Dirty work: Investigating diarrhoeal disease from contaminated surface soils within informal settlements

This research explores novel methods to assess microbial contamination in soils and surfaces, focusing on the impact of diarrheal illness, especially in vulnerable populations like young children. The study introduces composite sampling techniques using bootsocks and gloves, comparing them with traditional spot-based methods. The results show that composite sampling, especially with bootsocks, offers a more accurate and sensitive detection of microbial concentrations. Through understanding of the uncertainties in the methodology, the findings suggest the potential for these techniques to improve assessments of contamination in high-risk and low-resourced areas, leading to more effective and economical monitoring approaches for addressing microbial contamination.