Water Borne Diseases Causes And Prevention

The primary aim of water treatment is to make it safe for human consumption. This means that treatment processes are vital in the elimination of the harmful constituents that may lead to ill health. These include both inorganic and inorganic particles. To guarantee safety, it is to understand the causes and prevention of water-borne infections.

Microorganisms account for the greatest cases of waterborne diseases. In most infections, the one greatest symptom observable in the affected is gastrointestinal complications. However, several other compilations can also be reported that pose a greater danger to the affected individuals.

Waterborne illnesses refer to sicknesses and general medical conditions that are the result of the consumption of contaminated water. The conditions may range from mild to serious ones that may lead to death. While the infections are most rampant in developing countries, several water-related illnesses have been reported even in the first world nations. For instance, in the US a fairly large percentage of the contamination-related cases are microorganisms.

Over the past three decades, the United States has experienced several outbreaks with microorganisms such as Legionella and Cryptosporidium being named the culprit.

The diseases are mostly brought about by scarcity of water as a resource, leading to the use of unclean water. Hence, the illnesses from the contaminants are most rampant in developing countries. This is because access to clean water is often limited. Furthermore, only low, insufficient, or nonexistent treatment technologies are often available in such settings. The widespread presence of the infections is also exacerbated by high poverty levels, which add to the inefficiencies in water treatment technologies. Largely unsanitary areas such as slums also experience a greater potential for water contamination.

The main causes of these diseases are microorganisms such as bacteria and viruses and protozoa. Many types of these microorganisms do not lead to infections and are therefore harmless. However, this does not mean that they do not impart certain undesirable qualities to a water body. For instance, some types of algae known as cyanobacteria do not cause infections. Instead, cause problems with the physical conditions by changing color, smell, and taste. The elimination of these might often lead to additional costs of purification. Furthermore, this illustrates the possible ways through which microorganisms may affect water in different ways.

Protozoa are microorganisms that are often naturally occurring in untreated water dies and other humid environments. Furthermore, they are often hardy, a characteristic that enables them to cope with harsh environmental conditions till maturity. These microbes are also a culprit to extensive cases of gastrointestinal illnesses with several thousands of infections being reported annually. One major protozoon is of the Giardia type followed by Legionella. While some infections are characterized by asymptomatic tendencies, diarrhea is one of the main identifiable symptoms in most circumstances.   Cryptosporidium is one of the other major causes of illnesses from contaminated water.

Viruses are often known for their distinctive small sizes when compared to other microorganisms. Many viral infections are known to lead to gastrointestinal problems and are thereafter present in human excrement. Hepatitis A is one of the more common types under this category and often targets the human liver. Hepatitis E is also a common cause of illnesses that affect people from several world regions. Many virus types such as rotaviruses lead to diarrhea and are prone in many developing nations with improper sanitation.

Several types of these microorganisms are known to be disease-causing. Furthermore, these microorganisms possess the capability to multiply rapidly even before entering the human body. There are high volumes of these microorganisms found in human excrement. Hence, wastewater lines ought to be maintained to avoid contact with fresh water.

Once an infection occurs, treatment can be easily achieved by the use of antibiotics. However, being overly dependent on these remedies is often linked to reduced efficacy in the treatment of illnesses.

Most groups of bacteria primarily lead to intestinal complications in the hosts. Vibrio Cholerae is one such bacteria that is responsible for Cholera outbreaks. Other diseases of this type include typhoid and Dysentery. One bacteria type which has extensive symptoms is E. Coli. 

To prevent water diseases, sanitary conditions must be maintained. The microorganisms exhibit diverse points of entry into the bodies of human beings. Hence, water used for any activity should be decontaminated as a way of preventing infections.

Virtually all the microorganisms that lead to the aforementioned infections are often inactivated by the use of disinfectants available. Disinfection mechanisms such as use of ozone and chlorination are sufficient when employed in the prescribed manner. Thus, all the recommended disinfectant types are effective in their elimination. It is so that proper treatment mechanisms be adopted that are in tandem with the standards set by existing regulatory bodies.

The other important aspect of prevention of the diseases is to ensure that all water lines are maintained to prevent further water reinfection.

An increase in waterborne diseases could be alleviated by taking all the necessary measures to ensure that only water of high quality is consumed. Furthermore, the local regulations that define the recommended water quality parameters must be followed to avoid toxicity. Guidelines for various parameters have been set by bodies such as CDC and USEPA. In the domestic environment, simple technologies such as boiling water are guaranteed to eliminate all the microbes. However, more advanced technologies are also available on a large scale that can help remove even the heavy inorganic components such as arsenic. These systems can employ technologies such as ultrafiltration or nanofiltration. Water-borne diseases can also be eradicated by adding oxidizing agents to the water. These include chlorination, which is available for use in a home setup.  

The cases of water-borne diseases can be a thing of the past if proper measures are taken to aid their prevention. However, if an individual gets infected with one or more types of these diseases, correct treatment must be administered for the type of disease-causing pathogen. Symptoms such as those affecting the intestines should also be treated appropriately to prevent dehydration due to the highly frequent gastrointestinal infections.