We reviewed the existing literature documenting the association between water insecurity and gender‐based violence to (1) describe the characteristics and contexts of available studies, and (2) identify and classify documented gender‐based violence across domains of water insecurity (access, affordability, adequacy, reliability, and safety). 18 peer‐reviewed articles mentioned associations between water insecurity and gender‐based violence. All studies were conducted in sub‐Saharan Africa and South Asia and were published in English. The most common manifestation of the relationship between water insecurity and gender‐based violence was an increased risk of sexual and physical violence for women who walked long distances to access water. This was followed by intimate partner violence sparked by the inability to meet domestic obligations due to household water inadequacy. Despite these trends, the domains of water insecurity, and the types of violence experienced by women, were often intertwined. We conclude that there is a dearth of information assessing gender‐based violence and water insecurity, especially in Latin America, North America, and Southeast Asia, and involving locally‐based scholars. We suggest that the spectrum of what is considered “violence” in relation to water insecurity be expanded and that scholars and practitioners adopt the term “gender‐based water violence” to describe water‐related stressors that are so extreme as to threaten human health and well‐being, particularly that of women and girls. Finally, we encourage the development of cross‐culturally validated measures of gender‐based violence, which can be deployed in conjunction with standardized measures of water insecurity, to evaluate interventions that target these linked threats to global health.This article is categorized under: Engineering Water > Water, Health, and Sanitation Human Water > Rights to Water

After a human rabies outbreak in southeastern Peru, we collected bats to estimate the prevalence of rabies in various species. Among 165 bats from 6 genera and 10 species, 10.3% were antibody positive; antibody prevalence was similar in vampire and nonvampire bats. Thus, nonvampire bats may also be a source for human rabies in Peru.

Antibiotic resistance in pathogenic bacteria is a serious public health issue. The growing threat is a cause for concern and action to prevent the emergence of new resistant strains and the spread of existing ones to humans via the environment. This study aimed at identifying fecal pathogens in drinking water obtained from rural Andean households from Cajamarca, Peru, and measuring the antibiotic resistance profile of Escherichia coli. The study was embedded within a community-randomized controlled trial among 102 communities in the northern highlands of the Cajamarca region, Peru. Of 314 samples, 55.4% (95% CI [49.7, 61.0], n = 174) were identified as thermotolerant coliforms. Among the samples positive for thermotolerant coliform, E. coli was isolated in 37.3% (n = 117), Klebsiella spp. in 8.0% (n = 25), Enterobacter spp. in 5.1% (n = 16), and Citrobacter spp. in 2.5% (n = 8). Of the 117 E. coli samples, 48.7% (95% CI [39.4, 58.1], n = 57) showed resistance to any antibiotic. The E. coli antibiotic resistance profile showed highest resistance against tetracycline (37.6%), ampicillin (34.2%), sulfamethoxazole–trimethoprim (21.4%), and nalidixic acid (13%). Some 19.7% (95% CI [12.9, 28.0], n = 23) of the E. coli isolates displayed multidrug resistance, defined as resistance to at least three classes of antibiotics. The CTX-M-3 gene, which encodes extended-spectrum resistance to beta-lactamase antibiotics, was found in one isolate. The high prevalence of fecal contamination in drinking water highlights the importance of household water treatment methods. Likewise, the high levels of antibiotic resistance found indicate a need for further research to identify the origins of potential environmental contamination, misuse, or inadequate disposal of antibiotics.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global public health threat, especially for low and middle-income countries (LMIC) where the threat has not been fully identified. Our study aims to describe E. coli AMR in rural communities to expand our knowledge on AMR bacterial contamination. Specifically, we aim to identify and describe potential dissemination routes of AMR-carrying bacteria in humans (children’s stools), community water sources (reservoirs and household sources), household environments (yard soil) and domestic animals of subsistence farmers in rural Andean areas. Our cross-sectional study was conducted in rural households in the region of Cajamarca, Peru. A total of 266 samples were collected. Thirty-four point six percent of reservoir water and 45% of household water source samples were positive for thermotolerant coliforms. Of the reservoir water samples, 92.8% were positive for E. coli, and 30.8% displayed resistance to at least one antibiotic, with the highest resistance to tetracycline. E. coli was found in 57.1% of the household water sources, 18.6% of these isolates were multidrug-resistant, and displayed the highest resistance to tetracycline (31.3%). Among samples from the children’s drinking water source, 32.5% were positive for thermotolerant coliforms, and 57.1% of them were E. coli. One third of E. coli isolates were multidrug-resistant and displayed the highest AMR to tetracycline (41.6%) and ampicillin (25%). Thermotolerant coliforms were found in all the soil samples, 43.3% of the isolates were positive for E. coli, 34.3% of the E. coli isolates displayed AMR to at least one antibiotic, and displayed the highest AMR to tetracycline (25.7%). We determined thermotolerant coliforms in 97.5% of the child feces samples; 45.3% of them were E. coli, 15.9% displayed multidrug resistance, and displayed the highest resistance to ampicillin (34.1%). We identified thermotolerant coliforms in 67.5% of the animal feces samples. Of those, 38.7% were E. coli, and 37.7% were resistant to at least one antibiotic. For all the samples, the prevalence of resistance to at least one antibiotic in the E. coli and Klebsiella spp. isolates was almost 43% and the prevalence of MDR in the same isolates was nearly 9%, yet the latter nearly doubled (15.9%) in children’s stools. Our results provide preliminary evidence for critical pathways and the interconnectedness of animal, human and environmental transmission but molecular analysis is needed to track dissemination routes properly.

Illnesses associated with seafood are an important public health concern worldwide, particularly considering the steady increase in seafood consumption. However, research about the risks associated...