Although the immediate effects of Category 5 hurricanes are shocking, resulting in floodwaters carry more insidious threats such as waterborne disease. A review of 548 outbreaks dating back to 1900 showed that 51% of these outbreaks were preceded by heavy downpours. Amoebiasis, or amebiasis, refers to infection caused by the amoeba Entamoeba histolytica.
For over 40 years, Lifewater has sought out these places, working with communities to teach vital sanitation and health practices and constructing custom water technologies in places where water access is most difficult. Of the seven most common waterborne diseases in the world, diarrhea is the central symptom. The latest research shows that diarrhea is the second leading cause of death for children under the age of five, causing more childhood deaths than malaria, AIDS, and measles combined. Although there is a vaccine for cholera, it’s expensive, not that effective, and not that helpful in managing outbreaks. From a public health perspective, the best way to deal with cholera outbreaks is to establish proper waste disposal and provide clean food and water. People typically get sick from recreational water illnesses when they accidentally ingest water contaminated by fecal matter.
In mild forms, symptoms of leptospirosis include fever, headache, and muscle aches. Severe leptospirosis causes jaundice, kidney dysfunction, and bleeding; this triad of symptoms is referred to as Weil’s disease. Severe leptospirosis can also present with pulmonary hemorrhage, or bleed from the lungs, which may or may not be accompanied by jaundice. Leptospirosis is distributed globally; however, it is most common in tropical and subtropical regions. It’s estimated that leptospirosis affects one million people a year, with 10% of infected people dying of the infection.
Typhoid fever is caused by Salmonella typhi bacteria transmitted via contaminated water. The patients typically suffer from prolonged episodes of fever, loss of appetite, nausea, headache, constipation, and loss of body weight. Prompt attention is needed to cure disease typhoid in the patient, as well as to prevent the spread of this contagious disease.
Leptospires are thin, coiled, motile bacteria transmitted to humans by rats, domestic animals, and farm animals. Human exposure usually occurs via environmental exposure but can also occur secondary to direct interaction with animal urine, feces, blood, or tissue. Although unrelated to natural disasters and flooding, in 2003 and 2017, two major outbreaks of hepatitis A occurred. The first happened in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, and was traced back to contaminated green onions served in a Mexican restaurant. The second took place in San Diego and—due to limited sanitation— the risk was pronounced among members of the homeless population. Together these outbreaks resulted in hundreds of hospitalizations and several deaths.
In cases of severe disease, kidney dysfunction needs to be treated with short-term dialysis. It’s important to treat leptospirosis with antibiotics to prevent organ failure. Patients should be treated as soon as possible before organ failure occurs. Leptospirosis can be treated with a broad range of antibiotics, including, ceftriaxone, cefotaxime, or doxycycline.
Notably, there are no documented reports of disease outbreaks attributed to spray irrigation with disinfected reclaimed wastewater. The potential transmission of Legionnaires' disease by drift from cooling towers should also be noted. Apart from the precautions at an individual level, several other approaches including mass recycling of water and carbon sequestration are employed to control the water-borne diseases. Protecting the natural water sources and lands is another important strategy to combat climate change. Effective irrigation techniques have been developed by agricultural scientists for optimal usage of water during farming.
In adults, dysentery is treated with azithromycin or fluoroquinolones. Some diarrhea-causing germs can survive in properly treated water for days. World Environment Day is the United Nations’ principal vehicle for encouraging worldwide awareness and action for the environment. Over the years it has grown to be a broad, global platform for public outreach that is widely celebrated by stakeholders in more than 100 countries.