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  • Title: Is contaminated groundwater an important cause of viral gastroenteritis in the United States?
    Author: Frost FJ, Kunde TR, Craun GF.
    Journal: J Environ Health; 2002 Oct; 65(3):9-14, 38; quiz 41-3. PubMed ID: 12369249.
    Abstract:
    The large volume of human sewage discharged into the ground has raised concerns about contamination of underground water supplies and possible human health risks. Few groundwater outbreaks reported in the United States, however, have been linked to enteric viruses. Studies on the occurrence of groundwater enteric viruses have detected viruses in groundwater, but many of these studies selected high-risk wells for testing. The results likely overestimated the occurrence of virus contamination in groundwater as well as the resulting public-health risks. This study found only limited evidence for viral contamination of groundwater in the absence of bacterial indicators of sewage contamination. From current studies of virus contamination in groundwater, the authors could not identify a sufficient population with evidence of exposure convincing enough to make an epidemiological investigation feasible and thus were unable to epidemiologically evaluate health risks that may be associated with viral contamination of groundwater. To better estimate the potential health risks, surveys should look at the occurrence of groundwater virus contamination in water that does not have bacterial indicators of sewage contamination and in water that has not been adequately disinfected. These surveys should include groundwater from a wide range of geological conditions.
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