Exposure assessment of fecal contamination using sanipath exposure assessment tool in Kerala, India.

The exposure assessment identifies the pathways by which humans are exposed to a contaminated environment and estimates the magnitude, frequency and duration of these exposures. This paper deals with exposure assessment of fecal contamination, in which exposure assessment is done with the help of the SaniPath Exposure Assessment Tool. By this tool, identify the dominant pathway, a pathway that has a greater contribution to the exposure. The goal of the study was to find the dominant pathway in the study area, Ward 10 Kadakkad, Pathanamthitta, Kerala, India. Lack of sewer lines and sewage treatment facilities and open disposal of fecal waste in the area caused flooding up of sewage and lots of other difficulties as well as threats to the residents. Identifying the dominant transmission pathway or pathways and blocking or breaking this transmission pathway by different interventions like water, sanitation and hygiene programs improve health and also helps to prioritize sanitation investments based on the exposures that have the greatest public health impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]