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Spit Test for a Healthier Planet: How EPA Science Uses Saliva to Understand Environmental Health Risks
Communities across the US continue to face challenges in managing environmental health risks, including those from waterborne pathogens, despite significant progress in water treatment and improved hygiene and sanitation systems. Traditional methods for assessing waterborne illness, like clinical tests of stool or blood samples, are often invasive and expensive, which can hinder science-based decision-making around prevention and mitigation of adverse exposures. This presentation highlights EPA research on an innovative, non-invasive, and cost-effective method to measure human infection from waterborne pathogens using salivary antibodies. This saliva-based approach has been utilized in studies, for example, to investigate changes in community health and waterborne disease that result from improved drinking water treatment and in research to better understand the relationship between recreational water quality and human illness. By linking pathogen concentrations in water to waterborne infections, this research can help communities better characterize water quality concerns, inform regulatory compliance efforts, and identify effective strategies for improving community health. This work advances EPA's commitment to protecting public health from environmental pollutants and supports accessible and efficient environmental health risk assessments with the ultimate goal of fostering healthier communities nationwide.
About Our Speaker
Shannon Griffin is a biologist at the U.S. EPA's Office of Research and Development, where she focuses on quantitative approaches to evaluate community health. Her work includes developing non-invasive methods using salivary antibody responses to detect environmental pathogens and molecular techniques for measuring microbial contaminants in various environmental settings. Beyond the lab, Shannon applies her knowledge to real-world challenges, leveraging Health Impact Assessments and translational science strategies, to empower community decision-making and foster significant community outreach and engagement. Shannon earned her BS and MS in biological sciences from the University of Cincinnati, where she is also currently pursuing a PhD in Epidemiology.
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About Science on Tap
Our mission is to bridge the gap between science educators, researchers and the public by providing a forum for individuals to learn about the latest scientific research and its practical applications. We are committed to promoting evidence-based thinking and policies through our monthly science education program, allowing our audiences to gain a deeper understanding of how science can positively impact our society.
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