Water, despite being essential for our survival, is related to several diseases that affect human beings. we call water related diseases those that its transmission, in some way, is linked to that substance. These diseases can be directly related to water, when they are caused, for example, by its ingestion, or indirectly, that is, when water serves as a breeding ground for some vector, such as dengue.
In general, water-related diseases could be avoided with very simple measures. Furthermore, investment in basic sanitation is essential to avoid most of these diseases.
→ Ways of transmission of water-related diseases
See the main ways of transmission:
Diseases related to drinking contaminated water:The ingestion of water that contains substances or pathogenic organisms can trigger a series of problems, which, in most cases, result in cases of diarrhea. One of the main diseases related to drinking contaminated water is amoebiasis, caused by Entamoeba histolytica. This disease can cause fever, abdominal pain, bloody diarrhea, flatulence, anemia, and even death. In addition to amoebiasis, we can mention the
cholera, a giardiasis and the hepatitis A.Diseases related to contact with contaminated water: Sometimes the simple contact with water can expose our bodies to pathogens. This is the case of schistosomiasis, which is transmitted after the penetration of larvae (cercaria) through our skin and mucous membranes. This disease can be acute or chronic. In the acute phase, it can trigger diarrhea, fever, headaches, weight loss, nausea and vomiting. In the chronic phase, problems such as an enlarged liver may occur. Another example of a disease transmitted in this way is leptospirosis, caused by contaminated rat urine.
Diseases related to poor sanitation and poor hygiene: The lack of basic sanitation and poor hygiene habits can put the subject in risky situations. By not washing your hands properly or not washing your food or washing it with contaminated water, we may come into contact with pathogenic agents, which is the case for some verminosis, such as ascariasis, also called a roundworm.
Diseases related to vectors that develop in water:In this case, we have diseases transmitted by organisms that spend part of their life cycle in water and are essential for the transmission of some diseases. As an example of vector-borne diseases related to water, we can cite themalaria, a zika, The chikungunya and the dengue. In all the cases mentioned, the disease is transmitted by a mosquito, which spends part of its development in aquatic environments.
→ Ways to prevent water-related diseases
As you can see, the forms of prevention when it comes to water-related diseases are several, since there are different forms of transmission. Despite this factor, some basic measures are essential to prevent these and other diseases:
Wash hands and food thoroughly;
Drink only filtered or boiled water;
Do not perform physiological needs in inappropriate places;
Do not leave containers exposed to water;
Cover the water tank.;
Do not throw garbage in aquatic environments and in inappropriate places for the disposal of this material;
- Avoid flood water and places where water quality is not known.
By Ma. Vanessa dos Santos
Source: Brazil School - https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/doencas/doencas-relacionadas-com-agua.htm
