Before proceeding further, we would encourage you to
read the Important Developments Page prior to
reading the rest of this webpage. This will give you some background which may
be helpful in evaluating the action or inaction taken by EPA, and to
assess PARA's Concerns in light of significant developments that have taken
place around the world.
Introduction
The Environmental Protection Agency's purpose is to ensure that:
- All Americans are protected from significant risks to human health and the
environment where they live, learn and work.
- National efforts to reduce environmental risk are based on the best
available scientific information.
- Federal laws protecting human health and the environment are enforced
fairly and effectively.
- Environmental protection is an integral consideration in U.S. policies
concerning natural resources, human health, economic growth, energy,
transportation, agriculture, industry, and international trade, and these
factors are similarly considered in establishing environmental policy.
- All parts of society--communities, individuals, business, state and local
governments, tribal governments--have access to accurate information
sufficient to effectively participate in managing human health and
environmental risks.
- Environmental protection contributes to making our communities and
ecosystems diverse, sustainable and economically productive.
- The United States plays a leadership role in working with other nations to
protect the global environment.
The Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water (OGWDW), together with
states, tribes, and its many
 partners,
is commissioned to protect public health by ensuring safe drinking water and
protecting ground water. OGWDW, along with EPA's ten regional drinking water
programs, oversees implementation of the Safe Drinking Water Act, which is the
national law safeguarding tap water in America.
MAP in Water
A possible route of transmission of MAP from cattle to humans is via
contaminated water supplies. This is because MAP is shed onto pastures and
will be washed off into ground and river waters. Where such water is piped
to households for human consumption, it may enable MAP to infect people
by this route as well.
The UK has taken the lead in
conducting studies relating to MAP infection in water supplies. At the
present time there are two studies underway. Sponsoring these
studies are:
- Natural Environment Research Council's Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH) - Funded by
Medical Research Council (MRC) and National
Environment Research Council (NERC) - Research Conducted by Professor Roger
Pickup (CEH, Windemere) and
Professor John Hermon-Taylor
(St. George's Hospital Medical School, London)
- Department of Food Science, Queen's University Belfast - Research
Conducted by Whan LB, Grant IR, Ball HJ, Scott R., Rowe UT. (Lett
Appl Microbiol 2001 Sep;33(3):227-31)
The research being conducted at Natural Environment Research Council's Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH) by Professors Pickup and Hermon-Taylor, a five-year study, began in
October, 2000. Overall, there are three co-operative projects within the
collabortive program of research. They are evaluating whether runoff from
cow pastures is contaminating drinking water supplies with MAP.
Quoting these researchers in an article printed in the IA Journal:
"...Taken together, the results of this new research, will permit the design and
implementation of measures to ensure that our animals are MAP-free, that our
water is safe, and perhaps through vaccine production, that the risk of Crohn's
disease is eventually eliminated."
The research completed and published in September 2001 at the Department of Food Science, Queen's
University Belfast relates to the bactericidal effect of chlorine on MAP in
drinking water. The study's aim was:
"To determine whether this
organism [MAP] can survive standard water treatment processes." Two
strains of M. paratuberculosis were subjected to various chlorine
concentrations.
The conclusion: "The data showed that when initial inoculum levels were high,
neither M. paratuberculosis strain was
completely killed at the free chlorine concentrations and contact times
applied." [underline added for emphasis]
Further, "This work highlights the need for further research
into the survival of M. paratuberculosis during water treatment."
PARA agrees that further research is necessary in light of this study which
concludes that MAP survives standard water treatment processes!
What is being done in the U.S.?
Sadly, the U.S. is doing nothing to ascertain: (1)
Extent of MAP-infection of public water supplies; (2) Whether water used
for crop irrigation is contaminating these food supplies; (3) What methods of
water treatment will ensure killing of MAP, and ultimately employing those
methods until such time that Johne's disease is eradicated from herds.
The Environment Protection Agency (EPA) is the U.S. agency responsible for
the safety of water. They are aware of the problem as evidenced by
an August 1999 document entitled "Mycobacteria: Health Advisory".
(See Pages 4, 18-20)
http://www.epa.gov/ost/humanhealth/microbial/mycobacteriaha.pdf
Unfortunately, the U.S. is choosing to ignore the food AND water problems created by MAP in our environment. MAP is
on EPA's radar screen as an NTM, "Non-Tuberculosis Mycobacteria", yet they are
taking no action to protect the public by conducting research in this area or
issuing warnings to consumers.
Every U.S. citizen should be asking them WHY?
(See PARA's MAP in Water
Page for further information.)
Summary
While it is possible for individuals to eliminate milk/dairy/beef products
from their diet in an attempt to limit MAP exposure, it is nearly
impossible to avoid drinking MAP-contaminated water from public water
supplies, and equally as difficult to avoid foods that have potentially been
infected with MAP via irrigation methods using infected water.
There is an urgent need to determine what water treatment methods may be
effective at eliminating MAP from water supplies. We applaud the UK
researchers for their extremely important work in determining the extent of
MAP infection in public water supplies, and researching the efficacy of
treatment methods to ensure killing of this dangerous pathogen.
This is a problem that will require collaboration between the various agencies
within the U.S. Government. EPA certainly has a role in this
collaboration.
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for communications between
PARA and various agencies of the U.S. Government.
