effects of an on-site sanitation intervention on fecal contamination among households in the WASH Benefits trial in rural Bangladesh. The intervention included double-pit latrines, potties, feces removal tools and behavior change promotion. We longitudinally visited households from intervention and control groups to enumerate <em>E. coli</em>. Samples (n = 23,238) included drinking water from tubewells and storage containers, prepared food, caregiver and child hand rinses, pond water, courtyard soil, and flies. We geospatially matched <em>E. coli</em> measurements to daily weather data and estimated intervention effects with and without stratification by weather. The intervention resulted in greater reduction in contamination following higher rainfall for four pathways (mother/child hands, ponds, flies), and following higher temperatures for five pathways (food, mother/child hands, soil, ponds). Compared to controls, <em>E. coli</em> levels were reduced by approximately 1-log for flies and 0.25-log in ponds after higher rainfall, 0.2-log on child hands, 0.3–0.4 log in soil and ponds after higher temperatures (interaction p-values&lt;0.20), and 0.1-log in stored drinking water under most conditions. Intervention effects were minimal when not stratified by weather, with &lt;0.1-log reductions for stored drinking water and child hands, and no effects on other pathways. Sanitation interventions may deliver greater protection against environmental contamination during wetter, warmer conditions, and assessments that average over time may conceal differential intervention effects. WASH trials should incorporate spatiotemporal weather data into impact evaluations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13994,"journal":{"name":"International journal of hygiene and environmental health","volume":"272 ","pages":"Article 114731"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145734087","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Examining the effect of neighborhood sanitation coverage on childhood diarrheal disease in rural Bangladesh","authors":"Hannah Van Wyk ,&nbsp;Andrew F. Brouwer ,&nbsp;Jesse Contreras ,&nbsp;Mahbubur Rahman ,&nbsp;Mahfuza Islam ,&nbsp;Amy J. Pickering ,&nbsp;Benjamin F. Arnold ,&nbsp;Stephen P. Luby ,&nbsp;John M. Colford ,&nbsp;Matthew Freeman ,&nbsp;Ayse Ercumen ,&nbsp;Joseph N.S. Eisenberg","doi":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2025.114732","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2025.114732","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Neighborhood-level sanitation coverage may offer significant indirect protection against diarrheal disease, an observation that has been supported by several studies.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We analyzed the protective effect of neighborhood sanitation coverage using harmonized data from two studies: a randomized control trial (RCT) examining the effectiveness of improved compound-level sanitation and an observational study that collected information on compounds within 100 m of the RCT study compounds. We developed the Neighborhood Sanitation &amp; Fecal Exposure (NSFE) metric, which estimates the fecal contamination at a study compound based on the demographic and sanitation characteristics of the neighborhood. NSFE is a function of the number of individuals and latrine quality at surrounding compounds, the distance to neighboring compounds, and the effectiveness of hygienic and unhygienic latrines relative to open defecation. We modeled the relationship between NSFE and childhood diarrheal prevalence within RCT study compounds. Finally, we examined counterfactual scenarios to understand how much of the observed diarrheal burden was attributable to neighbors’ latrine quality.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>We estimated a 3.6-fold increase in diarrheal prevalence between compounds with the highest and lowest NSFE, with about two-thirds of this association concentrated in compounds between the 90th and 100th percentile of NSFE values. In counterfactual scenarios, we estimate that 15.5 % of the entire diarrheal disease burden in children living in the study compounds would be eliminated if all neighboring compounds had high-quality latrines.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Community effects associated with neighborhood sanitation coverage are important drivers of diarrheal disease and should be considered in future designs of sanitation interventions. Our findings support the importance of universal basic sanitation as a target for United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 6.