The Watersedge outbreak was one of the most significant public disease outbreaks that affected the residents. Using an experimental epistemological approach, the paper seeks to objectively discuss the systemic review procedural framework involved in the process of identifying the causal micro-organism of the epidemic. Public health officials have the responsibility of applying different scientific methodologies to find solutions to public outbreaks. As such, the Watersedge outbreak, as the subsequent discussions will show was the result of a central point of contact for all the infected individuals. The results of the investigation indicate that the Cryptosporidium- a single-celled protozoan, present in a malfunctioned water fountain that provided water to the park goers during a park cleaning exercise on August 20, infected the people with the disease. Through a step-by-step epistemological process, various samples collected revealed that the Fountain was the source of the contaminated water that all infected persons consumed directly after taking a swim at the Thompson Lake and through Fruit Concessions prepared using water from the Fountain.
The experimental process of epistemology incorporates various multiple steps that begin with a preliminary mapping of the information based on the interview information of the infected persons. The mapping process helps to provide the context of the focus areas of the study and establishing specific patterns of the behavior among the infected people. As such, it helps to determine the particular area of study that provides substantial evidence of the possible sources of the causal micro-organism. Therefore, for the Watersedge outbreak case, the process began with a careful review of the interview sessions of the infected people. After a careful mapping process, Thompsons Park emerged as the common denominator among all the persons infected. Notably, all the infected persons visited the park on the same day. In light of this observation, it was identified as the study area.
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The next step in the process involved a visit to the park to conduct a preliminary study of the area with the ultimate goal of establishing the possible points of contamination based on the mapping data. This step was important because it helped to conceptualize the possible transmission points in the mapped areas. The visit to the park yielded important information with the Fountain, the public swimming area, the ducks, and the Fruit Punch Refreshment shop identified as possible transmitters of the micro-organism. The Fountain was one of the most frequently visited areas by all the infected persons after the Fruit Punch spot. Therein, after a careful evaluation of these identified spots and a relative comparison of all the relevant data related to the epidemic, it was evident that the park held the answer to the epidemic. First, according to reports of the public health officials, the outbreak was probably spread through waterborne agents; therefore, the preceding steps included the collection of samples from various spots with water outlets for consumption by people.
The sample collection phase of the epistemological process is fundamentally important because it helps to provide scientific proof of the existence or lack thereof of epidemic causing micro-organisms. The whole process must ensure that the highly likely possible areas identified from the study area are incorporated as the priority areas for the sample collection phase. At this point, additional information from the public water health official was imminent to be able to ascertain the supply and distribution channels for all the water in the park. In the spirit of accurate deduction, a second interview process of the park, individual became essential, especially by persons who were present during the Summer Clean up exercise.
The step began the investigation process by interviewing the Fruit Punch waiter who was present at the day. The new information that he provided suggested that on the said day, the parlor used water from the Fountain to prepare the Fruit concessions sold to the volunteers on the day of the cleanup exercise. Interestingly, the Fountain, at this point, became an area of interest because it became certain that the entire infected person directly or indirectly consumed water from the Fountain. Therefore, the sample collection from the Fountain focused on acquiring samples from the location. Albeit the suspicions of the possibility of the Fountain being the contamination point, other possible transmission points such as the swimming area and nearby fountains were also part of the sampling areas. After completion of this sample collection stage, the last step involved the testing phase in determining if any of the collected samples contained micro-organisms that may have caused the epidemic.
Test results from the collected samples indicated the existence of the Cryptosporidium micro-organism in the water from the Fountain. All other samples tested negative for the micro-organism. As such a meeting with the public water official was of great importance to the investigation so as to explain how this was possible despite the water system of the whole town coming from singular source. The interview with the public water official revealed that an update of the entire water system did include the Fountain water system that still used an old well as the water source. After a closer look at the water network of the Fountain, it was found out that due to malfunctions of the filters the Fountain, the micro-organisms from a runoff cattle ran nearby proliferated into the water that was consumed on that day by all the infected persons. The runoff water from the cattle farm caused by heavy rains explains the existence of the parasite in the well water.
