Improving risk detection in closed catchments: Using faecal contamination data to improve pathogen surveillance and risk assessment

Faeces contributed by local deer and avian populations represent significant reservoirs for the reference pathogens Cryptosporidium spp. and Campylobacter spp. respectively. Previous studies have focussed on improving method sensitivity and specificity for risk detection in closed catchments. However, these studies also served to highlight gap in knowledge primarily based on the movement, transport and survival of specific species and sequence-types of these organisms.

The information highlighted by these knowledge gaps is required to better inform process-based pathogen budgets and quantitative site-specific risk models. For example, there is minimal understanding regarding the influence of seasonality on faecal diversity and contributing animal populations. Specifically, the temperature, UV readings, and animal population density/activity can be distinct from each other under different seasons. This in turn contributes to different sources of risk due to survival of pathogens and surface ageing/exposure of animal faecal sources.

The overall aim of this program is to better understand process-based pathogen budgets and quantitative risk models in the closed catchment faecal budget through three work packages. These being, 1) understanding the impact of the primary defecation event; 2) understanding survival and transport; and 3) removal processes of faecal derived pathogens within closed catchments. This information can be directly applied to understand public health risk and how molecular and genomic data and be used to inform national health based targets.