Prevalence and Levels of Pathogens in Irrigation Water Used in the League of Arab States: A Systematic Review Protocol

Abdellatif, Gaber; Mateo-Sagasta, Javier

Prevalence and Levels of Pathogens in Irrigation Water Used in the League of Arab States: A Systematic Review Protocol

Autores

Abdellatif, Gaber

Mateo-Sagasta, Javier

Editor

Collaboration for Environmental Evidence

Descripción

The Arab region faces a severe water security crisis, accounting for 6% of the global population but holding less than 1% of renewable freshwater (Wang et al. 2024). This scarcity, driven by rapid population growth and climate change, has forced a dangerous reliance on dwindling groundwater and unconventional sources (Mateo-Sagasta et al. 2022). However, the challenge is not merely one of quantity, but also of rapidly deteriorating quality. A widening "pollution gap" has emerged, as investments in wastewater treatment and pollution control fail to keep pace with increasing discharge loads. This is exacerbated by water scarcity itself; reduced river flows and declining water tables lead to higher pollutant concentrations and issues such as aquifer salinization, compromising traditional irrigation sources (Yan et al. 2025; Malakar et al. 2019). Irrigation water in the region is drawn from rivers, lakes, and aquifers, each facing anthropogenic pressures from industrial discharge, agricultural runoff, and inadequate municipal sewage management (Haddaoui and Mateo-Sagasta 2021). Among these contaminants, pathogenic indicators represent the most immediate threat to public health. While chemical pollutants pose long-term risks, microbial contamination can trigger rapid outbreaks, particularly from crops consumed raw (Ayed et al. 2024; Deblais et al. 2024; UN WATER 2024). A critical emerging dimension of this threat is antimicrobial resistance (AMR). ESBL-producing E. coli serves as a key indicator, as these bacteria resist most common antibiotics. Their presence is now a vital benchmark for assessing whether irrigation water is introducing drug-resistant pathogens into the food supply. To address these water shortages, treated wastewater reuse has become a significant trend within the circular economy. However, this introduces risks regarding treatment efficacy; poor effluent quality renders reuse potentially unsafe. Quantifying pathogen prevalence and monitoring markers like ESBL-producing E. coli are essential for setting realistic regional safety standards and prioritizing infrastructure investments.