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13994,"journal":{"name":"International journal of hygiene and environmental health","volume":"272 ","pages":"Article 114732"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145727906","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Associations between exposure to environmental pollutants, metabolic syndrome risk, and obesity-related anthropometric indices","authors":"Iman Al-Saleh ,&nbsp;Rola Elkhatib ,&nbsp;Reem Alswayeh ,&nbsp;Reem Al-Rouqi ,&nbsp;Mawadah Baali ,&nbsp;Yara Aljerayed ,&nbsp;Sophia S. De Padua ,&nbsp;Hissah Alnuwaysir ,&nbsp;Ghada Hussein ,&nbsp;Habiba Sultana ,&nbsp;Naveed Yousaf ,&nbsp;Abass Waqar ,&nbsp;Khalid Alhusayn ,&nbsp;Shoaib Khan ,&nbsp;Amber Shammama ,&nbsp;Abdullah Aldowaish ,&nbsp;Fadiah Alkattabi ,&nbsp;Ghadah Almansour ,&nbsp;Gamal Mohamed ,&nbsp;Edward Devol","doi":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2025.114720","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2025.114720","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Environmental pollutants—including heavy metals, phthalates, bisphenol A (BPA), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (assessed via urinary 1-hydroxypyrene), and volatile organic compounds (assessed via benzene metabolites)—have been linked to metabolic dysfunction. Yet, population-based evidence across age groups remains limited. This study examined associations between exposure to multiple pollutants and metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its components, focusing on novel obesity-related anthropometric indices that capture subtle metabolic alterations. Originally designed as a case–control study, it was analyzed cross-sectionally among 536 participants aged ≥10 years at a tertiary hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Biomarkers of metals, phthalates, BPA, PAHs, and benzene were quantified in blood and urine. MetS components and advanced anthropometric indices—A Body Shape Index (ABSI), Waist-to-Height Ratio (WHtR), Conicity Index (CI), Waist-Triglyceride Index (WTI), Body Roundness Index, Visceral Adiposity Index, Lipid Accumulation Product, and Cardiometabolic Index—were evaluated using multivariable logistic and linear regression adjusted for relevant covariates, with percent change expressing relative change in outcomes per ln-unit increase in pollutant concentration. In adults (≥18 years), no pollutant was significantly associated with MetS; however, blood cadmium was linked to higher WHtR (+2.4 %) and CI (+1.1 %) and lower fasting glucose (−3.1 %), while mercury increased fasting glucose (+1.7 %), ABSI (+0.6 %), and CI (+0.6 %). Urinary 1-hydroxypyrene was positively associated with ABSI and CI (∼+0.9 %), and the cumulative blood-metal index increased ABSI (+1.9 %) and CI (+2.1 %). In children (&lt;18 years), arsenic increased systolic pressure (+1.2 %), whereas lead and DEHP metabolites showed inverse associations with diastolic pressure, triglycerides, and central adiposity indices. Metals exerted stronger effects in adults, whereas phthalate-related associations appeared inverse in children, underscoring age- and matrix-dependent exposure–response differences and the value of advanced anthropometric indices for detecting early pollutant-related metabolic alterations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13994,"journal":{"name":"International journal of hygiene and environmental health","volume":"272 ","pages":"Article 114720"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145703666","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Detection of free-living amoebae and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia in two drinking water networks in eastern Pennsylvania","authors":"Jennifer A. Rao,&nbsp;Kristen L. Jellison","doi":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2025.114728","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2025.114728","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The presence of free-living amoebae (FLA) in drinking water systems, along with the pathogens they harbor, is a global concern. Free-living amoebae are ubiquitous microorganisms found in both natural and man-made environments. Some FLA can cause fatal infections such as primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) and amoebic keratitis (AK). Additionally, certain FLA may harbor pathogenic bacteria and play a role in their fate and transport.</div><div>In this study, we investigated the presence of FLA and the endosymbiotic opportunistic pathogen <em>Stenotrophomonas maltophilia</em> in drinking water delivery networks. Known for its multi-drug resistance, <em>S. maltophilia</em> has been associated with infections in immunocompromised people, especially those in hospitals.</div><div>From January 2022 to December 2023, raw and finished water samples were collected approximately monthly from two Pennsylvania water utilities. Free-living amoebae were detected by filtration and plating. Results showed 74 % (56/76) of all raw water samples, and 22 % (15/69) and 14 % (12/83) of finished water samples from the two utilities, respectively, were positive for FLA by microscopy. Confirmatory testing using DNA extraction, PCR, and Sanger sequencing showed that 47 % (36/76) of all raw water samples, and 20 % (14/69) and 14 % (12/83) of finished water samples from the two utilities, respectively, were positive for at least one of the targeted FLA. <em>Vermamoeba vermiformis</em> was the most frequently recovered FLA, followed by <em>Acanthamoeba</em> spp. Potentially endosymbiotic <em>S. maltophilia</em> was recovered at various locations throughout the water treatment plants and the distribution system, demonstrating that FLA can serve as vectors that transport bacteria through conventional water treatment processes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13994,"journal":{"name":"International journal of hygiene and environmental health","volume":"272 ","pages":"Article 114728"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145683217","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Changes in lung function and fractional exhaled nitric oxide across wildfire seasons in the wildland firefighter exposure and health effect (WFFEHE) study","authors":"Chieh-Ming Wu ,&nbsp;Kathleen Clark ,&nbsp;Olorunfemi Adetona ,&nbsp;Kathleen Navarro DuBose ,&nbsp;Corey Butler ,&nbsp;Alejandra Ramirez-Cardenas ,&nbsp;James Odei ,&nbsp;Molly West ,&nbsp;Christa Hale","doi":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2025.114729","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2025.114729","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Long-term pulmonary effects of wildland firefighting are unclear even though lung function declines have been observed following wildfire season and firefighting shift.