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Waterborne diseases
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Waterborne diseases are caused by pathogenic microorganisms which are directly transmitted when contaminated drinking water is consumed. Contaminated drinking water, used in the preparation of food, can be the source of foodborne disease through consumption of the same microorganisms. According to the World Health Organization, diarrheal disease accounts for an estimated 4.1% of the total DALY global burden of disease and is responsible for the deaths of 1.8 million people every year.
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Encyclopedia
Waterborne diseases are caused by pathogenic microorganisms which are directly transmitted when contaminated drinking water is consumed. Contaminated drinking water, used in the preparation of food, can be the source of foodborne disease through consumption of the same microorganisms. According to the World Health Organization, diarrheal disease accounts for an estimated 4.1% of the total DALY global burden of disease and is responsible for the deaths of 1.8 million people every year. It was estimated that 88% of that burden is attributable to unsafe water supply, sanitation and hygiene, and is mostly concentrated in children in developing countries.
Waterborne disease can be caused by protozoa, viruses, or bacteria, many of which are intestinal parasites.
Protozoal infections below
| Disease and Transmission | Microbial Agent | Sources of Agent in Water Supply | General Symptoms | | Amoebiasis (hand-to-mouth) | Protozoan (Entamoeba histolytic) (Cyst-like appearance) | Sewage, non-treated drinking water, flies in water supply | Abdominal discomfort, fatigue, weight loss, diarrhea, gas pains
Fever, abdominal pain | | Cryptosporidiosis (oral) | Protozoan (Cryptosporidium parvum) | Collects on water filters and membranes that cannot be disinfected, animal manure, seasonal runoff of water. | Flu-like symptoms, watery diarrhea, loss of appetite, substantial loss of weight, bloating, increased gas, stomach | | Cyclosporiasis | Protozoan parasite (Cyclospora cayetanensis) | Sewage, non-treated drinking water | cramps, nausea, vomiting, muscle aches, low-grade fever, and fatigue | | Giardiasis (oral-fecal) (hand-to-mouth) | Protozoan (Giardia lamblia) Most common intestinal parasite | Untreated water, poor disinfection, pipe breaks, leaks, groundwater contamination, campgrounds where humans and wildlife use same source of water. Beavers and muskrats act as a reservoir for Giardia. | Diarrhea, abdominal discomfort, bloating, gas and gas pains | | Microsporidiosis | Protozoan (Microsporidia), but closely related to fungi | The genera of Encephalitozoon intestinalis has been detected in groundwater, and the origin of drinking water retard syndrome or sometimes malaria | | |
Parasitic Infections
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! Disease and Transmission
! Microbial Agent
! Sources of Agent in Water Supply
! General Symptoms
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| Schistosomiasis (immersion)
| Schistosoma
| Contaminated fresh water with certain types of snails that carry schistosomes
| Rash or itchy skin. Fever, chills, cough, and muscle aches
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| dracunculiasis
| dracanculus medinensis
| drinking water containing infective cyclops
| allergic reaction,urticaria rash, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, asthmatic attack.
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| taeniasis solium
| taenia solium
| contaminated drinking water with eggs
| intestinal disturbances, neurologic manifestations, loss of weight, cysticercosis
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| fasciolopsis
| fasciola
| contaminated drinking water with encysted metacercaria
| GIT disturbance, diarrhea, liver enlargement, cholangitis, cholecystitis, obstructive jaundice.
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| hymenolepiasis nana
| hymenolepis nana
| contaminated drinking water with eggs
| mild GIT symptoms, nervous manifestation
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| hyatidosis
| echinococcus granulosus
| contaminated drinking water with eggs
| hyatid cyst press on bile duct and blood vessels, if it ruptured cause anaphylactic shock.
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| coenurosis
| multiceps multiceps
| contaminated drinking water with eggs
| increases intacranial tension
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| ascariasis
| ascaris lumbricoides
| contaminated drinking water with eggs
| Loefflers syndrome in lung, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, malnutrition, underdevelopment,
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| enterobiasis
| entrobius vermicularis
| contaminated drinking water with eggs
| peri-anal itch, nervous irritability, hyperactivity and insomnia
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| Disease | Morbidity
(cases per year) | Mortality
(deaths per year) |
|---|
| | 1,500,000,000 | 100,000 | | Schistosomiasis | 200,000,000 | 200,000 |
Bacterial infections
- Botulism - Clostridium botulinum bacteria - gastro-intestinal food/water borne; can grow in food
- Cholera - Vibrio cholerae bacteria - gastro-intestinal often waterborne
- Diarrheal disease due to E. coli.
- Dysentery - Shigella/Salmonella bacteria - gastro-intestinal food/water
- Typhoid - Salmonella typhi bacteria - gastro-intestinal water/food borne. Salmonellosis - due to many Salmonella species. Water/food/direct contact borne.
Viral Infections
- Hepatitis A - Hepatitis A virus - gastro-intestinal water/food borne
- Picobimaviruses - associated with Gastroenteritis in AIDS patients, children and elderlies.
- Polio - polioviruses - gastro-intestinal exposure to untreated
- Small Round Structured Virus
Academic resources
- Journal of Water and Health, ISSN: 1477-8920, IWA Publishing
See also
External links
- - A series of the ISO standards
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- gives a rating of water safety worldwide
- Genome information on Shigella and Salmonella is available at the
- Summary of the 10 deadliest water borne diseases
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