Greta Jimenez
Waterborne diseases are infections transmitted through contact with or consumption of microbially polluted water. Many bacterial diseases can be transmitted through water contaminated with faeces, including cholera, typhoid fever, bacillary dysentery, and diarrheogenic E. coli.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| How transmitted | Through contact with or consumption of microbially polluted water |
| How water becomes contaminated | Contaminated with faeces of patients |
| Bacteria present | Escherichia coli, Cryptosporidium parvum, cholera, typhoid fever, bacillary dysentery |
| Symptoms | Watery or bloody diarrhoea, abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting, fever, kidney failure, death |
Cholera
The risk of a cholera epidemic is highest when poverty, war or natural disasters force people to live in crowded conditions without adequate sanitation. People living in places with unsafe drinking water, poor sanitation, and inadequate hygiene are at the highest risk of cholera. Modern sewage and water treatment have virtually eliminated cholera in industrialised countries. However, cholera still exists in Africa, Southeast Asia and Haiti.
Most people exposed to the cholera bacterium don't become ill and don't know they've been infected. Researchers estimate that there are 1.3 to 4 million cases and 21,000 to 143,000 deaths from cholera worldwide each year. Person-to-person transmission is not common.
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Typhoid fever
Symptoms of typhoid fever may be mild or severe and may include fever, headache, constipation or diarrhoea, rose-coloured spots on the trunk of the body, and an enlarged spleen and liver. It is common for symptoms to go away and then appear again.
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Bacillary dysentery
Waterborne diseases are infections transmitted through contact with or consumption of microbially polluted water. Many infections are transmitted by microbes or parasites that have entered the water.
Salmonellosis caused by Salmonella enterica (serovar Typhimurium) has also been described as a cause of bacillary dysentery, though this definition is less common. It is sometimes listed as an explicit differential diagnosis of bacillary dysentery, as opposed to a cause.
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Diarrheogenic E. coli
Waterborne diseases are infections transmitted through contact with or consumption of microbially polluted water. One such disease is Diarrheogenic E. coli, which is caused by the bacteria Escherichia coli. This disease can be transmitted by contaminated water or by person-to-person contact via the faecal-oral route.
Escherichia coli is a diverse group of bacteria with many different serotypes, including E. coli O157:H7. While some people exhibit no symptoms, most experience watery or bloody diarrhoea, abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting, and fever. In 2-7% of those who acquire the E. coli O157:H7 infection, hemolytic uremic syndrome may develop, causing kidney failure and sometimes death. This syndrome is particularly common in children under the age of five, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems. Some E. coli serotypes are thought to cause chronic diarrhoea in HIV-infected patients.
The presence of pathogenic bacteria in water is sporadic and erratic, and the levels are typically low. This makes the isolation and culture of these bacteria challenging, and routine water microbiological analysis does not include the detection of pathogenic bacteria. However, it is crucial that drinking water is free from pathogenic bacteria to ensure safe consumption.
To address this challenge, indicator bacteria have been discovered and tested. Microbiological water analysis focuses on the behaviour of bacteria in their hosts and the environment, as well as the advantages and limitations of using them as markers. For example, in the case of Cryptosporidium parvum, an ineffective filtration process in a municipal water treatment plant led to an outbreak in Milwaukee, USA, in 1993. This highlights the importance of effective filtration processes in preventing the transmission of waterborne diseases like Diarrheogenic E. coli.
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Cryptosporidium
The symptoms of cryptosporidiosis, the disease caused by Cryptosporidium, include watery diarrhoea, stomach cramps, nausea, and vomiting. These symptoms can last for up to two weeks in healthy individuals. In people with weakened immune systems, such as those with HIV/AIDS or cancer, the infection can be more severe and even life-threatening.
There is no specific treatment for cryptosporidiosis. The main focus of management is to prevent dehydration by replacing lost fluids and electrolytes. In severe cases, hospitalisation may be required for intravenous fluid replacement.
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Frequently asked questions
Campylobacteriosis, Escherichia coli (diarrheogenic E. coli) and typhoid fever.
Bloody diarrhoea, cramping, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and fever.
Escherichia coli can be transmitted by contaminated water or by person-to-person via the fecal-oral route.
It is rare in industrialised countries, but it is well-known in extremely poor parts of developing nations. It is estimated that up to 20 million people worldwide suffer from the illness each year.