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Spirometry and airway inflammation indicated as fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) were measured among 152 wildland firefighters (WFFs) at the beginning (pre-season, April &amp; May) and end (post-season, September &amp; October) of the 2018 and/or 2019 wildfire seasons and among 19 WFFs at across 3 days of firefighting during a 2019 mid-season wildfire deployment.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Overall peak expiratory flow (PEF) and percent of predicted PEF (PEF%) significantly decreased across fire season when 2018 and 2019 measurements were combined (−0.15 ± 0.07 L/s, <em>p</em> = 0.04; −1.87 ± 0.71%, <em>p</em> = 0.01; respectively), more so due to 2018 declines. PEF% and percent of predicted forced vital capacity (FVC%) significantly improved between 2018 post-season and 2019 pre-season (i.e., off-season) (3.08 ± 1.26%, <em>p</em> = 0.02; 0.99 ± 0.41%, <em>p</em> = 0.02; respectively). FVC and FVC% significantly decreased across a firefighting shift on the first day of wildfire deployment (−0.12 ± 0.03 L, <em>p</em> &lt; 0.01; −2.35 ± 0.64%, <em>p</em> &lt; 0.01). FeNO significantly decreased across the 2018 and 2019 fire seasons (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.01) and significantly increased during the off-season (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.01). FeNO also showed statistically significant cross-shift decreases on the second day of wildfire deployment (−3.50 ± 0.95 ppm, <em>p</em> &lt; 0.01).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Seasonal wildland firefighting were associated with decreases in lung function and FeNO as well as increases in respiratory symptom score in this cohort. While lung function recovered during the off-season among the WFFs, the results suggest a need for longer-term studies to determine the impact of chronic wildland firefighting on pulmonary health.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13994,"journal":{"name":"International journal of hygiene and environmental health","volume":"272 ","pages":"Article 114729"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145683216","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Maternal and paternal smoking and offspring antral follicle count in women from an infertility clinic","authors":"Sarahna A. Moyd ,&nbsp;Robert B. Hood ,&nbsp;Qiang Zhang ,&nbsp;Lidia Minguez-Alarcon ,&nbsp;Russ Hauser ,&nbsp;Irene Souter ,&nbsp;Audrey J. Gaskins","doi":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2025.114719","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2025.114719","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>The ovarian reserve is established <em>in utero</em>, and therefore may be influenced by parental characteristics such as tobacco smoking. However, the epidemiologic literature on parental smoking and adult antral follicle count (AFC) remains conflicted.</div></div><div><h3>Research design and methods</h3><div>Our study included 631 women enrolled in the Environment and Reproductive Health (EARTH) study, a prospective cohort at an academic fertility center between 2005 and 2019. Exposure was assessed by women self-reporting their mother's and father's overall and pregnancy specific smoking status. Outcome was assessed via AFC measured using transvaginal ultrasonography day 3 of an unstimulated menstrual cycle or progesterone withdrawal bleed. Adjusted multivariable Poisson regression with robust standard errors was used to estimate associations between participant maternal and paternal smoking exposure and AFC.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The women in our study were mostly ≥35 years (55 %), never smokers (74 %), college-educated (92 %), White (84 %), and US born (76 %). The median AFC was 13.5 (interquartile range: 8–18). History of maternal smoking was not associated with AFC (ever vs never smoker: 1.3 %, 95 % CI: 8.4 %, 6.4 %) nor was maternal smoking during pregnancy (smoked during pregnancy vs. never smoker: 4.6 %, 95 % CI: 7.6 %, 18.4 %). History of paternal smoking was associated with lower AFC (ever vs never: 9.9 %; 95 % CI: 16.3 %, −2.9 %). Participants who reported that both their parents were ever smokers averaged 10.9 % lower AFC (95 % CI: 18.6 %, −2.5 %) compared to participants whose parents never smoked.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Paternal smoking, including time periods outside the pregnancy window, may negatively influence the long-term ovarian development and function in female offspring.</div></div><div><h3>Trial registration number</h3><div>NCT00011713.