Waterborne Diseases

Introduction:

Every year, many people are affected by waterborne diseases, especially in developing countries. The problem lies with poor sanitation facilities and the supply of impure and contaminated water, and such demerits still prevail in some regions of developing countries, making the underprivileged and low socioeconomic groups vulnerable to waterborne diseases.

Diarrhea is the most common waterborne disease that has taken many lives in the past, and research reveals that it is the most common cause of death among children below five years of age when compared to other diseases like malaria, AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome), and measles. Hence, it is the duty of every public health professional to identify the problem related to the supply of pure and safe drinking water to every individual who lacks the facility, and proper sanitation measures need to be implemented to prevent the spread of waterborne and other communicable diseases.

What Are Waterborne Diseases?

Microorganisms like bacteria, viruses, and parasites cause diseases in humans by ingestion of contaminated water. Such diseases are called waterborne diseases. The waterborne diseases include:

1. Typhoid fever:

• Typhoid fever is highly contagious and more prevalent in developing nations where hygiene and sanitation facilities are compromised.

• Every year, 20 million people suffer from typhoid globally.

• Typhoid fever usually spreads from contaminated water, food, and poor sanitation facilities.

Symptoms Include:

1. Fever.

2. Muscle pain.

3. Fatigue.

4. Sweating.

5. Diarrhea or constipation.

Treatment and Prevention:

1. Typhoid is treated with antibiotics.

2. Vaccines are given to people who travel to areas that have poor access to safe and pure water and lack sanitation facilities.

3. Refrain from eating and drinking outside (street foods) in such areas.

2. Cholera:

• Cholera is mainly prevalent in areas where poverty and poor sanitation facilities are more common.

• This disease spreads through contaminated water.

• Cholera sometimes proves to be fatal soon after getting exposed to bacteria or some days after the exposure; however, very few develop complications.

Symptoms Include:

1. Nausea and vomiting.

2. Dehydration.

3. Diarrhea.

4. Cramping in the muscles.

Prevention and Treatment:

1. Drinking safe and pure water.

2. Maintaining proper hygiene by washing hands, especially during traveling.

3. Preferring cooked food over raw food.

4. Avoiding fruits and vegetables that require complex cleaning and prefer the ones that can be peeled off easily, like oranges and bananas, during traveling.

3. Giardia:

• Giardia is a waterborne disease that is most commonly caused by the transmission of infection through contaminated water and water bodies like ponds, swimming pools, and streams by a giardia parasite.

Symptoms Include:

1. Abdominal pain.

2. Abdominal cramps and bloating

3. Diarrhea.

4. Nausea and vomiting

5. Unexplained weight loss.

Prevention and Treatment:

1. Giardiasis does not have the vaccine. However, the infection can be prevented by maintaining good hygiene by washing hands properly and drinking boiled water.

2. Refrain from swallowing the pool water during swimming.

3. The infection is usually treated by antiparasitic and antibiotic medications.

4. People of low socioeconomic status and living in poverty are most likely to be affected due to poor hygiene practices, and these communities fail to afford the treatment.

5. Hence, community preventive measures like constructing water sources that are safe, educating good hygiene practices, and providing all necessary sanitation facilities and resources to the underserved should be implemented.

4. Diarrhea:

• Diarrhea is a waterborne disease that occurs due to ingestion of contaminated water and food or by coming in contact with infected fecal matter in places with poor sanitation and hygiene facilities.

• The disease is mainly caused by viruses, bacteria, or parasites.

Symptoms Include:

1. Stomach pain.

2. Cramps in the stomach.

3. Diarrhea.

4. Nausea and vomiting.

5. Dehydration.

6. Presence of blood or mucous in the stool.

Treatment and Prevention:

1. The dehydrated patient needs immediate fluid replacement.

2. Stomach cramps are treated with medications like Pepto-Bismol.

3. Cholera infection is usually treated with antibiotics.

4. Proper hygiene practices should be practiced, which include washing hands with soap before and after having food.

5. Avoid using ice while drinking water and juices.

6. Refrain from eating outside and having fruits that can be self-peeled.

7. Avoid drinking water from public places and prefer drinking from sealed water bottles.

5. E. Coli (Escherichia Coli):

• E. coli is a bacteria that causes waterborne diseases when the bacteria in contaminated water or fecal matter enters the digestive system.

