HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Submit a response Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Cabelli, V J Articles by Haberman, P W Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Cabelli, V J Articles by Haberman, P W

Relationship of microbial indicators to health effects at marine bathing beaches.

V J Cabelli, A P Dufour, M A Levin, L J McCabe and P W Haberman

Findings are described from the second year of an epidemiological-microbiological study conducted at New York City beaches as part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency program to develop health effects-recreational water quality criteria. Symptomatology rates among swimmers (defined as immersion of the head in the water) relative to nonswimming but beach-going controls at a "barely acceptable" (BA) beach and a "relatively unpolluted" (RU) beach were examined. Data were collected by contacting family groups at the beach on weekends, obtaining information on bathing activity, and then questioning them by phone some 8--10 days later. In addition measurements were made for a number of potential water quality indicators. It was observed that the symptom rates, categorized as gastrointestinal (GI), respiratory, "other", and "disabling" (stayed home, stayed in bed, consulted a physician), were higher among swimmers than nonswimmers. As in the pretest conducted the previous year, the rate of GI symptoms was significantly higher among swimmers relative to nonswimmers at the BA but not the RU beach. Children, Hispanic Americans, and the low-middle socioeconomic groups were identified as the most susceptible portions of the population.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A. M. Morrison, K. Coughlin, J. P. Shine, B. A. Coull, and A. C. Rex Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve Analysis of Beach Water Quality Indicator Variables Appl. Envir. Microbiol., November 1, 2003; 69(11): 6405 - 6411. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]