Water-borne diseases result in 3.4 million deaths per year which makes it one of the top causes of death across the globe. The majority of those affected by contamination by water is kids (about 2.2 million) suffering from ailments caused by the organisms that thrive in water resources because of pollution.
The climate change that is because of unplanned industrialization practices and a lack of waste management system can have a devastating effect on the water we have. Clean water is vital for our health and well-being as our bodies comprise 70% water.
What are the most common water-related diseases?
Water-related illnesses are caused by drinking water that is dirty or polluted water that can cause a variety of illnesses like diarrhoea dysentery, cholera, typhoid, and some serious ailments like the guinea-worm infection.
What are the main causes of water-related ailments?
Many of the illnesses related to water result from the absence of clean, safe water to drink and cook with. Other diseases are related to the lack of sanitation facilities and inadequate hygiene practices for personal hygiene that directly relate to the deficiency of clean water.
The two main causes of water-related illnesses are:
1. Pollution
The presence of high levels of chemicals including nitrates, nitrates, and heavy metals can be found in water sources due to pollution by industrial industries and/or the use of chemicals used in agriculture which can adversely impact the health of people.
2. Dirt and contamination
Bacteria, viruses and other parasitic organisms lurk in water and can cause illness. Many of the diseases that are caused by water are caused by coming in contact with human or animal excrement.
What are the different kinds of water-borne diseases?
1. Waterborne diseases
The spread of waterborne diseases occurs by drinking water that is contaminated or consume food items that have been cooked with water that is contaminated. Waterborne illnesses that are common include dysentery, cholera, typhoid gastroenteritis, hepatitis, and typhoid.
The majority of waterborne diseases are diarrheal disorders such as cryptosporidiosis and Giardiasis. These are by an intestinal parasite, causing symptoms such as severe diarrhea, muscle cramps, fever, nausea, weight loss, and dehydration. Typhoid and cholera are another diseases that are which are caused due to bacteria. It is a deadly form of diarrhea and can be fatal for those who are malnourished or have weak immunity.
2. Hygiene related illnesses
Water-washed illnesses are caused by bad hygiene in the home that result from a lack of water that is clean. Common water-washed ailments include Shigella, a skin infection as well as scabies and the trachoma eye infections that can be highly infectious.
3. Water-based organisms
The disease is transmitted by aquatic hosts for example, worms. They infiltrate the skin when cleansing or bathing in unclean water. Certain hosts, such as Salmonella enterica serotype, Typhi bacteria can infiltrate our body through drinking water. This could cause Typhoid which is a kind of a severe bacterial infection that causes vomiting, diarrhea as well as fever and jaundice.
In certain instances, water-related illnesses can be fatal. For instance, Schistosomiasis a fatal parasite that is based on water, disease that damages the lungs, liver and intestines as well as the bladder of a human body.
4. Insect that are water-based can cause diseases.
These illnesses are transmitted by insects that create habitats in the surface of stagnant sources of water. This is why the illnesses they cause aren’t so closely linked to water as diseases that are directly carried by water.
A few water-borne diseases include filariasis, malaria yellow fever, filariasis, and river blindness. The most prevalent of these, Malaria, is transmitted by mosquitoes, which reproduce on either brackish or fresh water.
The malarial parasite kills red blood cells and can cause muscle and headaches and nausea, diarrhea as well as jaundice. In extreme instances, malaria patients might experience convulsions, comas or kidney problems that lead to death. Malaria is among the biggest killers of the history of mankind.
5. Poor sanitation.
A few diseases are caused by inadequate sanitation practices. Hookworm can be contracted through contact with soil that has been contaminated, and contains a large amount of human Feces. Hookworm larvae infiltrate the human skin and reach out into the small intestine which is where they breed and grow in numbers.
It can cause itching and rashes, as well as diarrhea and cramps. But for pregnant women, children or those with malnutrition it may result in anemia, protein deficiency and slow growth.
How do you prevent water borne diseases?
Water-related illnesses are extremely avoidable. Here are some helpful tips for how to avoid developing water-related illness:
- Be sure you boil your drinking water, and filter it.
- Cleanse your hands thoroughly and adhere to proper hygiene practices.
- Don’t drink water that isn’t filtered. Always carry a filter for your portable or drink only boiling water when traveling to ensure that you drink water that is clean.
- Check that the stored water remains free of germs and clean with chlorinated disinfectants.
- Before bathing, make sure to add a few drops antiseptic water to remove harmful bacteria.
- Be sure to ensure that your food is cleaned with iodine, washed and cooked thoroughly prior to eating.
- Beware of eating from roadside food vendors.
- Immunize yourself to protect yourself from diseases that can be prevented by vaccination.
- Use insect repellent creams when walking or on the road.
Water-related ailments can be prevented easily. But, if you begin to are suffering from symptoms, it is required to call an expert in health to be diagnosed to ensure that treatment is recommended swiftly.
Travelling? Make sure you are immunized and avoid water-related illnesses!
If you’re a frequent traveler with a lot of time, you have a good chance of getting water-related illness. Our medical team at Epic Medical Diagnostics will help you get proper medical check up and diagnosis.