Hepatitis A, Cholera, E. Coli

Hepatitis A, Cholera, E. Coli


What are these contaminants?
• Hepatitis A
•  A contagious liver disease which results from infection from the hepatitis A virus.
• Cholera
• A diarrheal illness caused by infection of the intestine from the bacteria Vibrio Cholerae
• E. Coli
• (Escherichia coli) A type of rod-shaped bacteria commonly found in the intestines of animals and humans  
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rlyfc-5fVqI
How do they hurt us?
• Hepatitis A- Ranges in severity, can be a mild illness lasting a few weeks or a severe illness lasting several months. Hepatitis A is usually spread when a person ingests fecal matter that has been infected by this disease. Can even be just a little bit, from contact with objects, food, or drinks microscopically contaminated.
• Cholera- Estimated 3-5 million cases and over 100,000 deaths each year around the world. Infection can often be mild, without symptoms, but can also be severe. Approximately 1/20 infected persons will have severe disease with symptoms like profuse watery diarrhea, vomiting, and leg cramps. Along with these symptoms comes rapid loss of body fluids which leads to dehydration and shock. Without treatment, death can occur within hours.
Below map shows Cholera outbreaks through 2002. Not many cases are observed in North Americas. However there have been recent findings of cholera in the water sources of Haiti as seen in the video below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5YrGoXde6k
• 
• E. Coli- There are numerous strains of E. Coli, the majority are harmless, living in healthy cattle and humans in the intestines. However, E. Coli strain 0157:H7 is one of the most serious drinking water contaminants, responsible for many severe illnesses and deaths in North America each year.
How do they get in our water?


• Hepatitis A- When water is contaminated with feces from infected humans, the water can potentially spread the hepatitis A virus. It can enter the water through various ways, including sewage overflows, faulty sewage systems, and storm water runoff.
• Cholera- Spread by contact with infected person through feces or vomit. Can enter water through same ways as Hepatitis A, through runoff water and sewage systems. Can be spread throughout water by shellfish and fish who have been exposed to contaminated water.
• E. Coli- Found on small cattle farms where bacteria lives in intestines of healthy cows. Again can enter water by same ways as Hepatitis A, through sewage systems and storm water runoff, in addition agricultural runoff (more commonly found in produce)

How do we get rid of them?
• Hepatitis A, Cholera, and E. Coli can all be killed or inactivated by bringing water to a continuous boil for one minute. Water should then be allowed to cool, stored in a clean sanitized container with an air tight cover, and refrigerated. Because of the small size of the viruses, using a point-of-use filter will not remove it from water. You may also disinfect your well or water source (if possible); adequate chlorination will also kill viruses.
 
SOURCES
http://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/drinking/private/wells/disease/hepatitis_a.html
http://www.thewaterq.com/wnews1/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=93&layout=blog&Itemid=451
http://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/
http://www.cdc.gov/cholera/index.html

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5YrGoXde6k
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rlyfc-5fVqI