04 - Follow That Flush: Using Biotechnology for Early Disease Detection
TRACKING A MYSTERIOUS OUTBREAK IN PINEHURST RIDGE Pinehurst Ridge is a small city with several neighborhoods (Figure 4). Each neighborhood has a sewer system that feeds into the larger wastewater treatment center. Recently, local doctors offices have been experiencing an increase in patients with severe gastrointestinal distress, low grade fever, and fatigue, which has been reported to the local health department. Epidemiolo- gists suspect the cause of the outbreak may be Norovirus or E. coli O157:H7, which can cause the observed symptoms. They identified five key locations across the city where these illnesses might be spreading. Wastewater samples were collected from these sites (Table 1) and pre- pared for analysis. Using PCR, the lab will analyze each sample for the presence of either or both agents. Bands will appear on the gel if the corresponding pathogen’s DNA is detected.
Your job is to interpret the gel electro- phoresis results and help us determine where the outbreak might be starting and whether it’s being caused by a Norovi- rus, E. coli , or both. Each water sample can have 0, 1, or 2 bands, depending on which pathogens are present. Norovirus is represented by the top band, and E. coli by the bottom band. Once we know what the infection is, and which neighborhoods it is affecting, we can alert the health depart - ment and start taking action.
Figure 4: Map of Pinehurst Ridge with sampling sites.
TABLE 1: SAMPLE COLLECTION SITES
SAMPLE ID
LOCATION
DESCRIPTION
Northside Neighborhood Water Treatment Plant
A local facility that processes wastewater from a densely populated urban neighborhood.
Sample 1
A busy public gathering space that hosts events for senior citizens, fitness classes, after-school programs, and other services for residents.
Sample 2
Midtown Community Center
Student housing for the local university, home to hundreds of young adults living in close quarters.
Sample 3
Thompson University Dorms
A central commercial area filled with offices, restau- rants, and retail stores. High daily foot traffic.
Sample 4
Downtown Business District
The city’s regional airport which services passengers from around the world.
Sample 5
Pinehurst Ridge RegionalAirport
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