Water-borne Diseases

04/07/15

WATER H2O
Our Earth is unique among the other
known planets.
It has water, which covers threefourths of its surface.
Water regenerates and is
redistributed through evaporation,
making it seem endlessly renewable.

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 Actually, only 1% of the world's water is usable to

us.
About 97% is salty sea water, and 2% is frozen in
glaciers and polar ice caps.
Thus that 1% of the world's water supply is a
precious commodity necessary for our survival.
Dehydration (lack of water) will kill us faster than
starvation (lack of food).
Since the plants and animals we eat also depend on
water, lack of it could cause both dehydration and
starvation.
Water that looks drinkable can contain harmful
elements, which could cause illness and death if
ingested.

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Diseases Related to
Water
Water-borne Diseases
Water-based Diseases
Water-washed Diseases
Water-related Diseases

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Water-borne Diseases
Diseases caused by ingestion of
water contaminated by human or
animal excrement, which contain
pathogenic microorganisms.
Include cholera, typhoid, amoebic and
bacillary dysentery and other
diarrheal diseases

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Diarrheal Diseases

Campylobacteriosis (Bacteria)
Shigellosis (Bacteria)
Viral Gastroenteritis (Virus)
Cyclosporiasis (Parasite)

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In addition, water-borne disease

can be caused by the pollution of
water with chemicals that have
an adverse effect on health

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Arsenic
Flouride
Nitrates from fertilizers
Carcinogenic pesticides (DDT)
Lead (from pipes)
Heavy Metals

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Water-washed Diseases
Diseases caused by poor personal
hygiene and skin and eye contact with
contaminated water
These include scabies, trachoma,
typhus, and other flea, lice and tickborne diseases.

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Water-based Diseases
Diseases caused by parasites found
in intermediate organisms living in
contaminated water.
Includes Schistosomiasis and
Dracunculiasis

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Water-related Diseases
Water-related diseases are caused by
insect vectors, especially mosquitoes,
that breed or feed near
contaminated water.
They are not typically associated
with lack of access to clean drinking
water or sanitation services
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 Include dengue, filariasis, malaria,

onchocerciasis, trypanosomiasis and
yellow fever

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Other Water-borne
diseases
Bathing
Swimming
Other recreational activities that
have water contact
Agriculture
Aquaculture

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The Problem
~80% of infectious diseases
> 5 million people die each year
> 2 million die from water-related
diarrhea alone
Most of those dying are small
children

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Other Consequences
Lost work days
Missed educational opportunities
Official and unofficial healthcare
costs
Draining of family resources

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Water Quality & Child Survival

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Control & Prevention

Global
Governments
Communities
Individuals

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Education Issues
Hygiene education
Good nutrition
Improvements in habitation and
general sanitation
Higher education training in waterrelated issues

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Global Surveillance
Public health infrastucture
Standardized surveillance of waterborne disease outbreaks
Guidelines must be established for
investigating and reporting waterborne diseases

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Communication and the

Media
Impacts at all levels
Very powerful, when others fail

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General Guidelines
Avoid contacting soil that may be
contaminated with human feces.
Do not defecate outdoors.
Dispose of diapers properly.

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 Wash hands with soap and water before

handling food.
When traveling to countries where
sanitation and hygiene are poor, avoid
water or food that may be contaminated.
Wash, peel or cook all raw vegetables and
fruits before eating.

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A Simple Rule of Thumb

Boil it,
cook it,
peel it,
or forget it

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The Future
Even if by the year 2015 the
proportion of people who are unable
to reach or to afford safe drinking
water is halved, between 34 and 76
million people, mostly children, will
die from preventable water-borne
diseases
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More Challenges
Developed countries and chlorineresistant microbes
Climate Changes
Economic barriers for developing
countries to sanitize large amounts
of water

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The Answer
Unmet human needs for water
Education
Commitment to the elimination of
specific diseases
Research

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Climate Change
Water scarcity compromises hygiene
Reduced water pressure increases
risk of back siphoning of
contaminated water
Floods causing breaching of barriers
between sewage and water systems

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 Warming/cooling changes distribution

of pathogens and vectors
Increased UV exposure resulting in
increased susceptability to disease
Increased mutation rates with
unpredictable effects on ecosystems
(pathogen development)

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