Seven Common Waterborne Diseases (and How to Prevent Them)

• In 2021, over 2 billion people live in water-stressed countries, which is expected to be exacerbated in some regions as result of climate change and population growth (1).
• In 2022, globally, at least 1.7 billion people use a drinking water source contaminated with faeces. Microbial contamination of drinking-water as a result of contamination with faeces poses the greatest risk to drinking-water safety.
• Safe and sufficient water facilitates the practice of hygiene, which is a key measure to prevent not only diarrhoeal diseases, but acute respiratory infections and numerous neglected tropical diseases.
• Microbiologically contaminated drinking water can transmit diseases such as diarrhoea, cholera, dysentery, typhoid and polio and is estimated to cause approximately 505 000 diarrhoeal deaths each year.
• In 2022, 73% of the global population (6 billion people) used a safely managed drinking-water service – that is, one located on premises, available when needed, and free from contamination.

WATER AND HEALTH

Contaminated water and poor sanitation are linked to transmission of diseases such as cholera, diarrhoea, dysentery, hepatitis A, typhoid and polio. Absent, inadequate, or inappropriately managed water and sanitation services expose individuals to preventable health risks. This is particularly the case in health care facilities where both patients and staff are placed at additional risk of infection and disease when water, sanitation and hygiene services are lacking.

Out of every 100 patients in acute-care hospitals, 7 patients in high-income countries (HICs) and 15 patients in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) will acquire at least one health care-associated infection during their hospital stay.

Inadequate management of urban, industrial and agricultural wastewater means the drinking-water of hundreds of millions of people is dangerously contaminated or chemically polluted. Natural presence of chemicals, particularly in groundwater, can also be of health significance, including arsenic and fluoride, while other chemicals, such as lead, may be elevated in drinking-water as a result of leaching from water supply components in contact with drinking-water.

Here's a bit more detail on each:

1. Cholera: Caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae, it leads to severe diarrhea and dehydration. 
2. Typhoid Fever: Caused by Salmonella Typhi, it results in high fever, stomach pain, and headaches. 
3. Hepatitis A: A viral infection that affects the liver and can cause jaundice, fatigue, and loss of appetite. 
4. Giardiasis: Caused by the parasite Giardia, it leads to diarrhea, stomach cramps, and nausea. 
5. E. coli Infection: Certain strains of E. coli, like E. coli O157:H7, can cause severe diarrhea, stomach cramps, and vomiting. 
6. Dysentery: A type of diarrheal illness, often caused by bacteria like Shigella or Campylobacter, that can cause bloody stools and abdominal pain. 
7. Salmonella: Can cause various infections, including typhoid fever, and is contracted through contaminated food and water.