New rapid water test could reduce gastro outbreaks

La Trobe University researchers have developed a 30-minute test to identify sewage in recreational and environmental waterways, potentially reducing outbreaks of gastroenteritis and other illnesses in Australia and around the world.

The research, published in Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology, shows the loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) test — a rapid DNA amplification technique — can be implemented onsite using a portable diagnostic machine, making identification faster and more cost-effective than current methods.

Study lead and PhD candidate Meysam Khodaparast said that when recreational water is contaminated with human faecal matter, rapid and cost-efficient identification is critical in preventing waterborne pathogen outbreaks.

“Current tests require cold chain transportation to get the sample from the site to the lab, taking several days — which prevents rapid action by water authorities and timely public health decisions.

“The LAMP test is as simple as [a] rapid antigen test for water — it’s fast and doesn’t require scientific expertise to achieve an accurate result,” Khodaparast said.

Study co-author Dr Dave Sharley, Director of Bio2Lab, said that the relatively low cost of the new tests will allow water authorities to increase their surveillance during sewer spills.

Sharley said this is likely to reduce costs associated with sewer spill clean-ups because machinery and equipment could be used more efficiently, rather than waiting additional days for test results to come back from a lab.

In Australia, contamination of environmental waterways with human faecal matter is a frequent occurrence. The sewer network is separated from the stormwater network; however, during storm events it is very common for stormwater to enter sewer pipes due to broken pipes or illegal connections.

Sewerage systems can then reach capacity, releasing sewage back through private plumbing connections, like toilets, or spilling into rivers and creeks. This can lead to millions of litres of sewage ending up in the city’s waterways, killing aquatic wildlife and substantially increasing human health risks.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that the consumption of faecal-contaminated water causes 485,000 diarrhoeal deaths globally each year.

Commercial partners Bio2Lab and Geneworks supported development of the LAMP test through an industry-based PhD scholarship at La Trobe University, supervised by Professor Travis Beddoe.

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