Using a Geographical Information System to investigate the relationship between reported cryptosporidiosis and water supply

Hughes, Sara, Syed, Qutub, Woodhouse, Sarah, Lake, Iain ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4407-5357, Osborn, Keith, Chalmers, Rachel M. and Hunter, Paul R. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5608-6144 (2004) Using a Geographical Information System to investigate the relationship between reported cryptosporidiosis and water supply. International Journal of Health Geographics, 3. ISSN 1476-072X

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Abstract

Background: This paper reports on a study investigating the epidemiology of sporadic cryptosporidiosis in the North West of England and Wales using a Geographical Information System (GIS) to map location of residence of cases. Some 747 reports of cases were made to CDSC North West of which 649 reports were suitable for analysis. Cases were plotted on the maps of water supply zone and water quality area boundaries, provided by the two main water utilities. Results: It was notable that there were major spatial variations in attack rate across the North West and Wales. The most dramatic example was the large difference between the Greater Manchester conurbation with many reports and Liverpool with none. Given the distribution of previously detected waterborne outbreaks in the region it was initially thought that drinking water source may be an explanation. However, an analysis of the distribution of cases in the Greater Manchester area showed no correlation with any of five water supplies that serve the conurbation. Conclusions: Our study has shown a dramatic variation in the incidence of laboratory confirmed cryptosporidiosis within two regions of the United Kingdom. Further analysis has not been able to prove drinking water as a likely explanation of this variation which so far remains unexplained.

Item Type: Article
Faculty \ School: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Norwich Medical School
UEA Research Groups: Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Environmental Social Sciences
University of East Anglia Schools > Faculty of Science > Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research
Faculty of Science > Research Centres > Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Groups > Public Health and Health Services Research (former - to 2023)
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Groups > Epidemiology and Public Health
Faculty of Social Sciences > Research Centres > Water Security Research Centre
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Centres > Population Health
Faculty of Science > Research Centres > Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Conservation
Depositing User: EPrints Services
Date Deposited: 25 Nov 2010 11:10
Last Modified: 09 Oct 2024 13:32
URI: https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/12911
DOI: 10.1186/1476-072X-3-15

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