Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39658778›Full record

ArticleCanadian journal of public health = Revue canadienne de sante publique2025

Quantitative microbial risk assessment of acute gastrointestinal illness attributable to freshwater recreation in Ontario.

Henry Ngo, E Jane Parmley, Nicole Ricker, Charlotte Winder, Heather M Murphy

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Canadian journal of public health = Revue canadienne de sante publique, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Henry NgoWater, Health, and Applied Microbiology Lab (WHAM Lab), Department of Pathobiology, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada.ORCID 0009-0003-5228-0921
E Jane ParmleyDepartment of Population Medicine, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada.ORCID 0000-0003-4526-9524
Nicole RickerDepartment of Pathobiology, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada.
Charlotte WinderDepartment of Population Medicine, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada.ORCID 0000-0002-7314-3657
Heather M MurphyWater, Health, and Applied Microbiology Lab (WHAM Lab), Department of Pathobiology, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada. heather.murphy@uoguelph.ca.ORCID 0000-0002-0435-8515

Funding

Canada Research Chairs #950-232787Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph Student graduate scholarship
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesThe burden of disease associated with acute gastrointestinal illness (AGI) in Canada is estimated to be ~ 20 million cases/year. One known risk factor for developing AGI is recreation in freshwater bodies such as lakes. The proportion of cases attributable to freshwater recreation in Canada, however, is currently unknown. The study objective was to estimate the risk of developing AGI from exposure to Giardia, Cryptosporidium, Campylobacter, Escherichia coli O157:H7, norovirus, and Salmonella during freshwater recreation in Ontario, Canada.

methodsA quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) was conducted to estimate the number of AGI cases per 1000 recreational events associated with freshwater recreation. QMRA utilizes four steps: hazard identification, exposure assessment, dose-response modelling, and risk characterization. A probabilistic model was developed using the following inputs accounting for uncertainty and variability: published data on pathogen prevalence and concentration in freshwaters in Ontario (hazard identification), recreator water ingestion volumes (exposure), pathogen-specific dose-response models, and ratios between numbers of infections and symptomatic disease cases to estimate illness risks (risk characterization).

resultsThe mean estimated AGI risk associated with recreation ranged from 0.8 to 36.7 cases per 1000 swimmers (5th-95th probability interval: 0-226.3 cases/1000) which is in line with previous studies conducted in Lake Ontario, as well as prior QMRAs of freshwater recreation. Upper range predicted values exceeded the Health Canada guideline of less than 20 cases per 1000 recreators.

conclusionThis study shows that QMRA can be used to estimate disease risk in the absence of large-scale epidemiological studies. The results demonstrate a range of risk that is in line with exposure to pristine (low risk estimates) and more contaminated waters (high risk estimates) and capture the potential risk to vulnerable populations.

Indexed as

Fresh WaterGastrointestinal DiseasesRecreationWater MicrobiologyAcute DiseaseHumansOntarioRisk AssessmentAttributionCanadaDisease burdenEnteric diseaseFreshwater recreationPathogensQuantitative microbial risk assessmentWaterborne disease

Identifiers

PMID39658778
PMCPMC12629550

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.