The Global Water Crisis: Addressing an Urgent Security - Unu-inweh ...

Table 2. Water-related diseases (adapted from Lvovsky, 2001; Pangare et al., 2006; and Prüss-Üstün et al., 2008).
Disease
category
Diarrheal
diseases
Vector-borne
diseases
Diseases Disease type Transmission
Diarrhea, cholera,
dysentery,
typhoid,
amoebiasis,
giardiasis,
rotavirus
gastroenteritis
Lymphatic
filariasis, malaria
Dengue, Japanese
encephalitis,
yellow fever
Gastrointestinal
infection
Schistomiasis Parasitic
infection
Blindness Onchocerciasis Nematode
infection
Trachoma Bacterial
infection
Cutaneous
diseases
Dracunculiasis Nematode
infection
Scabies Parasitic
infection
Paralysis Poliomyelitis Viral infection of
the central
nervous system
Faecal-oral route; drinking water contaminated
with faecal matter
Parasitic
Borne by black flies and mosquitoes which breed
infection in stagnant water
Viral infection Borne by black flies and mosquitoes which breed
in stagnant water
Borne by aquatic snails
Borne by black files
Person-to-person contact; water deficits result in
poor personal hygiene and increased risk of
transmission
Drinking water contaminated with nematodes
Person-to-person contact; water deficits result in
poor personal hygiene and increased risk of
transmission
Faecal-oral and oral-oral routes; drinking
contaminated water
Liver disease Hepatitis A and E Viral infection Faecal-oral route; drinking water contaminated
with faecal matter
2. Implications for Social and Economic Development
Water is required for human and domestic consumption and for productive purposes at different levels, from household
to national. There are minimum standards of water quality required for different uses. However, increasing global water
scarcity and deteriorating water quality as a result of pressures and demands and competition for water resources from
different sectors often necessitates the use of water which may not meet the quality standards for particular uses. The
problem is aggravated due to inadequate disposal of polluted or contaminated water in water bodies such as rivers, lakes
and wetlands. In addition to increasing health risks for nearby populations from contact with these water bodies, the
toxins that accumulate in these water bodies have a negative impact on the environment, destroying aquatic plant and
animal life. Consumption of fish from these contaminated water bodies can also be harmful for humans and animals.
Greater use of poor-quality water for consumption and production purposes increases health risks in the community. For
example, over-extraction of groundwater for drinking, agriculture and industry has increased the incidence of fluoride
and arsenic in these water sources. Many people are forced to drink fluoride-contaminated water due to the scarcity of
safe fresh water. In India alone, more than 90 million people are at risk from fluoride-related health problems (Pangare
et al., 2006) (see also Box 4 on Groundwater Resources in Bangladesh).
Water and Health Security
Part 2
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