Connacht Tribune
Scientists make case for year-round water tests
Scientists at NUI Galway have called for year-round water testing after finding antibiotic-resistant bacteria in bathing waters here.
The study, published by scientists from the university’s Ryan Institute, tested 118 bathing water and 36 sewage samples at locations around the country from July 2019 until November 2020.
ESBLP (Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producers), a type of enzyme produced by germs that makes infections harder to treat with antibiotics, were in 78% of the water samples collected and 50% of the sewage samples.
At 23 of the sampling sites, CPE (carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales), bacteria that are resistant to most types of antibiotics, were found.
According to the study, the majority of CPE detected came from water samples collected in Galway City and Cork.
However, the detection of CPE was more consistent in the samples from Galway City over different seasons.
“This is a very major problem,” said Professor Dearbháile Morris, Director of the Centre for One Health in Ryan Institute at NUI Galway.
“We do need to try and stem the spread, particularly of the CPE.”
However, Prof Morris said that the detection of CPE in Galway does not suggest there is a bigger issue in Galway than in other places in Ireland.
She said that the team collected more samples from the Galway area than anywhere else, and it would be “highly likely” for there to be similar results in other areas.
Prof Morris also said that there is “good control” of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in Ireland, but it is still a concern in other parts of the world.
“Other parts of the world have very significant problems with those organisms, and unfortunately some of them are so resistant, they’re resistant to pretty much all of the antibiotics we have available to treat infection,” she said.
Another project led by Prof Morris, known as PIER, will investigate if exposure to antibiotic-resistant bacteria in recreational waters affects people’s health.
The project is funded by the Environmental Protection Agency and began in March of 2019 and is expected to last four years.
“What we’re trying to understand better is if these antibiotic-resistant organisms are in waters where people are swimming, surfing, or carrying out other water activities with, is there a difference between the people that use those waters a lot in terms of them potentially swallowing these organisms and then becoming resident to their gut compared to those that don’t maybe use the waters a lot,” said Prof Morris.
Ireland follows the EU Bathing Water Directive, meaning that waters are only tested during the bathing season of June 1 until September 15 each year.
Prof Morris said that these criteria raise numerous issues – not least the fact that people swim throughout the year in Ireland, and that the sample of water required for testing it too small and does not test for the correct things.
At the moment, testing is done on 100ml samples collected from an initial sample of one litre. The testing only looks at the total number of E. coli in the sample, which is an indication that there could be faecal contamination. Prof Morris said this type of testing does not reveal anything about the bacteria.
“There’s lots of different types of E. coli, some are totally benign, they’re not going to have any impact on you, but if it’s an antibiotic-resistant E. coli or toxigenic E. coli, then that’s a very different situation.
“The regulations should be revised to look at the characteristics of the organism to determine whether or not it is an antibiotic-resistant E. coli, or other sorts of E. coli that may be of public health concern. If they were changed, the routine monitoring for antibiotic-resistant E. coli in the environment would further the evidence and understanding of the actual role of the environment in the persistence and transmission of antibiotic resistance,” she said.
She said it is not only up to doctors and scientists to do something about antibiotic resistance, and that awareness is an important part of helping prevent the problem from getting worse.
Taking a full course of antibiotics even if you’re feeling better and discarding of antibiotics properly at a pharmacy are all small actions that can help prevent antibiotic resistance from getting worse.
“There’s lots everybody can do to try and slow down the problem that we have. We don’t want to panic anybody, but it is a huge problem. It’s not something that’s happening in the future, it’s actually happening now,” said Prof Morris.
(Photo: Professor Dearbháile Morris of NUI Galway says antibiotic-resistant bacteria in waters has become a major problem).
Significant state investment is required to address ‘shocking’ inequalities that leave cancer patients in the West at greater risk of succumbing to the disease.
A meeting of Regional Health Forum West heard that survival rates for breast, lung and colorectal cancers than the national average, and with the most deprived quintile of the population, the West’s residents faced poorer outcomes from a cancer diagnosis.
For breast cancer patients, the five-year survival rate was 80% in the West versus 85% nationally; for lung cancer patients it was 16.7% in the west against a 19.5% national survival rate; and in the West’s colorectal cancer patients, there was a 62.6% survival rate where the national average was 63.1%.