• Some strains of E. coli are beneficial, and some are harmful.

• Some good strains form a part of healthy gut bacteria in humans.

Symptoms Include:

1. Nausea and Vomiting.

2. Diarrhea.

3. Stomach pain and cramps.

4. Bloody diarrhea.

5. Most of the bacteria get eliminated through feces.

Treatment and Prevention:

1. Dehydration to be corrected by consuming plenty of fluids to replenish the body.

2. Adequate rest is advised.

3. The patient is given antibiotics and anti-diarrheal medications.

4. Young children and the elderly are monitored closely as they are at high risk of developing life-threatening complications.

5. People with a history of consuming contaminated water or food with developing symptoms should be referred to medical care immediately.

6. Refrain from having water from ponds and rivers, which are at high risk of contamination from human and animal fecal matter.

7. Always use sealed water bottles for drinking.

8. Practice hand washing habits before having food thoroughly with soap.

9. Non-veg food should be cooked thoroughly.

10. Fruits and vegetables are to be washed thoroughly in clean water.

6. Hepatitis A:

• Hepatitis A is also a waterborne disease which mainly involves the liver.

• The infection enters the liver by consumption of contaminated water or food or can be spread from an infected individual.

• This is more prevalent in developing countries and in regions where good sanitation facilities and safe water availability are lacking.

• The symptoms resolve within a few weeks; however, in some cases, the infection tends to remain for several months.

Symptoms Include:

1. Fever.

2. Nausea and vomiting.

3. Abdominal pain in the region of the liver.

4. Tiredness.

5. Decreased appetite.

6. Jaundice.

7. Clay-colored stools.

Treatment and Prevention:

1. Vaccination against Hepatitis A serves as the mainstay in preventing the occurrence of hepatitis A infection.

2. Refrain from consuming undercooked or raw food. Instead, have hot and thoroughly cooked food.

3. Avoid eating food outside and consume fruits or vegetables which can be self-peeled.

4. Avoid alcohol consumption.

5. Adequate rest is beneficial, and drinking plenty of water is encouraged.

6. The patient can recover completely in three months. Once a person is exposed to the viral infection, the body gets ready to fight against the infection in the near future due to the registered memory of the immune system, and the patient need not suffer again.

7. Salmonella:

• Salmonella infection most commonly occurs by consuming contaminated water and food.

• The infection can enter the body by consuming foods like egg products, fruits, vegetables, and undercooked meat.

• Children, pregnant women, and the elderly with decreased immunity are more likely to be affected.

Symptoms Include:

1. Blood in the stools.

2. Fever, chills.

3. Headache.

4. Diarrhea.

5. Stomach pain.

Treatment and Prevention:

1. The infection is addressed by administering antibiotics.

2. Fluid replacement should be initiated as soon as possible to correct dehydration.

3. Food should be properly cooked and served hot.

4. Hands should be washed properly among children after coming home.

5. Children should refrain from touching birds and other animals and should be advised to wash hands at regular intervals.

Conclusion:

Many water bodies end up being polluted by human and animal fecal matter and the industrial wastes that are directly released into them, thus turning the water into a potential medium for harboring the pathogens responsible for spreading various diseases among humans. Hence, public health sectors play a crucial role in improving the sanitation facilities in the areas that are deprived of them, educating the public living in low socioeconomic backgrounds to practice and maintain good hygiene, regularly monitoring the water bodies by detecting the contamination sources and adopting the cost-effective disinfectant approaches on a regular basis to prevent the spread of diseases.