Waterborne diseases
Waterborne diseases
| Subclass of | infectious disease  |
|---|---|
| Has cause | water pollution, microorganism, virus |
| Has immediate cause | water-borne transmission |
| Health specialty | infectious diseases |
| Symptoms and signs | diarrhea |
| Has contributing factor | poverty |
| Relates to sustainable development goal, target or indicator | Target 3.3 of the Sustainable Development Goals |
Waterborne diseases be diseases wey pathogenic micro-organisms like bacteria, viruses, protozoa, den parasitic worms dey cause. Dem dey spread thru water wey get contamination. Chaw of dese micro-organisms be intestinal parasites wey fit enter body tissues anaa circulatory system thru de walls of digestive tract.
Some oda waterborne diseases dey come from viruses too. Oda important types of waterborne diseases dey cam from metazoan parasites. Common examples dey include sam nematoda (roundworms), wey fit cause sickness like dracunculiasis anaa guinea worm disease. Oda types of metazoan pathogens dey include Schistosomatidae, family of blood flukes.
Apart from pathogens, water contamination sanso fi cam from chemical pollutants like volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Dis one dey include benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, den xylenes, wey fit enter water lines thru industrial dumping, pipeline leaks, jet fuel spills, anaa plastic pipes wey heat damage.
Dese diseases fit spread wen person bath, wash, drink, anaa chop chow wey touch contaminated water. E dey very common for developing countries wey no get clean water, sanitation, den hygiene (WASH). Even though diarrhea den vomiting be de most common symptoms, oda symptoms include nausea, stomach cramps, fever, den problems for skin, ear, breathing system, anaa eyes.
When water get VOC contamination, e link to headaches, nausea, tumor formation, den even increase cancer risk, wey dey include leukemia.
So, de best way to prevent waterborne diseases be make people get reliable access to clean drinking water den proper sanitation. Dis one include better sanitation systems, chlorination, vaccination, den sustainable technology like solar-powered desalination. Infrastructure improvement like changing bad plastic pipes to metal ones for wildfire-prone areas sanso fi reduce contamination.
Billions of people still no get access to clean water, so prevention be very important. Waterborne diseases dey cause plenty death den disability, especially for developing regions, den e sanso dey put economic pressure on affected communities. Climate change dey increase risk too secof droughts den flooding wey fit spread contamination den affect vulnerable people badly. Surveillance systems like de ones for United States dey help monitor den prevent disease outbreaks. Historically, improvement insyd sanitation, filtration, chlorination, den microbiology help understand den control these diseases.
Diseases by type of pathogen
[edit | edit source]Protozoa
[edit | edit source]| Disease den transmission[1][2] | Microbial agent | Sources of agent insyd water supply | General symptoms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acanthamoeba keratitis (cleaning of contact lenses with contaminated water) | Acanthamoeba spp. (A. castellanii and A. polyphaga) | widely distributed free-living amoebae dem find insyd chaw types of aquatic environments, wey dey include surface water, tap water, swimming pools, den contact lens solutions | Eye pain, eye redness, blurred vision, sensitivity to light, sensation of something insyd de eye, den excessive tearing |
| Amoebiasis (hand-to-mouth) | Protozoan (Entamoeba histolytica) (Cyst-like appearance) | Sewage, non-treated drinking water, flies insyd water supply, saliva transfer(if de oda person get de disease) | Abdominal discomfort, fatigue, weight loss, diarrhea, bloating, fever |
| Cryptosporidiosis (oral) | Protozoan (Cryptosporidium parvum) | Collects on water filters den 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, nausea |
| Cyclosporiasis | Protozoan parasite (Cyclospora cayetanensis) | Sewage, non-treated drinking water | cramps, nausea, vomiting, muscle aches, fever, and fatigue |
| Giardiasis (fecal-oral) (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 create ponds that act as reservoirs for Giardia. | Diarrhea, abdominal discomfort, bloating, and flatulence |
| Microsporidiosis | Protozoan phylum (Microsporidia), but closely related to fungi | Encephalitozoon intestinalis has been detected in groundwater, the origin of drinking water[3] | Diarrhea and wasting in immunocompromised individuals. |
| Naegleriasis (primary amebic meningoencephalitis [PAM]) (nasal) | Protozoan (Naegleria fowleri) (Cyst-like appearance) | Watersports, non-chlorinated water | Headache, vomiting, confusion, loss of balance, light sensitivity, hallucinations, fatigue, weight loss, fever, and coma |
Bacteria
[edit | edit source]| Disease and transmission[4][5] | Microbial agent | Sources of agent in water supply | General symptoms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Botulism | Clostridium botulinum | Bacteria can enter an open wound from contaminated water sources. Can enter the gastrointestinal tract through consumption of contaminated drinking water or (more commonly) food | Dry mouth, blurred and/or double vision, difficulty swallowing, muscle weakness, difficulty breathing, slurred speech, vomiting and sometimes diarrhea. Death is usually caused by respiratory failure. |
