WATER BORNE DISEASES

Water borne diseases has been affecting many people in India and world. Its spreads not only from
contaminated water but also through food. Its increasing day by day and therefore I opted for this
topic. Water borne diseases are caused by variety of microorganisms and toxic contaminants which
lead to illnesses such as cholera, diarrhea, typhoid, hepatitis and other gastrointestinal problems.
Many developing countries do not have proper water treatment plants, especially in the rural areas. In
some places, the availability of water is so scarce that people have neither the time nor the money to
afford the water purifiers or other water treatment mechanisms. Very often, we ignore basic good
habits such as washing our hands, or flushing the toilet or cleaning our homes properly. The result can
be detrimental to our health and well-being and that of our families and loved ones. Majority of
water-borne diseases worldwide mainly affect children due to poor hygiene and weak immunity. Most
of these diseases are life-threatening. Outbreaks of waterborne diseases occur after rainfall. Common
symptoms include abdominal pain, vomiting, fever, loss of appetite, dehydration, nausea and
weakness. Waterborne diseases remain as leading causes of human morbidity and mortality
worldwide. Water-borne diseases continue to cause immense suffering, millions of deaths and grave
economic losses especially in developing countries.
Lack of clean water, sanitization and hygiene are major causes for spread of waterborne disease in
community. If you ingest water from unclean sources such as public tanks, lakes or tap water you
might get infected with water borne disease. Unclean water for washing can cause skin and infectious
eye disease. Rural population are at more risk from waterborne illness. The risk is more for infants,
younger children, elderly and patients of diabetes, chronic diseases of heart, kidney etc. There are
many water borne diseases examples, most of which are caused by chemical pollution of water bodies
due to the effect of increased levels of nitrates and heavy metals on the body. This is likely to occur
where public and private drinking water systems get their water from surface waters which can be
contaminated by infected animals or people. Stagnant water allows breeding of germs during
monsoon. Drinking water, when exposed to feces or germs, becomes unhealthy for consumption and
leads to diseases.
Ensure that water is clean and drink boiled water only. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap.
Always cook meals with clean hands and wash your hands while serving as well. Carry a hand
sanitizer with you when you step out of the house and some tissues as well. Wash all fruits and
vegetables thoroughly before consuming since you don’t know where they came from. Consume
pasteurized dairy products only. Avoid drinking juices from places you don’t know. Consume home-
cooked hot meals as much as possible. Make sure your source of water at home is clean. Completely
avoid drinking tap water at all costs. The only way to break the continued transmission is to improve
the people’s hygienic behaviour and to provide them with certain basic needs: drinking water,
washing and bathing facilities and sanitization. Avoid outside food when you doubt its quality. Get
prompt treatment from a physician if symptoms worsen and the person is dehydrated. Different
infections require different treatments so do not attempt to self-medicate. Keep your surroundings
clean. Avoid living in dirty, overcrowded areas. Store drinking water in covered vessels or clean
bottles. Use disposable glass and plates whenever possible when eating outside food, particularly
street food. Avoid eating stale cooked food, unrefrigerated food kept exposed outside for long hours.
Take vaccinations for immunization against preventable diseases like Typhoid, Hepatitis A, Polio, etc.
Treatment of these diseases mainly includes rehydration, rest and sometimes medication and
antibiotics. So contamination of even one water source can affect a large part of the population