Agricultural practices, climatic factors and health consequences
Agricultural soils as potential habitat for human pathogens

Human activities have an impact on agroecosystems. For example, farming practices can limit or, on the contrary, increase the persistence of pathogens in soils (figure 4 ). Furthermore, as open systems, soils are subject to the vagaries of climate. Weather conditions can also have an impact on pathogen persistence. This section discusses the impact of these various factors on pathogens, and suggests ways in which sanitary risks can be managed from primary production onwards.