BACKGROUND Birth cohort studies provide the opportunity to advance understanding of the impact of environmental factors on childhood health and development through prospective collection of environmental samples. METHODS We evaluated the feasibility and informative value of the environmental sample collection methodology in the initial pilot phase of the National Children's Study, a planned U...

Naturally-occurring inhibitory compounds are a major concern during qPCR and RT-qPCR analysis of environmental samples, particularly large volume water samples. Here, a standardized method for measuring and mitigating sample inhibition in environmental water concentrates is described. Specifically, the method 1) employs a commercially available standard RNA control; 2) defines inhibition by the...

There are numerous indicators that Hispanics face a disproportionate risk of exposure to environmental hazards. Ambient air pollution, worker exposure to chemicals, indoor air pollution, and drinking water quality are among the top four threats to human health and are all areas in which indicators point to elevated risk for Hispanic populations. These data, juxtaposed with data on the health st...

background : the protozoan parasites cryptosporidium spp. and giardia are known to occur widely in both raw and drinking waters. they are two of the causative agents of waterborne out-breaks of gastroenteritis throughout the world. in the present study, a pcr assay and fa were developed for detection of cryptosporidium oocysts and giardia cyst in environmental samples. methods : we have detecte...

In December 2012, an outbreak of acute gastrointestinal illness occurred in a geographical distinct area in Denmark covering 368 households. A combined microbiological, epidemiological and environmental investigation was initiated to understand the outbreak magnitude, pathogen(s) and vehicle in order to control the outbreak. Norovirus GII.4 New Orleans 2009 variant was detected in 15 of 17 indi...

conclusions unless there are well-thought out strategies for minimizing the undesirable impact on the environment, it is not advisable that such projects be permitted. results the results showed that the negative environmental and social impacts of the project outweighed the positive impacts in terms of type, number, and intensity. materials and methods a checklist containing the positive, nega...

Chlorine-resistant Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts in drinking water play an important role in the epidemiology of cryptosporidiosis. Current methods of detecting these organisms in water are insensitive, labor-intensive, highly subjective, and severely limited by sample turbidity. We describe here an alternative technique utilizing electrochemiluminescence (ECL) technology for detecting C. parv...