These startling statistics were provided in answer to a question from Ballinasloe-based Cllr Evelyn Parsons (Ind) who said it was yet another reminder that cancer treatment infrastructure in the West was in dire need of improvement.
“The situation is pretty stark. In the Western Regional Health Forum area, we have the highest incidence of deprivation and the highest health inequalities because of that – we have the highest incidences of cancer nationally because of that,” said Cllr Parsons, who is also a general practitioner.
In details provided by CEO of Saolta Health Care Group, which operates Galway’s hospitals, it was stated that a number of factors were impacting on patient outcomes.
Get the full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune, on sale in shops now, or you can download the digital edition from www.connachttribune.ie. You can also download our Connacht Tribune App from Apple’s App Store or get the Android Version from Google Play.
Galway 3-18
Cork 1-10
NEW setting; new opposition; new challenge. It made no difference to the Galway minor hurlers as they chalked up a remarkable sixth consecutive double digits championship victory at Semple Stadium on Saturday.
The final scoreline in Thurles may have been a little harsh on Cork, but there was no doubting Galway’s overall superiority in setting up only a second-ever All-Ireland showdown against Clare at the same venue on Sunday week.
Having claimed an historic Leinster title the previous weekend, Galway took a while to get going against the Rebels and also endured their first period in a match in which they were heavily outscored, but still the boys in maroon roll on.
Beating a decent Cork outfit by 14 points sums up how formidable Galway are. No team has managed to lay a glove on them so far, and though Clare might ask them questions other challengers haven’t, they are going to have to find significant improvement on their semi-final win over 14-man Kilkenny to pull off a final upset.
Galway just aren’t winning their matches; they are overpowering the teams which have stood in their way. Their level of consistency is admirable for young players starting off on the inter-county journey, while the team’s temperament appears to be bombproof, no matter what is thrown at them.
Having romped through Leinster, Galway should have been a bit rattled by being only level (0-4 each) after 20 minutes and being a little fortunate not to have been behind; or when Cork stormed out of the blocks at the start of the second half by hitting 1-4 to just a solitary point in reply, but there was never any trace of panic in their ranks.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App
Download the Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App to access to Galway’s best-selling newspaper.
Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
Or purchase the Digital Edition for PC, Mac or Laptop from Pagesuite HERE.
Get the Connacht Tribune Live app
The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
GARDAÍ and the IFA have issued a joint appeal to all road users to take extra care as the silage season gets under way across the country.
Silage harvesting started in many parts of Galway last week – and over the coming month, the sight of tractors and trailers on rural roads will be getting far more frequent.
Inspector Conor Madden, who is in charge of Galway Roads Policing, told the Farming Tribune that a bit of extra care and common-sense from all road users would go a long way towards preventing serious collisions on roads this summer.
“One thing I would ask farmers and contractors to consider is to try and get more experienced drivers working for them.
“Tractors have got faster and bigger – and they are also towing heavy loads of silage – so care and experience are a great help in terms of accident prevention,” Inspector Madden told the Farming Tribune.
He said that tractor drivers should always be aware of traffic building up behind them and to pull in and let these vehicles pass, where it was safe to do so.
“By the same token, other road users should always exercise extra care; drive that bit slower; and ‘pull in’ that bit more, when meeting tractors and heavy machinery.
“We all want to see everyone enjoying a safe summer on our roads – that extra bit of care, and consideration for other roads users can make a huge difference,” said Conor Madden.
He also advised motorists and tractor drivers to be acutely aware of pedestrians and cyclists on the roads during the summer season when more people would be out walking and cycling on the roads.
The IFA has also joined in on the road safety appeal with Galway IFA Farm Family and Social Affairs Chair Teresa Roche asking all road users to exercise that extra bit of care and caution.
“We are renewing our annual appeal for motorists to be on the look out for tractors, trailers and other agricultural machinery exiting from fields and farmyards,” she said.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App
Download the Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App to access to Galway’s best-selling newspaper.
Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
Or purchase the Digital Edition for PC, Mac or Laptop from Pagesuite HERE.
Get the Connacht Tribune Live app
The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
Families queue up for school’s offer of free house
West has lower cancer survival rates than rest
Galway minors continue to lay waste to all opponents
Gardaí and IFA issue a joint appeal on summer road safety
Marathon Man plans to call a halt – but not before he hits 160 races
