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微生物源追踪技术(MST)
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17亿人饮用水受粪便污染,该如何阻止“粪从口入”?
Hu Xiu· 2025-07-24 03:35
Core Viewpoint - The issue of fecal contamination in drinking water is more severe than previously thought, affecting various regions globally, including developed and developing countries. There is a need for strict and continuous monitoring of water quality to address this ongoing crisis [1][4]. Group 1: Fecal Contamination Incidents - Nestlé's Perrier brand faced a significant scandal when it was revealed that its water was contaminated with fecal bacteria, leading to the recall of 2 million bottles. The contamination was attributed to heavy rainfall and improper water treatment practices [3]. - A study indicated that approximately 1.7 billion people globally are affected by fecal contamination in their drinking water, with regions in Africa and Southeast Asia being the most impacted [4][5]. Group 2: Health Risks Associated with Contamination - Drinking water contaminated with fecal matter can lead to various acute gastrointestinal diseases, including cholera, dysentery, and viral gastroenteritis, with symptoms such as severe abdominal pain and dehydration [5]. Group 3: Causes and Environmental Factors - Fecal contamination is not merely an occasional event but is influenced by complex factors, including climate conditions. Increased rainfall can exacerbate contamination levels in water sources [6]. - Traditional assumptions suggest that groundwater is generally cleaner due to soil filtration; however, it can still be susceptible to fecal contamination under certain conditions [7]. Group 4: Advances in Detection Methods - A new high-precision detection method using Microbial Source Tracking (MST) has been developed, which can identify specific host species' biomarkers, allowing for the detection of low-level contamination and tracing its source [8][9]. - The crAss phage has emerged as a promising MST marker, enabling researchers to accurately detect fecal contamination by analyzing DNA from various animal and human fecal samples [9][10].