Table 3.
The mean and range of levels of fecal contamination (E. coli) in log10 scale across cities by sample type.
| City | Lab method | Drain water | Flood water | Ocean water | Surface water | Bathing water | Other drinking water | Municipal drinking water | Raw produce | Street food | Public latrine | Soil |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accra | MF | 7.99 (4.70–9.58) | 5.89 (2.00–6.30) | 5.59 (1.95–6.30) | N/A | 0.88 (–0.30–1.65) | N/A | 1.86 (−0.30–3.30) | 5.24 (1.40–6.00) | 5.52 (1.95–6.55) | 3.29 (−0.15–4.45) | 2.98 (0–3.85) |
| Atlanta | IDEXX | N/A | 5.76 (4.58–6.11) | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | −0.30 (−0.30−−0.30) | 1.40 (1.40–1.40) | N/A | 0.17 (−0.15–0.92) | 3.40 (0–4.21) |
| Dakar | MF | 5.00 (−0.30–5.30) | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | -0.30 (−0.30–0) | 4.79 (2.40–6.00) | 2.88 (2.67–3.83) | N/A | 4.84 (1–5.60) |
| Dhaka | IDEXX | 7.57 (4.70–8.71) | 6.54 (2.70–8.08) | N/A | 6.08 (1.30–7.38) | 3.06 (−0.30–4.38) | 2.21 (−0.30–3.84) | 3.36 (−0.30–4.76) | 4.83 (1.40–6.06) | 5.11 (0.69–6.44) | 1.26 (−0.15–2.80) | 3.76 (0–5.09) |
| Kampala | MF | 7.15 (4.13–8.30) | 6.14 (1.70–7.16) | N/A | 4.12 (2.30–4.94) | N/A | 2.34 (−0.30–3.40) | −0.01 (−0.30–1.11) | 4.14 (1.40–4.97) | 4.37 (1.54–5.56) | 2.31 (−0.15–3.53) | 2.42 (0–3.51) |
| Kumasi | MF | 7.46 (4.70–8.30) | 5.64 (2.60–6.30) | N/A | 2.71 (1.48–3.05) | 2.38 (−0.30–3.13) | N/A | 1.71 (−0.30–3.22) | 4.45 (1.40–5.59) | 3.12 (1.32–4.34) | 2.80 (−0.15–4.05) | 3.39 (0–4.60) |
| Lusaka | IDEXX | 5.56 (2.00–6.74) | 4.38 (1.70–4.97) | N/A | 4.48 (1.61–5.38) | N/A | 2.71 (−0.30–3.86) | 1.05 (−0.30–2.27) | 4.03 (1.40–5.50) | 1.56 (0.70–1.99) | 0.81 (−0.15–2.28) | 2.60 (0–4.15) |
| Maputo | MF | 5.27 (0.70–6.30) | 5.76 (0.70–6.30) | N/A | N/A | 2.63 (−0.30–3.88) | N/A | 1.46 (−0.30–2.77) | 6.36 (2.40–7.00) | N/A | 2.78 (−0.15–4.45) | 4.28 (−1.00–5.60) |
| Siem Reap | MF | N/A | 5.83 (2.70–7.27) | N/A | N/A | 2.50 (−0.30–3.21) | 2.11 (−0.30–3.30) | −0.30 (−0.30−0.30) | 5.14 (1.40–6.00) | N/A | N/A | 4.10 (1.00–5.33) |
| Vellore | MF | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 0.18 (−0.30–0.85) | N/A | 1.23 (−0.30–2.30) | 5.23 (2.40–6.00) | N/A | 3.04 (−0.15–3.45) | 2.32 (0–3.38) |
Types of “Other drinking water” varied by city and included shallow well water, well water, borehole water, bottled water, spring water, and ice. The unit of E. coli concentration for all the water samples was either colony-forming unit (CFU) for membrane filtration (MF) or most probable number (MPN) for IDEXX per 100 mL. E. coli units of concentration are CFU or MPN per serving for produce and street food, CFU or MPN per swab for public latrine swabs, and CFU or MPN per gram of soil. All concentrations are shown in log10 scale. N/A indicates that no samples of that type were collected because the exposure pathway was not included in the city.