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13994,"journal":{"name":"International journal of hygiene and environmental health","volume":"272 ","pages":"Article 114719"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145679800","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Organophosphate pesticide metabolite concentrations in a pregnancy cohort: daily variability, and predictors of exposure","authors":"Lyndsay Caton ,&nbsp;Susan MacPherson ,&nbsp;Tye E. Arbuckle ,&nbsp;Mark Walker ,&nbsp;Mandy Fisher","doi":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2025.114716","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2025.114716","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Organophosphates (OP) are commonly used agricultural pesticides. In 2009–2010, 80 pregnant women were recruited from Ottawa, Canada for the Plastics and Personal-care Product use in Pregnancy (P4) Study. A subset (n = 25) collected multiple spot urines (up to 10 each; total n = 431) over two 24-h periods in early pregnancy - one weekday and weekend day - while logging their food consumption beginning 24 h prior to the first urine void and continuing through the following 24-h urine collection period. Urine samples (n = 431 samples) were analyzed for six dialkyl OP metabolites, dimethyldithiophosphate (DMDTP), dimethylthiophosphate (DMTP), dimethylphosphate (DMP), diethyldithiophosphate (DEDTP), diethylthiophosphate (DETP), and diethylphosphate (DEP). This is the first study to look at within day variability of OP pesticide metabolites. Intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC's) were highest for DMP on weekend days (0.82) and lowest for DEDTP (0.35). Using a single spot urine to predict high urinary concentrations compared to the geometric mean of the participant's remaining samples for that day showed median sensitivities ranging from 67 to 87 % (weekday) and 73–81 % (weekend). This study was underpowered to see clear group differences; however molar sum dialkyl phosphate (DAP) metabolite concentrations over the 24 h weekday collection period increased or remained stable in urine samples collected &gt;6–12 h post-consumption of most food groups. We encourage future research with a larger sample size and more diverse participants, with a focus on OPs that are increasing or remaining stable over time including DEP and metabolites of pyrethroids, and neonicotinoids.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13994,"journal":{"name":"International journal of hygiene and environmental health","volume":"272 ","pages":"Article 114716"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-11-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145617528","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Parental stress, indoor environment and outdoor air pollution: A complex nexus and its impacts on childhood pneumonia","authors":"Chan Lu ,&nbsp;Yao Chen ,&nbsp;Wenying Sun ,&nbsp;Mengju Lan ,&nbsp;Zipeng Qiao","doi":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2025.114717","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2025.114717","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Childhood pneumonia is a major global health burden influenced by environmental and psychosocial factors, yet their potential interaction during critical developmental windows remains poorly understood.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>To investigate the effects of parental socioeconomic and psychological stress, and interaction with indoor and outdoor environments to affect childhood pneumonia.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We conducted a combined retrospective cohort and cross-sectional study of 8689 preschool children in Changsha, China. Information on each child's health status, parental stress, and household environment exposure from one year before pregnancy to postnatal period were collected using a survey. Ambient air pollution and temperature data were obtained from local monitoring stations. Individual pollutant exposure at home during different time windows was estimated using the inverse distance weighted (IDW) method. Multivariate logistic regression was applied to assess the independent and interactive effects of parental stress with indoor and outdoor environments on childhood pneumonia.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>We found that childhood pneumonia was related with parental education level, fatigue, headache, and inattention. High parental social stress increased pneumonia risk of parental smoking and mould/damp clothing or bedding, while low parental social stress reduced pneumonia risk from indoor exposure to flowering plants. Children with high parental socioeconomic stress had a stronger association between air pollution and pneumonia. High parental psychological stress increased childhood pneumonia as a result of air pollution exposure, notably for particulate matter in early life.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Parental stress independently and interactively increases childhood pneumonia risk in relation to indoor (new furniture, mould/dampness) and outdoor (NO₂, SO₂) exposures during early life.