THE IMPACT OF WATER POLLUTION ON THE GLOBAL BURDEN OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
Keywords:
Water Pollution, Infectious Diseases, Waterborne Pathogens, Public Health, SanitationAbstract
Water pollution remains a primary driver of the global infectious disease burden, particularly in developing nations where sanitation infrastructure is deficient. Data indicated that approximately 80% of all diseases in developing countries were linked to poor water quality, with nearly 1.5 million deaths occurring annually due to waterborne illnesses. This review examines the transmission of pathogenic agents—including bacteria, viruses, and parasites—through contaminated aquatic environments. The findings underscore that diarrheal diseases, often spread via the fecal-oral route, represent the leading cause of water-related morbidity and mortality, disproportionately affecting children under the age of five. The study concludes that integrated water management and enhanced filtration technologies are essential to mitigating these public health risks.
References
I. Ashbolt, N. J. (2004). Microbial contamination of drinking water and disease outcomes in developing regions. Toxicology, 198(1-3), 229–238.
II. Cabral, J. P. (2010). Water microbiology: Bacterial pathogens and water. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 7(10), 3657–3703.
III. Craun, G. F., et al. (2006). Outbreaks associated with recreational water in the United States. International Journal of Environmental Health Research, 16(2), 89–109.
IV. Eisenberg, J. N., et al. (2007). Environmental determinants of infectious disease: A framework for tracking waterborne disease. Environmental Health Perspectives, 115(6), 876–882.
V. Esrey, S. A., et al. (1991). Effects of improved water supply and sanitation on ascariasis, diarrhoea, dracunculiasis, hookworm infection, schistosomiasis, and trachoma. Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 69(5), 609–621.
VI. Fewtrell, L., et al. (2005). Water, sanitation, and hygiene interventions to reduce diarrhoea in less developed countries: A systematic review and meta-analysis. The Lancet Infectious Diseases, 5(1), 42–52.
VII. Gall, A. M., et al. (2015). Waterborne diseases: A global view of the burden, etiology, and management. Environmental Science & Technology, 49(14), 8289–8303.
VIII. Gleick, P. H. (2002). Dirty water: Estimated deaths from water-related diseases 2000-2020. Pacific Institute Research Report, Oakland, CA.
IX. Gundry, S., et al. (2004). A systematic review of the health outcomes related to household water quality in developing countries. Journal of Water and Health, 2(1), 1–13.
X. Haseena, M., et al. (2017). Water pollution and human health. Environmental Risk Assessment and Remediation, 1(3), 16–19.
XI. Hunter, P. R., et al. (2010). Water supply and health in Southeast Asia. International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health, 213(6), 413–421.
XII. Leclerc, H., et al. (2002). Advances in the bacteriology of the coliform group: Their suitability as markers of water safety. Annual Review of Microbiology, 55(1), 201–234.
XIII. Montgomery, M. A., & Elimelech, M. (2007). Water and sanitation in developing countries: Including health in the equation. Environmental Science & Technology, 41(1), 17–24.
XIV. Olaniran, A. O., et al. (2013). Public health implications of microbial contamination of South African environmental waters. Scientific Research and Essays, 8(26), 1197–1205.
XV. Pandey, P. K., et al. (2014). Contamination of water resources by pathogenic bacteria. AMB Express, 4(1), 51.
XVI. Prüss-Ustün, A., et al. (2014). Burden of disease from inadequate water, sanitation and hygiene in low- and middle-income settings. Tropical Medicine & International Health, 19(8), 894–905.
XVII. Ramirez-Castillo, F. Y., et al. (2015). Waterborne pathogens: Detection methods and challenges. Pathogens, 4(2), 307–334.
XVIII. Schwarzenbach, R. P., et al. (2010). Global water pollution and human health. Annual Review of Environment and Resources, 35, 109–136.
XIX. United Nations (2017). The United Nations World Water Development Report 2017: Wastewater, The Untapped Resource. UNESCO, Paris.
XX. World Health Organization (2017). Guidelines for drinking-water quality: Fourth edition incorporating the first addendum. WHO Press, Geneva
Additional Files
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2019 International Educational Journal of Science and Engineering
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
