GASTROPAK combines social science, soil science, agronomy, molecular biology, microbial ecology, bioinformatics, epidemiology and environmental engineering to quantify transmission routes for non-viral gastro-enteric pathogens at multiple locations in Pakistan and determine the social context influencing transmission.
  • Dates1 September 2019-30 September 2024
  • SponsorMedical Research Council under the Global Research Challenge Fund
  • Funded拢140k (of a total of 拢2M)
  • Partners, University of Warwick, National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), University of Agriculture Faisalabad

The GASTROPAK project seeks to identify and quantify transmission routes of non-viral gastroenteritis in Pakistan. The focus is on the Campylobacter, E.coli, Cryptosporidium and Giardia pathogens. Gastroenteritis remains a significant public health concern within Pakistan, and identifying its transmission routes is key for mitigation. GASTROPAK is tracking gastro pathogens through water, food and farming to determine where it is coming from.

At 老司机福利社 our focus is to determine how soil can potentially act as a pathway for gastroenteritic pathogen transmission by gathering evidence from randomised field scale trials in three locations in Faisalabad where vegetable crops are grown irrigated with canal water, wastewater and wastewater treated with biochar. These field trials have been established for three growing seasons and soil samples had been analysed for soil microbial characteristics and heavy metals. The results of these trials will tell us how gastroenteritis pathogens are transmitted through crops, and what the impact of wastewater irrigation is on soil health.

Progress update

There have been several studied communities identified as being at high risk of contracting gastroenteritis from particular sources, and mitigating public health initiatives are being drawn up.