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13994,"journal":{"name":"International journal of hygiene and environmental health","volume":"271 ","pages":"Article 114717"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-11-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145614507","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effect of water, sanitation, and hygiene on childhood growth in Ethiopia: a cluster-randomized trial","authors":"Tahvi Frank ,&nbsp;Isabel J.B. Thompson ,&nbsp;Solomon Aragie ,&nbsp;Dionna M. Wittberg ,&nbsp;Wondyifraw Tadesse ,&nbsp;Adane Dagnew ,&nbsp;Dagnachew Hailu ,&nbsp;Jason S. Melo ,&nbsp;Taye Zeru ,&nbsp;Zerihun Tadesse ,&nbsp;Benjamin F. Arnold ,&nbsp;Matthew C. Freeman ,&nbsp;Scott D. Nash ,&nbsp;E Kelly Callahan ,&nbsp;Travis C. Porco ,&nbsp;Thomas M. Lietman ,&nbsp;Jeremy D. Keenan","doi":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2025.114718","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2025.114718","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Child growth faltering contributes significantly to global morbidity and mortality, with a disproportionate impact on low- and middle-income countries. Poor quality water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) has been identified as a risk factor, though prior studies have found mixed evidence for the effectiveness of WASH interventions.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>The WASH Upgrades for Health in Amhara (WUHA) trial was a two-arm, parallel-group, cluster-randomized trial carried out in three districts of the Wag Hemra Zone of Amhara from 2016 to 2019 (<span><span>ClinicalTrials.gov</span><svg><path></path></svg></span> #NCT02754583). The intervention consisted of hygiene infrastructure improvements and hygiene promotion at the household, community, and school level. Height and weight were pre-specified secondary outcomes that were measured annually in the longitudinal cohort of children aged 0–5 years at baseline.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Twenty communities were randomized to the WASH intervention and 20 to the control (delayed WASH) arm. Anthropometric measurements were done at baseline for a random sample of 613 children in the WASH intervention arm and 644 children in the control arm. There was no statistically significant difference over the 3-year study period for either height (0.1 cm lower in the WASH arm, 95 %CI -0.5 to 0.2, <em>P</em> = 0.45) or weight (0.02 kg higher in the WASH arm, 95 %CI -0.06 to 0.10, <em>P</em> = 0.64).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>A comprehensive WASH intervention implemented for three years in rural Ethiopia did not improve growth among children 0–5 years old.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13994,"journal":{"name":"International journal of hygiene and environmental health","volume":"271 ","pages":"Article 114718"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-11-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145614508","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparative evaluation of decay characteristics of commonly used genetic faecal markers crAssphage and Bacteroides in complex river water microcosms","authors":"Sophia D. Steinbacher ,&nbsp;Mats Leifels ,&nbsp;Claudia Kolm ,&nbsp;Gerhard Lindner ,&nbsp;Katalin Demeter ,&nbsp;Alexander K.T. Kirschner ,&nbsp;Julia Derx ,&nbsp;Rita B. Linke ,&nbsp;Regina Sommer ,&nbsp;Andreas H. Farnleitner","doi":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2025.114713","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2025.114713","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Comparative information on decay characteristics of genetic faecal markers including crAssphage is very limited for water resources, although PCR-based indicator-diagnostics are increasingly used worldwide. To our knowledge, we performed the first comparative microcosm experiments to assess the decay behaviour of commonly used qPCR-based genetic faecal markers (crAssphages, HF183/BacR287, BacHum) in a large European river. In addition, cultivation-based standards (<em>E. coli</em>, intestinal enterococci, <em>Clostridium perfringens</em> spores, somatic coliphages) were enumerated to allow for a cross-comparison between novel and established targets. River water was spiked with raw sewage from two combined municipal sewer systems and incubated at 8 °C and 20 °C for up to 66 days. The focus of the experimental work was put on genetic faecal markers. Two different filtration methods targeting either virus/phages and bacteria (using mixed cellulose esters, MCE) or solely bacteria (using polycarbonate filters, PC) were also evaluated. Results indicated biphasic decay for all targets (<em>i.e.</em>, initial fast followed by secondary slow decay), with <em>Bacteroides</em> markers showing lower persistence under all conditions when compared to crAssphage. In addition, a tendency for higher long-term persistence of crAssphage based on MCE filtration as compared to PC filtration was observed. Finally, a meta-data analysis was conducted, comparing the results obtained here with those from recent case studies. This analysis further substantiated the comparatively higher persistence and lower decay of crAssphage relative to <em>Bacteroides</em> markers and established FIO, with the sole exception of <em>C. perfringens</em> spores.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13994,"journal":{"name":"International journal of hygiene and environmental health","volume":"271 ","pages":"Article 114713"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-11-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145614506","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}