By Ayo Onikoyi

A leading expert in Environmental Health has harped on the benefits of Environmental Surveillance and Molecular Techniques in Combating Infectious Diseases.

Dr. Ibukun Adesiyan, a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Public Health, University of Medical Sciences, Ondo made this known in a document obtained by the Vanguard recently emphasizing the huge concerns of infectious disease to public health and the need for continuous environmental monitoring and surveillance using cutting-edge molecular techniques.

Dr, Ibukun explains that “we’re facing a double challenge; environmental pollution is on the rise, and so are infectious diseases. By actively monitoring our environment and identifying specific pathogens like Vibrio cholerae, the bacteria that causes cholera, we can gain crucial insights into potential outbreaks.”

According to her, traditionally, surveillance of infectious diseases relied on culturing and observing bacterial characteristics, a slow and laborious process. But the use of molecular identification techniques like polymerase chain reaction (PCR) which acts like a genetic fingerprint scanner, targeting specific DNA sequences unique to a particular pathogen allows for rapid identification of specific pathogens and their strains directly from environmental samples, such as water or sewage.

Dr. Ibukun whose research focuses on the assessment of emerging pathogenic microorganisms and contaminants in the environment to identify environmental management interventions that safeguard environmental and human health, elaborated further, that quick identification of infectious organisms like in the case of cholera outbreaks is crucial so that public health officials can identify the source of the outbreak and direct mitigation efforts immediately.

The scholar whose research was the first assessment to document the prevalence of 11 antibiotic resistance determinants of Vibrio isolates obtained from four selected freshwater bodies in South-western region of Nigeria said this wouldn’t have been possible without the application of molecular techniques.

She further gave insight into her research on molecular assessment of pathogenic Vibrio species in selected rivers in Southwest Nigeria which revealed the prevalence of multidrug-resistant Vibrio species with elevated resistance against some first-line antibiotics. She said the work which has since been published revealed that the freshwater resources investigated are unfit for domestic, industrial, and recreational uses without treatment before use and alerted the relevant authorities of its potential as reservoirs of antibiotic-resistant Vibrio species in the assessed environment.

Dr. Ibukun whose research insight has led to the improvement of monitoring and safeguarding of rivers against pollution through anthropogenic activities in Nigeria maintained that deploying both environmental surveillance and molecular techniques would assist in the quick implementation of interventions, such as water treatment and sanitation improvements, before an outbreak occurs.

“Knowing the specific V. cholerae strain involved in cholera outbreaks through the use of molecular assays helps predict its virulence and potential for spread, informing decisions regarding intervention measures for a more effective public health response,” she explained. 

Another crucial aspect of combating infectious diseases highlighted by the expert is understanding antibiotic resistance. “The overuse of antibiotics has led to the emergence of resistant strains of microorganisms, making them difficult, and sometimes impossible, to treat.”

She emphasized molecular analysis as a vital technique for identification of the specific genes responsible for antibiotic resistance in environmental pathogens saying “By understanding the resistance profile of circulating strains, we can choose the most effective antibiotics for treatment and develop strategies to slow down the spread of resistance.”

She echoed that with the constantly evolving threat of pollution and pathogens proficiency in adapting to changing environments and embracing the generation of data on circulating pathogenic strains and their antibiotic resistance profiles through environmental surveillance and molecular techniques is the key to building a resilient future and safeguarding public health.

“The combined approach of environmental monitoring, molecular identification, and antibiotic resistance analysis of pathogens would empower public health professionals to be proactive in combating infectious diseases”

Dr Ibukun calls for investment in robust public health infrastructure, including well-equipped laboratories for molecular analysis and genomic sequencing as well as training of personnel for environmental and genomic data analysis. She submitted that sectorial collaboration and knowledge sharing are also very crucial to achieving a coordinated response to emerging threats of infectious diseases.

Dr. Ibukun Adesiyan, an ardent advocate for science education and women in STEM holds a Ph.D. in Ecology and Environmental Science from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife. She is a Fellow of the Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD) and an active member of the prestigious Nigerian Young Academy (NYA)