Giardiasis: Acute Or Chronic Diarrheal Disease

Bilharzia is a disease caused by freshwater parasitic worms called flukes in certain tropical and subtropical countries. The fresh water becomes contaminated by infected animal or human urine or feces. The parasite goes in through the skin and enters the bloodstream and moves to the liver, intestine, and other organs. It is the third most devastating tropical disease in the world. More than 207 people, 85% of who live in Africa are infected and an estimated 700 million people are at risk of infection.

Some of the most emerging and re-emerging agents of the waterborne diseases are; Cholera which is caused by the ingestion of water that is infected by Vibrio Cholerae. This is a painless form of diarrhea characterized by watery stool. Dysentery which is caused by Escherichia Coli. Typhoid that is caused by Salmonella typhi which is usually accompanied by fever is yet another disease. Gastroenteritis diseases caused by Giardia and Cryptosporodia and some species of hepatitis are also known to be caused by water (CDC, 2011). These disease causing agents find their way into the human body through infected water that people from the poorer communities in Uganda use and have no option of cleaner water.

Today in medicine doctors are rapidly isolating and distinguishing the many pathogenic microbes encountered daily within the environment. Public health has been affected from the faster identification of microorganisms by delivering an accurate analysis to patients in order to receive treatment of the disease in a timely manner. Due to the growing understanding of these organisms more have been easier to indicate to improve water quality. Also more methods have been developed for better treatment options from fecal bacteria in public water systems. Scientist has developed such specific methods of identifying the unknown organism to tell if the contamination has come from either a human, bird, or mammal. (Achtman et al., 2008)

Between the 1830’s to 1860’s, cholera spread into the United States from India by trade routes. Cholera is an acute diarrhoeal infection caused by drinking or eating material that is infected with Vibrio cholerae. Cholera causes watery diarrhoea, but can show days later or never show

Cholera is an intestinal infection that can claim its victim’s life within hours if not treated promptly. It is caused by eating or drinking something that is contaminated with

Giardia is a microscopic parasite that can infect people or animals. These parasites get into the intestinal tract of its host where it lives until it passes through to the outside in the feces. This is where the parasite can affect another person or animal.

Water-borne diseases are caused by the ingestion of water contaminated by pathogenic bacteria, viruses, or parasites. These pathogens are spread through the feces or urine of an infected individual (africaneeds). The most common diseases are cholera, guinea worm and typhoid. People can easily contract these diseases if there is no system of sewage collection and treatment. In fact, almost 2.5 billion people worldwide do not have access to adequate sanitation (UN water). Climate change can also impact the water crisis in Africa. Water is necessary for survival, and when areas get

When traveling to and from exotic locations, vacationers are warned about drinking untreated water, swimming in freshwater lakes and streams, and against eating certain foods. The risks for contracting a parasitic disease while abroad are pretty well defined and as a traveler you are made aware. Less known are the risks here at home. It is a fact however that parasitic diseases in the US are on the rise. According to Dr. Oz “approximately 1 in 3 Americans is infected with an intestinal parasite at any given time.” Specific statistic are not available because most Americans who are infected may be unaware. Often the symptoms of neglected parasitic infections are troublesome, however, vague. Therefore treatment is not immediately sought and even

Gastrointestinal diseases are pervasive problem that is caused by ingestion of contaminated foods or water in which an extensive etiological agents known as enteric pathogen are present, [1]. Salmonella is one of the most opportunistic gram negative, facultative anaerobic food borne pathogens that represent a major health problem and a substantial cause of food poisoning[2]. Salmonellosis caused by Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium) stance as the second most prevalent cause of acute gastroenteritis that affecting one million illnesses in the United States, with 19,000 hospitalizations and 380 deaths[3]. Infection begins with the ingestion of contaminated food or water then characterized by attachment of the bacteria by fimbriae or pili to cells lining the

Giardia lamblia: is a pear-shaped, flagellated protozoan, with two nuclei. The pathogen may exist as trophozoite (enable to feed, grow and cause disease) and as a dormant cyst, with thick, highly resistant walls composed of chitin-like polysaccharide that help the organism remain viable outside the host body for long periods. Due to this characteristic, is the pathogen able to pass

Over the years, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have identified several risk factors and estimated that 76 million cases of foodborne illness occur annually in the United States. Risk factors that contributed to

There are other common sources of cholera bacterium are surface or well water, seafood, raw fruits and vegetables, and grains. In water, Vibrio cholerae can survive for long periods of time, staying dormant. People in areas with poor sanitation, like crowded refugee camps, are at risk of cholera, due to the fact that water provided for said community could be a source of contamination of cholera bacteria. Seafood, when raw or undercooked, can be contaminated by cholera bacteria, if the seafood came from certain areas with contaminated waters. Since the 1970s, cholera outbreaks in the U.S. have been caused by smuggled seafood from cholera-infected areas, and from the Gulf of Mexico. Shellfish are especially contaminated, due to the fact that “they filter large amounts of water, concentrating the levels of cholera bacteria”. Raw fruits—especially unpeeled—and vegetables coming from an area with a source of cholera are another frequent source of the cholera bacteria. Innoculation of the fruits

Giardia lamblia’s stages are very different to go along with its ability to thrive and survive. The

Cryptosporidium parvum is a protozoan intestinal parasite causing a short-term enteric illness in individuals with functioning immune systems, and can cause a potentially fatal infection in immunosuppressed individuals. Because of C. parvum’s resistance to many of the procedures used to process drinking water and food, and the parasite’s extremely high fecundity, the potential for a large scale outbreak is very high. In fact, C. parvum was responsible for an outbreak in Milwaukee in 1993 when an estimated 403,000 people became ill. This was the largest waterborne outbreak of disease in United States history. This paper will cover some aspects of C. parvum’s life cycle, human sickness

Not only are humans threatened by viral and bacterial infections, there are various parasites that also invade the human body. Parasitic infections are common in underdeveloped countries and are a prominent threat in rural areas. Though parasitic infections are known to happen in well-developed countries such as the United States. Contaminated water supplies, contact with infected animals, and improperly stored and cooked food can lead to parasitic infections. Parasites like tapeworms, protozoa, flukes, and nematodes can infect humans, causing serious health issues. These parasites enter through various parts of the body, and then live and reproduce in certain organs. Though there are many points of entry into the human body, most parasites enter