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Washington DC. [USA]: According to a recent study, the irrigation of vegetables with the help of wastewater in African cities could spread diseases. Research suggests that urban farmers, growing vegetables to feed millions of people in Africa's growing cities, could unintentionally contribute to the spread of disease by irrigating wastewater crops. Experts have found that canal wastewater, used for urban agriculture in Burkina Faso, was rich in virulent human pathogens, responsible for gastroenteritis and diarrhea, a leading cause of death in low- and middle-income countries. Researchers at the University of Birmingham led an international team from Burkina Faso, Cameroon and Germany charged with studying samples of sewage from three channels in the capital Ouagadougou, a 2.2-mi city lions of inhabitants. After identifying a wide range of antibiotic resistance genes in the water, they concluded that the urban urban agriculture's wastewater use posed a high risk of spreading bacteria and bacteria. Antimicrobial resistance to humans and animals. With the population of cities in sub-Saharan Africa, which will increase from 400 million (2010) to 1.26 billion in 2050, according to UN estimates, Agriculture in cities is recognized as a vital way to contribute to food security For Professor Laura Piddock, of the Institute of Microbiology and Infection of the University of Birmingham, " The use of wastewater for agricultural irrigation represents a very serious health risk, all the more so as it increases exposure to fecal pathogens. Wastewater appears to be a "hot spot" for antibiotic-resistant bacteria in Burkina Faso. "There is an urgent need for further investigations to determine the extent to which exposed populations are affected by this health problem. There is also an urgent need to improve global access to safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene in low- and middle-income countries to prevent the spread of water and sanitation. bacterial resistance from the environment to the population, "added Piddock. Blaise Bougnon of the University of Yaounde (Cameroon) said: "Some 200 million urban dwellers would be engaged in urban agriculture in the world and in some cases would produce up to 90% of the asks cities for perishable vegetables, according to UN research ". More than 80% of domestic and industrial wastewater generated in low- and middle-income countries is released without treatment into the environment. Because of its low cost, availability and nutrient content, urban agriculture relies on wastewater for irrigation. There is a growing number of multidrug-resistant bacteria with common antibiotics that can not be treated with current therapies. Antibiotic resistance has required more expensive drugs, many of which can not afford, resulting in increased morbidity and mortality. Between 50 and 90% of the antibiotics administered to humans and animals are excreted in the form of a mixture of parent forms and metabolites, The study found, in the canal water, samples of pathogens generally responsible for waterborne diseases that could directly or indirectly expose people to these wastewater. acute diarrhea, chronic gastritis and gastroenteritis.In low- and middle-income countries, 842,000 people die each year from diarrhea, according to the World Health Organization, due to lack of water, sanitation and hygiene. Research.
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