Waterborne infections

Infections acquired by contact with or ingestion of contaminated water. Waterborne infections include salmonella, giardiasis, cryptosporidiosis, E. coli, and shigellosis.


Illness that is acquired by contact with or ingestion of water contaminated with disease-causing organisms and microorganisms. Waterborne infections may be contracted when people drink or swim in water containing agents, such as bacteria, that produce disease. Water contamination is most commonly caused by the presence of infected human or animal feces or urine. In the case of waterborne infection with Salmonella, the infective organisms, which have been ingested by drinking contaminated water, invade and multiply in the gastrointestinal tract, causing gastroenteritis, enteric fever, septicemia, salmonellosis, paratyphoid fever, and typhoid fever.


Waterborne diseases are illnesses brought about by infectious or parasitic microorganisms that are spread through water. These infections can occur when contaminated water is consumed, contaminates food, or when individuals come into contact with it while swimming or wading. Globally, the contamination of drinking water stands as a significant means of transmitting various diseases, including hepatitis A, numerous viruses and bacteria responsible for causing diarrhea, typhoid fever, cholera, amoebiasis, and certain types of worm infestations.


It’s advisable to refrain from swimming in contaminated water as there is a potential risk of contracting diseases if the water is ingested. For instance, contact with water contaminated by rat urine can lead to a type of leptospirosis. In tropical regions, there is also a risk of acquiring schistosomiasis (commonly known as bilharzia), a severe illness caused by a fluke that has the capability to penetrate a swimmer’s skin.


 


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