How is Water Borne
diseases caused?
These diseases are caused
by pathogenic microorganisms which are commonly spread in contaminated fresh
water.
The microbes are derived usage
of water for cleaning, washing, human and animal wastes, natural pollutants
etc.
Because of this polluted
water various forms of waterborne diarrheal diseases occur.
Most
common water-borne diseases are: Typhoid fever, malaria, dysentery, diarrhea,
cholera, hepatitis, etc.
DISEASE CAUSING
MICROBES
Water
body contaminated with sewage or waste water is most likely to possess
pathogenic microbes fatal to humans when consumed and these microbes may be
bacteria, virus or protozoa. E. coli, Salmonella, Pseudomonas, Campylobacter
and Shigella (are some of the bacterial pathogens in water), Enterovirus,
Noravirus, rota virus (are some of the viral pathogens), Entamoeba, Giardia
lamblia are examples of possible parasitic pathogens in the water.
There
are many water borne pathogenic diseases identified like amoebiasis,
giardiasis, cryptosporidiosis, SARS, hepatitis A, botulism, cholera, dysentery,
E.coli infection, typhoid etc. posing potential health risk and many analytical
methods has been derived to detect the presence of such pathogens in the
drinking water.
Here are several ways to
prevent water-borne diseases:
·
Drink only
filtered/boiled water.
·
Store water in a clean
container,
·
Water jars/containers
should be washed daily.
·
Consume warm and home
cooked foods while avoiding street foods.
·
Always store foods/beverages
covered.
· Make sure that the pipes
and tanks that supply water to your house are properly maintained and clean.
·
Travelers should only
drink bottled water.
·
People suffering from
water-borne diseases should not go to work until fully recovered to avoid
spreading.