| Campylobacteriosis | Most commonly caused by Campylobacter jejuni | Drinking water contaminated with feces | Produces dysentery-like symptoms along with a high fever. Usually lasts 2–10 days. |
| Cholera | Spread by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae | Drinking water contaminated with the bacterium | In severe forms it is known to be one of the most rapidly fatal illnesses known. Symptoms include very watery diarrhea, nausea, cramps, nosebleed, rapid pulse, vomiting, and hypovolemic shock (in severe cases), at which point death can occur in 12–18 hours. |
| E. coli Infection | Certain strains of Escherichia coli (commonly E. coli) | Water contaminated with the bacteria | Mostly diarrhea. Can cause death in immunocompromised individuals, the very young, and the elderly due to dehydration from prolonged illness. |
| M. marinum infection | Mycobacterium marinum | Naturally occurs in water, most cases from exposure in swimming pools or more frequently aquariums; rare infection since it mostly infects immunocompromised individuals | Symptoms include lesions typically located on the elbows, knees, and feet (from swimming pools) or lesions on the hands (aquariums). Lesions may be painless or painful. |
| Dysentery | Caused by a number of species in the genera Shigella and Salmonella with the most common being Shigella dysenteriae | Water contaminated with the bacterium | Frequent passage of feces with blood and/or mucus and in some cases vomiting of blood. |
| Legionellosis (two distinct forms: Legionnaires' disease and Pontiac fever) | Caused by bacteria belonging to genus Legionella (90% of cases caused by Legionella pneumophila) | Legionella is a very common organism that reproduces to high numbers in warm water;[6] but only causes severe disease when aerosolized.[7] | Pontiac fever produces milder symptoms resembling acute influenza without pneumonia. Legionnaires' disease has severe symptoms such as fever, chills, pneumonia (with cough that sometimes produces sputum), ataxia, anorexia, muscle aches, malaise and occasionally diarrhea and vomiting |
| Leptospirosis | Caused by bacterium of genus Leptospira | Water contaminated by the animal urine carrying the bacteria | Begins with flu-like symptoms then resolves. The second phase then occurs involving meningitis, liver damage (causes jaundice), and kidney failure |
| Otitis Externa (swimmer's ear) | Caused by a number of bacterial and fungal species. | Swimming in water contaminated by the responsible pathogens | Ear canal swells, causing pain and tenderness to the touch |
| Salmonellosis | Caused by many bacteria of genus Salmonella | Drinking water contaminated with the bacteria. More common as a food borne illness. | Symptoms include diarrhea, fever, vomiting, and abdominal cramps |
| Typhoid fever | Salmonella typhi | Ingestion of water contaminated with feces of an infected person | Characterized by sustained fever up to 40 °C (104 °F), profuse sweating; diarrhea, muscle aches, fatigue, and constipation may occur. Symptoms progress to delirium, and the spleen and liver enlarge if untreated. In this case, it can last up to four weeks and cause death. Some people with typhoid fever develop a rash called "rose spots", small red spots on the abdomen and chest. |
| Vibrio Illness | Vibrio vulnificus, Vibrio alginolyticus, and Vibrio parahaemolyticus | Can enter wounds from contaminated water. Also acquired by drinking contaminated water or eating undercooked oysters. | Symptoms include abdominal tenderness, agitation, bloody stools, chills, confusion, difficulty paying attention (attention deficit), delirium, fluctuating mood, hallucination, nosebleeds, severe fatigue, slow, sluggish, lethargic feeling, weakness. |
Viruses
[edit | edit source]
| Disease and transmission[3][8][1][9][10] | Viral agent | Sources of agent in water supply | General symptoms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hepatitis A | Hepatitis A virus (HAV) | Can manifest itself in water (and food) | Symptoms are only acute (no chronic stage to the virus) and include Fatigue, fever, malaise, abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea, weight loss, itching, jaundice, and depression. |
| Hepatitis E (fecal-oral) | Hepatitis E virus (HEV) | Enters water through the feces of infected individuals | Symptoms of acute hepatitis (liver disease), including fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, jaundice, dark urine, clay-colored stool, and joint pain |
| Acute gastrointestinal illness [AGI] (fecal-oral; spread by food, water, person-to-person, and fomites) | Norovirus | Enters water through the feces of infected individuals | Diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, stomach pain |
| Poliomyelitis (Polio) | Poliovirus | Enters water through the feces of infected individuals | 90–95% of patients show no symptoms, 4–8% have minor symptoms (comparatively) with delirium, headache, fever, and occasional seizures, and spastic paralysis, 1% have symptoms of non-paralytic aseptic meningitis. The rest have serious symptoms resulting in paralysis or death |
| Polyomavirus infection | Two of Polyomavirus: JC virus and BK virus | Very widespread, can manifest itself in water, ~80% of the population has antibodies to Polyomavirus | BK virus produces a mild respiratory infection and can infect the kidneys of immunosuppressed transplant patients. JC virus infects the respiratory system, kidneys or can cause progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy in the brain (which is fatal). |
