Hepatitis A, Cholera, E. coli

Hepatitis A

Hepatitis A is a virus that causes a liver disease that carries the same name, Hepatitis A. It is highly contagious, and the most likely way to contract this disease is by consuming contaminated food or water. Hepatitis A can also be spread by close contact with somebody who is infected. It is estimated that there are about 1.4 million cases of Hepatitis A worldwide every year. Symptoms of Hepatitis A usually appear a few weeks after one has contracted the virus and include:

• Nausea/Vomiting
• Loss of Appetite
• Dark Urine
• Jaundice
• Fatigue
• Abdominal Pain
• Low-Grade Fever
• Muscle Pain

No cure exists for Hepatitis A, but luckily, the human body will clear the virus out of its system.

As can be seen in the map above, almost all countries are at moderate to high risk of  Hepatitis A, with the exception of many 1st world countries. Map provided by WHO.

Source: Mayo Clinic
Source: World Health Organization (WHO)


Cholera

B. i. Cholera is an infectionous and often fatal bacterial disease of the small intestine, contracted from infected water supplies.
ii. These contaminations cause severe vomiting and diarrhea which therefore can cause these people to become extreemly dehydrated. Ill and dehydrated people in an unsanitary place can cause many deaths due to the lack of fresh water.
iii. Cholera bacterium are found in people's feces, or poop, of those who are infected. Therefore cholera gets into our water by an infected persons poop getting into our drinking water. This causes the people who drink this contaminated water to also get cholera.
iv. Good sanitation and running water can prevent this because feces will be flushed and moved out of the drinking water to be cleaned. This disease usually comes around after a disasted such as earthquakes or floods because the water cleaning systems are destoyed and the feces float around. This disease is not contagouse but can be spread due to the contaminated water through an infected person's feces.

http://kidshealth.org/teen/infections/bacterial_viral/cholera.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jG1VNSCsP5Q&noredirect=1


E. Coli

Escherichia Coli (abbreviated E. Coli) is a large group of bacteria. While most are harmless, and some essential for healthy intestinal functions, others are pathogenic and can make a person very sick. Some types cause diarrhea, which can extremely dehydrate people, and can cause death. The types that can cause diarrhea can be transmitted through contaminated water or food. There are six pathotypes of E. Coli associated with diarrhea. They are:

• Shiga toxin-producing E. Coli (STEC)
• Enterotoxigenic E. Coli (ETEC)
• Enteropathogenic E. Coli (EPEC)
• Enteroaggregative E. Coli (EAEC)
• Enteroinvasive E. Coli (EIEC)
• Diffusely adherent E. Coli (DAEC)

CDC E. Coli

E. Coli comes from human or animal waste. Whenever it rains, snow melts, or another from of percipitation, E. Coli could be washed into waterways. When these water sources are used for drinking water and the water isn't properly treated, E. Coli could end up in the drinking water.

E. Coli can be treated by using chlorine, UV light, or ozone, all of which kill or inactivate E. Coli. Systems that use surface water are required to disinfect the water for safety.

EPA E. Coli