A large proportion of Europeans do not have access to safe drinking water. Furthermore, the health of the entire European population is at risk from pathogenic organisms and toxins found in lakes, rivers and reservoirs used to supply drinking water and for recreation.
Most pathogens are small and occur in low numbers, making them very difficult to measure directly. Moreover, climate change and mass migration from Africa and Asia are expected to alter the ecological balance, likely causing the re-emergence of water-related pathogens. To cope with the changing situation, Europe needs to implement a reliable system for the sensitive, early detection of waterborne pathogens and toxins.
Further details: New universal microarray for freshwater pathogen testing