Population load of targeted parasites and bacteria in pit latrine at Oshkhandas Valley, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan

Paper Details

Research Paper 01/02/2015
Views (211) Download (11)
current_issue_feature_image
publication_file

Population load of targeted parasites and bacteria in pit latrine at Oshkhandas Valley, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan

Syed Arif Hussain, Khalil Ahmed, Zeba Rasmussen, Arif-un-Nisa Naqvi, A. R Shakoori,Saira Baig
J. Bio. Env. Sci.6( 2), 225-232, February 2015.
Certificate: JBES 2015 [Generate Certificate]

Abstract

This study is conductedin 2012-2013 in Oshkhandas valley to assess the harmful implications of open defecation. The people of the are deprived from the facility of modern toilet system. So they have constructed a vernacular system known as pit latrine(called as dasichukan in local language).This area has not been conferred a good sanitary system by the concerned departments. Hence this area is the good heaven for pathogens which are causing damage to the economy and heath of the inhabitants of the area. Our research has shown that, annually aconsiderable number of infants, young ones, adults and old age people fall prey to the diseasesby targeted bacteria (E. coli, Salmonella, Shigella) and parasites (Ascaris lumbricoid, Trichuris trichuria, Gardialamblia and Cryptosporidium). Neither vernacular nor scientific technique has been educated to the people of area to minimize the detrimental and injurious influenceof the above said pathogens. The people were also using pit content as organic fertilizer without knowing the fact about how to properly compost it. They were handling with un-composted pit content without taking the available precautionary measures. In this connection this research was carried out and sample were taken from both pit latrine and agriculture field to assess the microbial load in pit and agriculture soil in different months. Our finding revealed that the population burden in pit versus soil did not differ significantly. So proper composting is inevitable to lessen the threats posed by the targeted bacteria and parasites. Overall 100 samples were taken 50 each from pit and 50 each from soil. The microbial population load in pit was observed as 3739/50g while the microbial burden in soil was recorded as3226/50gand totalbacterial and parasite load in both pit and soil was 6965.50/100g.

VIEWS 7

Hafiz SY, Rauf U, Qadr B, Shahabuddin M. 1991. Etiology and management of diarrheal diseases in Karachi. Journal of Pakistan Medical Association 41, 211-213.

Fewtrell L, Macgill SM, Kay D, Casmore D. 2002. Uncertainties in risk assessment for the determination of drinking water pollution concentrations; Cryptosporidium case study.Water Research 35, (2),441-447

Muneer B, Latif Q, Ahmed K, Ali SS, Shakoori AR. 2001. Microbiological assessment of drinking water supply of University of the Panjab. Pakistan Journal of Zoology33, 61-68.

Lechevallient MW, Welch NJ, Smith, Gaarslev K. 1990. Full scale studies of factots related to coliform regrowth in drinking water. Applied Environmental Microbiology 62, 2201-2211

Murray CJ, Lopez AD. 1996. The Global Burden of Disease: A Comprehensive Assessment of Mortality and Disability from Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors in 1990 and Projected to 2020. Boston: Harvard University Press.

Vuong TA. 2004. Risk Factors Influencing Faecal Contaminationof Drinking Water in Water Sources and During Storage at theHousehold Level in Cu Jut District, Dak Lak Province, Vietnam.Masters abstract. Copenhagen: Institute of Public Health,University of Copenhagen.

WHO/UNICEF 2006. Meeting the MDG drinking water and sanitation. The urban and rural challenge of the decade. World Health Organization and UNICEF, Geneva 27, Switzerland.

Nawab B, Nyborg ILP, Esser KB, Jenssen PD. 2006. Cultural preferences in designing ecological sanitation systems in North West Frontier Province, Pakistan. Journal of Environmental Psychology 26, 236–246.

Heinonen-Tanskia H, VanWijk-Sijbesma C. 2005. Human excreta for plant production. Bioresource Technology 96,403–411.

Mnkeni PNS, Kutu FR, Muchaonyerwa P. 2008. Evaluation of human urine as a source of nutrients for selected vegetables and maize under tunnel house conditions in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Waste Management & Research26,132–139.

Water Rearch Commission. 2006. Upfront. Human waste can make plants sick. Water Wheel5 (2),6-17.

Hussain AS, Ali S, Ahmed K, AkberM, HyderS, Ali S, Najam-ul- Hassan S, Abbas Q.2014. Gastrointestinal Parasites &Bacteria in Vegetables Grown in Soil Treated with Organic Manure. Journal of Biodiversity and Environmental Sciences (accepted, in press).

Steineck S, Stintzing R, Rodhe L, Elmquist H, Jakobsson C. 1999. Plant nutrients in human urine and food refuse. Use of municipal organic waste. Proceedings of NJF seminar no. 292, November 23– 25, 1998 AgriculturalResearch Centre, Jokioinen, Finland. DIAS report Plant Production no. 13,June 1999. 2nd volume, p. 125–130.