Algae
[edit | edit source]| Disease and transmission[11] | Microbial agent | Sources of agent in water supply | General symptoms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Desmodesmus infection | desmodesmus armatus | Naturally occurs in water. Can enter open wounds. | Similar to fungal infection. |
Parasitic worms
[edit | edit source]| Disease and transmission[12][1] | Agent | Sources of agent in water supply | General symptoms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dracunculiasis [Guinea worm disease] (ingestion of contaminated water.) | Dracunculus medinensis | Female worm emerges from host skin and releases larvae in water. | Slight fever, itchy rash, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, followed by formation of painful blister (typically on lower body parts) |
| Schistosomiasis [an infection with the parasitic worm Schistosoma](ingestion or swimming in contaminated water.) [13] | Schistosoma | The worm enters your body through the skin and spreads throughout your body through the blood stream. [13] | Rash, itching, flu-like symptoms, stomach pain, muscle aches, loss of appetite, vomiting blood, and neurological symptoms. [13] |
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC)
[edit | edit source]| Disease and transmission | VOC | Sources of agent in water supply | General symptoms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leukemia | Any volatile compounds such as
benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes. [14] |
Water used as dumping grounds of VOCs, causing contamination; pipeline bursts; jet fuel leakage. [15] | Headache, fever, nausea, formation of tumors. [14] |
References
[edit | edit source]- 1 2 3 Guidelines for drinking-water quality. World Health Organization (Fourth edition incorporating the first addendum ed.). Geneva. 2017. ISBN 978-92-4-154995-0. OCLC 975491910.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: others (link) - ↑ Baldursson S, Karanis P (December 2011). "Waterborne transmission of protozoan parasites: review of worldwide outbreaks - an update 2004-2010". Water Research. 45 (20): 6603–14. Bibcode:2011WatRe..45.6603B. doi:10.1016/j.watres.2011.10.013. PMID 22048017.
- 1 2 Nwachcuku N, Gerba CP (June 2004). "Emerging waterborne pathogens: can we kill them all?" (PDF). Current Opinion in Biotechnology. 15 (3): 175–80. Bibcode:2004COBt...15..175N. doi:10.1016/j.copbio.2004.04.010. PMC 7134665. PMID 15193323. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-03-07. Retrieved 2007-08-09.
- ↑ Dziuban EJ, Liang JL, Craun GF, Hill V, Yu PA, Painter J, et al. (December 2006). "Surveillance for waterborne disease and outbreaks associated with recreational water--United States, 2003-2004". Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Surveillance Summaries. 55 (12): 1–30. PMID 17183230. Archived from the original on 29 October 2017.
- ↑ Petrini B (October 2006). "Mycobacterium marinum: ubiquitous agent of waterborne granulomatous skin infections". European Journal of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases. 25 (10): 609–13. doi:10.1007/s10096-006-0201-4. PMID 17047903. S2CID 7485002.
- ↑ "Legionnaires' Disease eTool: Facts and FAQs". www.osha.gov. Archived from the original on 15 November 2017. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
- ↑ "Legionella - Causes and Transmission - Legionnaires - CDC". www.cdc.gov. 8 December 2017. Archived from the original on 25 March 2016. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
- ↑ Nwachuku N, Gerba CP, Oswald A, Mashadi FD (September 2005). "Comparative inactivation of adenovirus serotypes by UV light disinfection" (PDF). Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 71 (9): 5633–6. Bibcode:2005ApEnM..71.5633N. doi:10.1128/AEM.71.9.5633-5636.2005. PMC 1214670. PMID 16151167. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2007-09-26.
- ↑ Gall AM, Mariñas BJ, Lu Y, Shisler JL (June 2015). "Waterborne Viruses: A Barrier to Safe Drinking Water". PLOS Pathogens. 11 (6) e1004867. doi:10.1371/journal.ppat.1004867. PMC 4482390. PMID 26110535.
- ↑ "Hepatitis A". www.who.int (in English). Retrieved 2020-11-19.
- ↑ Westblade LF, Ranganath S, Dunne WM, Burnham CA, Fader R, Ford BA (March 2015). "Infection with a chlorophyllic eukaryote after a traumatic freshwater injury". The New England Journal of Medicine. 372 (10): 982–4. doi:10.1056/NEJMc1401816. PMID 25738686.
- ↑ Janovy J, Schmidt GD, Roberts LS (1996). Gerald D. Schmidt & Larry S. Roberts' Foundations of parasitology. Dubuque, Iowa: Wm. C. Brown. ISBN 978-0-697-26071-0.
- 1 2 3 Cleveland Clinic. "Schistosomiasis".
- 1 2 "AJPH". American Journal of Public Health (in English). doi:10.2105/AJPH.80.10.1209. Retrieved 2026-02-26.
- ↑ Crane-Murdoch, Sierra (2014-04-05). "Looking for Answers in a Town Known for Leukemia". The Atlantic (in English). Retrieved 2026-02-26.
External links
[edit | edit source]
Wikimedia Commons get media wey relate to Waterborne diseases.
- Water-related Diseases, Contaminants, and Injuries Listing of water-related diseases, contaminants and injuries with alphabetical index, listing by type of disease (bacterial, parasitic, etc.) and listing by symptoms caused (diarrhea, skin rash, and many more ) including links to other resources (CDC's Healthy Water site)
- World Health Organization (WHO) "Water-Related Diseases"