Research Question
The development of waterborne illnesses is a serious global dilemma because of millions of cases related to infecting people by contaminated fresh water. This is of particular concern to such widespread diseases as botulism caused by the bacteria living in contaminated water. Because water is considered the main resource for drinking, healthcare, industry, and recreation, many infections can be transmitted by parasites and microbes, public health is under the threat. Although 70 % of the Earth is covered with water, not all resources can be used for drinking, sanitation, and hygiene owing to constantly emerging waterborne infectious diseases. Therefore, the given disease poses a serious challenge to maintaining the welfare of the community.
Problem Statement
Clean, safe, and healthy water is indispensable for sanitation, drinking, hygiene and recreation because it allows to sustain human health and to reduce the likelihood of waterborne illnesses. At the global level, however, more than 900 people have limited access to healthy water and, as a result, the spread of infectious diseases transmitted by water is inevitable. Aside from personal hygiene, there are a number of public recreational centers, such as swimming pools, which face a serious dilemma. In particular, Hlavsa et al. (2011) have found out that local governments are responsible only for regulating, establishing, and enhancing sanitation standards in swimming pools.
Due to the absence of federal control, there are substantial variations in terms of compliance, regulation, and enforcement. As a result, the researchers indicate that there was a significant increase in water-associated outbreaks in 2007-2008 (134 cases) as compared to 78 cases of waterborne infections (Hlavsa et al., 2011).
Kun et al. (2012) have provided an analysis of waterborne infectious diseases at a global level and have correlated those with socio-environmental factors. The study has demonstrated a direct connection between serious public health problems and the spread of water-associated outbreaks (Kun et al., 2012). As a result, the negligence of simple rules and ignorance of environmental problems can lead to the development of serious waterborne diseases like botulism. According to Zhang et al. (2010), the history of the disease is quite long, but there are no specific strategies that would reduce the development of bacterial infections. What is more important, the disease has spread over almost all regions in the United States, including Mississippi and Alaska.
To understand the seriousness of the problem, specific attention should be paid to the analysis of sources and reasons of microbe and parasite exposures to water, as well as how quickly these pathogens spread. At this point, Leclerc et al. (2002) consider microbial explore to waters a result of neglected attitude to sustaining public sanitation, as well as inappropriate regulations established in various countries.
As a result, water-associated outbreaks have a close relation to public health policies and strategies that should be taken into consideration. More importantly, the lack of relevant norms and standards can become a trigger of re-emerging and emerging diseases all over the world.
In their studies, Leclerc et al. (2002) have outlined a number of serious diseases caused by water microbes. These classes of pathogens include “enteric and aquatic bacteria, enteric viruses, and enteric protozoa” (p. 392). All these microorganisms constitute a major threat to the health of individuals because of the epidemic spread of bacterial diseases.
References
Hlavsa, M., Roberts, V., Anderson, A., Hill, V., Kahler, A., Orr, M., &… Yoder, J. (2011). Surveillance for waterborne disease outbreaks and other health events associated with recreational water — United States, 2007–2008. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Surveillance Summaries (Washington, D.C.: 2002), 60(12), 1-32.
Kun, Y., LeJeune, J., Alsdorf, D., Bo, L., Shum, C. K., & Song, L. (2012). Global Distribution of Outbreaks of Water-Associated Infectious Diseases. Plos Neglected Tropical Diseases, 6(2), 1-9.
Leclerc, H. H., Schwartzbrod, L. L., & Dei-Cas, E. E. (2002). Microbial Agents Associated with Waterborne Diseases. Critical Reviews In Microbiology, 28(4), 371.
Zhang, J., Sun, L., & Nie, Q. (2010). Botulism, where are we now?. Clinical Toxicology (Philadelphia, Pa.), 48(9), 867-879.