Animal Waste, Water Quality and Human Health

7ExposureWill Robertson and Gordon Yasvinski7.1 INTRODUCTIONA variety of microorganisms (viruses, bacteria and parasites) have the capacity totransmit disease through contact with contaminated water (US EPA 2009).Waterborne infectious diseases caused by these microorganisms can be fatal.Globally, over 1.5 million people die each year from unsafe water, inadequatesanitation and insufficient hygiene as a result of diarrhoeal diseases,schistosomiasis and others (Prüss-Üstün et al. 2008). In the USA alone, between1971 and 2000 43 outbreaks involving almost 1800 cases associated withuntreated recreational surface waters were attributed to zoonotic pathogens suchas pathogenic E. coli, Leptospira, Giardia, Cryptosporidium and Schistosoma(dermatitis) (WHO 2004). Of these outbreaks, ten were attributed to animal andavian sources.Catchment area loading with livestock wastes and the transport of thiscontamination to water bodies are of growing concern for their potential effects© 2012 World Health Organization (WHO). Animal Waste, Water Quality and Human Health. Editedby Al Dufour, Jamie Bartram, Robert Bos and Victor Gannon. ISBN: 9781780401232. Published byIWA Publishing, London, UK.